The Blue Jackets fall to the Lightning after lacking focus

Columbus -- They knew that they would have their hands full with a fast, skilled team on a winning streak with the Tampa Bay Lightning in town. After playing better on Friday in Carolina, they were on the second night of back-to-back games. Coming out from the first drop of the puck and dictating the pace of the game was important if they were to have a chance at putting two points in their pocket.

Tampa Bay are not the Hurricanes, and it showed in the way that the Lightning jumped on Columbus right from the start. They hemmed the Blue Jackets in their own zone for extended periods and were faster. It almost seemed as if the Blue Jackets were waiting for something to happen instead of playing their game.

"I think we need to focus on finding a way to be the team that we know we can be," said forward Nick Foligno with some resignation in his voice. Foligno recorded his team-leading sixth multi-point game against the Lightning, going 1-1-2 (even) in 20:46. 

"We're a better team than we're showing," he said. "And for whatever reason, we're not showing it enough. We're reacting to everything. We're not the team that initiates and that's costing us. Right now, point blank, it's almost costing us the season. We talked in here and understand what's at stake. We have to come ready to work on Monday."

Tampa Bay threw up four goals in the first period, almost before the Blue Jackets knew what hit them. One would almost have to ask if someone got the license plate of the truck that hit them in the first twenty minutes. In a span of less than nine minutes, the Lightning had found the back of the net behind rookie goaltender Anton Forsberg. They almost had a fifth goal after Nikita Kucherov was awarded a penalty shot after defenseman Tim Erixon was called for holding on a breakaway. Ultimately, the shot trickled wide of the net.

Now 0-7-1 on this current losing streak, it has moved beyond leaving a bad taste in their mouthes to a sickening feeling, almost of impending doom. Murphy's Law has taken up residence in the room and grabbed a stall for himself, sitting there watching and waiting. At this point, they are finding ways to lose games instead of searching for ways to win them.

"I think you have to deal with the reality," said Columbus head coach Todd Richards after the game. "What the reality is and where we're at. We're 4-9-1. But I do know, based on past experience, you dig yourselves a hole and right now, we've dug ourselves a hole. We're sitting in it and it's tough to get out of that hole."

Too many times this season, they have put themselves in the position of chasing the game. For whatever reason, they seem to come alive and play with more desperation when that happens. Unfortunately, that is taxing on them physically and mentally. Indeed, everyone remembers the run to the playoffs last season and how they were beat up and didn't have a whole lot left in their collective tanks. 

At this point, they must put the disappointment aside and start getting angry. Angry at themselves for not playing the way they know how. Anger at everyone not stepping up and showing the initiative to grab the bull by the horns and make other teams react to playing 'Blue Jackets hockey'. Anger at losing the identity that was forged with sweat, blood and some broken bones over the last few years.

"We didn't look good enough," said defesneman Tim Erixon, 0-2-2 (even) on the night. "I felt like we were one guy skating and the other four guys are standing there, looking around. it's not going to work against a team like (Tampa Bay). We've lost a lot of games and we shouldn't come out like that. It's just not good enough."

There were a few bright spots in the game, as forward Scott Hartnell had his second straight two-goal game, with both of his tallies coming on the power play. He was 2-0-2 (-2) on the night against the Lightning. In the last 48 hours, the second period of games have been kind to Hartnell, as all four of his goals came in the middle stanza.

Despite these few bright spots, they are not performing to the expectations that they, and others, have put on them. This is fundamentally much the same team from last year. Yes, injuries have basically ravaged the roster. But now, in this moment, there is no excuse from getting away from playing the game the way they know how. They all know the systems that Todd Richards has in place. They know what they need to do. It's simply the time to 'put up or shut up'.

From the veterans to the youngsters, they know how to be better. It's time to go out and do it.