I'm going to be completely honest with you. I tried to search for a topic to talk about regarding the Columbus Blue Jackets. I tried my darnedest to find something to talk about with Ohio's only NHL team. Maybe some connections? No, which is why I couldn't dig something up for this season.
I know! What kind of writer would I be if I didn't talk about the Blue Jackets? Here's the thing: Columbus came awfully close to making the Stanley Cup playoffs after motivated play from the late great Johnny Gaudreau. This season is slightly worse, with the Blue Jackets sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division and six points out of a playoff spot entering Thursday.
More importantly, this team plays in Ohio.
However! I found something that Vegas Golden Knights fans can talk about. It doesn't involve high-danger chances, the power play, or even the penalty kill.
Instead, it involves an area that Golden Knights fans won't even consider. Heck, I bet you dollars to donuts that this specific area won't even cross your mind. So, let me tell you about this forgotten area in Thursday's big game. Prepare to have your mind blown, dear reader, as we familiarize ourselves with the Blue Jackets!
The Vegas Golden Knights must guard mid-range and long-range shots against the Columbus Blue Jackets
Heading into Thursday's game against the Golden Knights, the Blue Jackets have a team shooting percentage of 9.8%. That's "good" for 29th in the NHL, only ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, the Calgary Flames, and the New Jersey Devils.
On top of that, the Blue Jackets aren't afraid to shoot the puck, ranking fifth in the NHL in team shots (1,273). While Columbus is willing to practice its inner Pete DeBoer and spray the net, the team isn't hitting its mark. That doesn't mean that the Blue Jackets aren't trying (stats courtesy of NHL Edge).
Team | Average Shot Speed | High Danger Shots | Mid-Range Shots | Long-Range Shots | High-Danger Shooting Percentage | Mid-Range Shooting Percentage | Long-Range Shooting Percentage | Offensive Zone Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vegas Golden Knights | 56.73 MPH | 361 | 310 | 252 | 21.1% | 8.1% | 2.4% | 41% |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 58.68 MPH | 335 | 375 | 248 | 18.8% | 10.9% | 5.2% | 39.9% |
While the shots are harder for Columbus, there's a good reason for that. The Blue Jackets specialize in firing from mid-range, hoping for a deflection or a redirection to bounce their way. This is where the Golden Knights would like to have someone like Brayden McNabb or William Karlsson around, so the shooting lanes are minimized. Still, that doesn't mean that players like Noah Hanifin or Mark Stone can't do the job.
But Columbus also spends 42% of its zone time in the defensive zone, 0.9% more than the NHL average. The team will employ a stay-at-home approach, especially if the Golden Knights get giveaway-happy in the offensive zone. Therefore, Vegas must be careful with turning the puck over.
The Golden Knights will win if they keep the second chances from flooding in against Columbus
If Vegas is to build something awesome with another win on Thursday, that means the sticks must be on the ice. That means guarding rebounds and successful exits. The Golden Knights might be injured and hobbled at the moment. However, the team still has the big guns to defend, ranging from Stone to Jack Eichel himself.
That also means that the starting netminder must be alert against Columbus at all times. There have been funky (like a monkey) bounces and redirections that have cost the Golden Knights in recent weeks, leading to points being lost. Whoever starts must be on their heels and take the proper angles.
The good news? Columbus spends more time in its defensive zone than the Golden Knights. Given that Vegas has done better than expected with offensive output, the only thing they must do is camp out in the offensive zone.
If Vegas can make this happen, then the Golden Knights won't be the team that lost to the most anonymous franchise ever. If there's one thing that Golden Knights fans can't stand, it's losing to a random nobody, especially from... Ohio.