Columbus Blue Jackets furious over power play drought as NHL officiating trend hurts playoff hopes

Frustration is building for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they’ve played a series of games where their strong puck possession and attack have failed to be rewarded with any power-play opportunities. In their last three matches, the Columbus Blue Jackets have earned a paltry two power plays combined.
While they’ve controlled play in their last three contests, outshooting their opponents 90-60, the Columbus Blue Jackets also had strong outings against the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders. However, they’ve failed to be rewarded for their strong play, a situation they believe is becoming impossible to ignore.

Possession strong & penalties scarce: Columbus Blue Jackets question NHL officiating pattern

Zach Werenski, the veteran defenseman, was the voice of the team in this matter, and his message was clear: the issue is not one of excuses but rather one of fairness. Werenski pointed out the fact that his team has dominated the pace of the game, moved the puck well, and created chances, and these are usually the things that get teams power plays. However, the team has little to show from their efforts.
The team’s head coach, Rick Bowness, also shared the team’s frustrations on this matter. “I can’t explain this,” Bowness said. “I’m seeing things that, OK, I think they’re penalties. The referees obviously don’t. But to go the past two games now, and we’ve had one power play? I can’t explain that.”
The problem is that the picture is not entirely clear, given that the Columbus team is not always the defensive-minded team, as evidenced by the advanced statistics that place the Blue Jackets near the middle of the league in terms of even-strength shot attempts, shot share, and scoring chance percentage, suggesting that they possess the puck often enough to draw penalties.
It is understood that special teams can be the difference-maker in games that are closely contested, and for the Blue Jackets, they have limited room for error given the fact that they do not generate many power-play chances, which is why they need the five-on-five play to carry them.
Even though the team is not placing the blame on officiating for the loss, the lack of calls is something that they would like to see addressed, especially as the season is about to heat up, given that the playoffs are not far off, and officiating consistency could prove to be the difference-maker for the team.
However, for the time being, the Blue Jackets need to keep scoring, but if the trend persists, it could prove to be an overlooked factor that could determine the course of the season for the team.


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