The Columbus Blue Jackets hosted the Boston Bruins for their first game of the season Thursday night and, despite a promising start, they ended up on the wrong side of a blowout loss.
The Blue Jackets held a 2-0 lead after the first period and a 3-1 lead halfway through the game, but that’s when the Bruins turned it on. Boston scored five unanswered goals the rest of the way to take an easy 6-3 decision, led by Brad Marchand’s impressive five-point game.
After the game, as you may have guessed, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella wasn’t too enthusiastic when speaking to the media.
When asked how his team let the Bruins back in it after a fast start, Tortorella wasn’t ready to even concede that his team had a good start to the game.
“Nah. We weren’t good in the first period either. Don’t let the score fool you. We weren’t good throughout the game.
“Tentative, sloppy. You can use a lot of different words for right on through. No matter what the score was.”
A dejected Tortorella was flabbergasted by how his team would put out such an effort on its opening night.
“Don’t put it on the young defence. There are other things…that guys have played in this league so long that…I’m not going to break it down. But right on through the game, I don’t think we’re even close.”
Maybe the Blue Jackets won’t challenge for a playoff spot again this season, but their coach’s post-game press conferences will continue to be must-monitor TV.
Some things never change. And for that, we’re thankful.
