Blue Jackets vs. Penguins: Columbus must rise to Pittsburgh’s energy level in Game 2

How do you win an NHL starting goalie job in the postseason?

You wait for the other guy to get hurt.

Marc-Andre Fleury knows this too well, and some small part of him had to laugh at the incredible sports drama inversion that led him to start and win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

After all, Fleury lost his job when rookie Matt Murray stepped in as he recovered from a concussion late last season. Murray injured himself in warm-ups on Wednesday, letting Fleury return to the net.

Time is a flat sports circle.

Columbus can’t afford to get sloppy in the neutral zone. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella made a big point after Game 1 about his team needing to drive the net more but conceded Columbus had to win the neutral zone more often to do that. When the Blue Jackets did so in the first period, they outshot the Penguins 16-3. Pittsburgh is too good at counterattacking to lose that battle.

Brandon Saad. The Blue Jackets’ best goal scorer not named Cam Atkinson rode the bench during the third period after offending Tortorella’s sensibilities with a poor second period. If his appearance on the top line with Alexander Wennberg and Nick Foligno is any indication, Torts is ready to give Saad another chance. Columbus needs him to take advantage of it.

Higher-quality scoring chances. Just because the Jackets poured shots on Fleury early doesn’t mean they were inherently difficult to stop. Compare Fleury’s first period with that of Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist on Wednesday, and you’ll see how relatively untested Fleury was. The Blue Jackets worked heavily in practice on Thursday with firing shots off goalie pads to pounce on rebounds. If Fleury can’t catch it, then second-chance opportunities will come.

Fleury’s return was excellent, and Columbus looked unprepared for the high-energy play of postseason hockey. Until Columbus shows us otherwise, the Penguins should be favored. Penguins take Game 2.