DALLAS — Losing is never the desired outcome, but not every loss is necessarily a step backward. For the Columbus Blue Jackets, Saturday night's 3-1 defeat against the Dallas Stars may have provided something the team can build upon as it continues searching for consistency.
Columbus fell to 5-7-0 with its second consecutive loss, but the Jackets outshot Dallas 16-8 over the final two periods and allowed just three shots in the third. More importantly, they played the kind of hockey head coach Rick Bowness has been trying to establish.
Following the game, Bowness made it clear that he liked what he saw from his team, even if the scoreboard didn't reflect the effort.
"Right now, that game tonight is how we wanna play," Bowness said.
The numbers support his assessment. Columbus limited Dallas to just 17 shots for the game, won 60 percent of its faceoffs, and outhit the Stars 33-10. The Jackets showed the kind of physical engagement and defensive responsibility that can help a team win consistently.
Unfortunately, the Jackets were already chasing a two-goal deficit after the first period. Mikko Rantanen opened the scoring on a Dallas power play just 2:16 into the game, and Thomas Harley scored with only 0.2 seconds remaining in the period. Those two goals proved costly in a game where Columbus otherwise did a good job limiting the Stars' opportunities.
The Jackets also had a potential goal from Valeri Nichushkin overturned for offside early in the third period. Damon Severson eventually cut the deficit to 2-1 at 6:21, but Columbus couldn't find another goal against Jake Oettinger, who finished with 24 saves. Dallas added an empty-net goal with less than a second remaining to account for the final margin.
There were other encouraging developments, including the return of defenseman Ivan Provorov. Playing his first game of the season after missing the opening 11 contests with a lower-body injury, Provorov logged 19:31 of ice time. His return gives Columbus another experienced defenseman as the team works toward establishing a more consistent lineup, and more consistent defense.
The Blue Jackets still have problems to solve, especially their inability to turn sustained pressure into goals. Generating scoring chances means little if those chances aren't finished, and Columbus cannot afford to keep putting itself in early holes.
Still, Saturday's performance offered reason for optimism. The Jackets defended well, played physically, and spent much of the final two periods pushing Dallas rather than simply trying to survive.
At 5-7-0, Columbus needs wins more than encouraging performances. But if the Blue Jackets can consistently play the way they did against Dallas, while finding a way to finish at the net, Bowness may be right that their best hockey is still ahead.
