Blue Jackets want to protect late leads better with Sharks on tap
Holding onto third-period leads has been a struggle for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season. They've lost six of 18 games when leading at the start of the third period, the second-worst winning percentage in the NHL in that situation.
The Blue Jackets hope to get another chance to buck that trend when they play the San Jose Sharks in the opener of a four-game West Coast trip on Tuesday night.
Columbus has earned at least a point in five of the past six games (4-1-1), but surrendered a two-goal edge at the start of the third period against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
The Penguins rallied to tie the score with 12.8 seconds remaining in regulation and then won 5-4 in overtime.
"We've got to close that one out," Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner said. "Obviously, there's been a number of games where it's hurting us with third-period leads, and to get to where we want to get to, we've got to close them out."
Columbus coach Dean Evason has handed over the No. 1 goaltending duties to Jet Greaves, who has started the past six games.
"We just feel that Jet gives us a chance to win every single night and we're going to stick with that for now," Evason said before the loss to the Penguins.
Greaves, 24, and Elvis Merzlikins, 31, rotated starts the first month of the season, but Merzlikins' goals-against average has ballooned to 4.04 and his save percentage sits at .877.
Greaves, meanwhile, has a 2.64 GAA and .910 save percentage.
Evason said Merzlikins needs to continue working with goalie coach Nick Backstrom and eliminate the kinks that have crept into his game.
"No different than a guy that hasn't played a lot or has sat out," Evason said. "You need to get the reps in practice. You need to do your work. If you're not playing, you have to do whatever it takes to get back into the lineup and he's done that. We just feel that Jet is giving us an opportunity to win each and every night and we're going to stay with that for now."
The Sharks had won three straight before losing 7-3 against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
Injuries have become a concern as defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and John Klingberg missed practice on Sunday.
Mukhamadullin sustained an upper-body injury in the loss to the Lightning and is considered day-to-day, but was still being evaluated.
Mukhamadullin missed the final eight games last season with an upper-body injury, and two weeks in October 2024 with another upper-body injury.
"They're all different injuries, in a sense, so if it was one thing, you could kind of pinpoint it, but it's some bad luck, really since the end of last year," Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. "It's extremely frustrating, especially when you're trying to find your game and establish yourself as a National Hockey League player."
Klingberg sustained a lower-body injury in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday and will be sidelined for the upcoming week.
San Jose could welcome back defenseman Vincent Desharnais against the Blue Jackets. He hasn't played since Nov. 26 because of an upper-body injury, but has been practicing.