COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets needed a win Saturday night, and they got one against the Vegas Golden Knights. Adam Fantilli's overtime goal gave Columbus a 2-1 victory, snapping a two-game losing streak and providing some much-needed relief after an up-and-down start to the season.
At 4-5-0, the Blue Jackets are still trying to find their footing. Saturday's win was encouraging against a team with Vegas' talent, but it doesn't erase the problems that have contributed to Columbus losing five of its first nine games.
The biggest concern remains the offense.
Columbus has scored just 21 goals in nine games, averaging 2.33 per contest. The Blue Jackets have been held to two goals or fewer in five of those games, making it difficult to win even when their defense and goaltending perform well.
Saturday was another example. Columbus managed only 20 shots against Vegas, but Denton Mateychuk's first-period goal and Fantilli's overtime winner were enough because Cam Talbot stopped 26 of 27 shots.
The power play finally provided some help, too. Fantilli's winner was Columbus' first power-play goal since its season opener against Buffalo, ending a stretch of 22 consecutive unsuccessful opportunities. Whether that goal leads to a more productive power play remains to be seen, but the Blue Jackets need improvement in that area.
Defensively, Columbus has been inconsistent. The Blue Jackets have allowed 30 goals through nine games, including seven against Florida and six against Toronto. Those performances have made it difficult to build momentum when the offense is struggling to score.
There have also been encouraging signs.
Columbus shut out the Rangers 1-0 in overtime on October 17, lost a tight 2-1 game to Minnesota the following night, and held Vegas to one goal Saturday. Talbot's performance against the Golden Knights showed what the Blue Jackets can accomplish when they get reliable goaltending and limit their mistakes.
But the difference between their good and bad performances remains too large. A team capable of holding Vegas to one goal cannot continue surrendering five, six, or seven goals in other games and expect to remain competitive in the Metropolitan Division.
There is also a concern about how Columbus is winning. Three of the Blue Jackets' four victories have required overtime or a shootout. They deserve credit for finding ways to finish those games, but they need to start winning more consistently in regulation.
Saturday's victory was a good response after the disappointing loss to Toronto, and it gives Columbus something positive to build on. However, one overtime win doesn't mean the Blue Jackets have turned things around.
The next step is finding consistency, beginning with more dependable scoring and fewer defensive breakdowns. With road games against Philadelphia, Carolina, and Dallas coming up, Columbus has an opportunity to show whether Saturday was the beginning of an improvement or simply another good performance in an otherwise uneven start.
