As Patrik Laine builds chemistry with Blue Jackets, his shot doesn’t seem to be a problem
Laine #Laine
Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones saw Carolina Hurricanes forward Brock McGinn pressure center Jack Roslovic, an action that left Patrik Laine wide open on the left wing on a power play.
The next steps — quick passes from Roslovic to Jones at the point, then Jones to Laine — resulted in one of Laine’s signature slap shots from the left face-off circle, his first power-play goal with the Blue Jackets and the first of two goals in a 6-5 loss to Carolina on Sunday.
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For a team trying desperately for a more consistent threat on the power play — and its offense in general — Laine showed exactly what the Jackets expect from him and why his excellent shot is, well, excellent.
“I have to get him the puck,” Jones said. “He’s got one of the best shots in the league from that spot. That’s his bread and butter there.”
There’s a clear, existing connection between Roslovic and Laine, who came to Columbus in a trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois, around which the Jackets can build. There’s also the belief that the more games those two play, after missing part of the first month of the season, the more they will contribute in all three zones.
But with three goals in three games, Laine’s shot doesn’t seem to need any warming up before it’s fully charged.
“I’ve never had an issue shooting the puck,” Laine said. “It’s just, like, the other parts playing with the puck, try to bring it in the zone, power play — it’s just winning my own puck battles, and I feel like that was better today, but it’s still not my best. I’m sure it’s coming.”
Two goals in a loss to Carolina decided by one goal — which includes a Hurricanes goal that should have been disallowed — appears important on paper, but the moments in which they were scored highlighted what an asset Laine is and his ability to change a game in a split second.
The goal at 10:07 of the first period gave the Jackets their fourth power-play goal in the past six games. His second goal came in another man-advantage with an empty net and less than a minute left on the clock. It gave the Jackets a chance to at least get a point out of the game.
Laine had a great look from the same spot — top of the left faceoff circle — on the power play in the final 10 seconds, but the shot was blocked by Jaccob Slavin.
“What a threat he is on that side,” Nick Foligno said. “He’s a guy, you’re standing in front, you almost don’t need to screen his shot, that’s how hard and how accurate it is. That’s what he brings.”
The power play showed signs of life, but was ultimately just 1 for 5 in the game, which included the final 39 seconds. The more success Laine has, however, could open opportunities for others, Jones said, because the defense will devote more time to Laine.
His play so far might not be at his standard, but Laine has shown he can keep possession of the puck and make passes before the lane is even open. Jones brought up a play Laine made at 7:20 in the first period, when the winger carried in the puck by himself against multiple defenders and created a scoring chance in the slot.
With Laine, the Jackets have a player who can win them a game. Then there are also moments like the bulk of the second period Sunday, when the Jackets failed to produce a shot on goal until more than 14 minutes of the period had passed.
It’s unrealistic to believe those moments won’t happen from time to time, but it also seems illogical that Laine should get more than one shot on net in 14:28 of ice time when the teams were at even strength.
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For a recap of the Blue Jackets-Hurricanes game on Monday night, visit Dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: As Patrik Laine builds chemistry with Blue Jackets, his shot doesn’t seem to be a problem