Blue Jackets Drop 5-3 Loss After Errors Sink Lead

Columbus Blue Jackets fell 5-3 to the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center after surrendering a 2-0 lead on Oct. 10, with coach Rick Bowness blaming mental errors and reduced intensity for the collapse.

According to dispatch.com, the Blue Jackets lost control during the second period and later allowed the deciding goal after a third-period defensive breakdown. The defeat followed earlier wins over the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Blue Jackets gave away a delayed penalty advantage late in the second period when two forwards entered the ice during a 6-on-5 situation, creating a penalty for having too many skaters. Bowness said the mistake reflected a lack of awareness.

"We never change like that. I know who went out, who shouldn't have gone out. So, that's what I'm talking about.

Brain mistakes, right? The brain stops functioning the way we need it to function to play the game the right way, and that's a perfect example." said Rick Bowness, coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

After Cole Sillinger tied the game 3-3 at 6:51 of the third period, the Blues scored the winner following another sequence of defensive mistakes. Mathieu Olivier took a tripping penalty before Jonatan Berggren converted a rebound chance.

"Go watch that fourth goal. There's so many mistakes on that goal. So, that's just brain not staying mentally sharp, and the intensity part, you combine those two and you look bad out there. And there's times out there we look bad." said Rick Bowness, coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Bowness also pointed to consistency as a challenge for the team after four games, with the season still having 80 games remaining. He said the group needed to improve its approach throughout each period.

"We have to make the commitment. You want to be one of the top teams in this league, man, you show up every period. You show up every night.

And it's no good to play a good game, a bad game, a good game, a bad game. Like, we've got to stop that right away." said Rick Bowness, coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Forward Sean Monahan recorded an assist on the opening goal, which came during his 900th career game, but said the team needed to turn discussions into action after the loss.

"In hockey, you can talk all you want, but it's about actually doing it," said Sean Monahan, Columbus Blue Jackets forward.

Monahan added that the team failed to execute the changes it discussed between periods. His comments followed a third period where the Blues regained the lead after the Blue Jackets had tied the score.

"We talked enough in here [about the second period], and I mean, we came out in the third and I don't think we did what we said. So, that's up to us to step up, to a man." said Sean Monahan, Columbus Blue Jackets forward.