'Enough is enough': Zach Werenski vents after Blue Jackets' latest frustrating loss

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What was more impressive: the way defenseman Zach Werenski single-handedly kept the Columbus Blue Jackets in the game, or the way he spoke his piece after his club's latest frustrating loss?

Werenski scored two goals for the second straight game, but the Blue Jackets once again endured an ugly third period, losing 5-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday before 14,845 in Nationwide Arena.

There was a small window for excuse-making -- it was a heck of a game, played at an impressive pace for 58 minutes -- but Werenski wanted none of it.

"I feel like it's the same thing we've been saying," Werenski said. "Like, we're playing well enough to win, but it's getting old that we keep losing. I mean, enough is enough. It's unacceptable, and I get the whole thing where you've got to stay positive and move forward, and I agree with all of that. But this is getting outrageous. We're a good hockey team, and we're just losing games. So maybe we're not a good hockey team, I don't know.

"At the end of the day, you have to win games to be a good team. It's frustrating. It's definitely a good hockey team over there, but I don't think they're better than us. And that's what it comes down to."

The Blue Jackets have won just three of their last 13 games (3-6-4) since Nov. 20, and while they were treading water with loser's points for most of December, they have now lost five of their last six games in regulation.

Ugly math: the Blue Jackets have now been outscored by 23 goals in the third period this season, the worst differential in the NHL. It's a big reason they've settled into last place in both the Metro Division and the Eastern Conference.

This could get away from them in a hurry if they aren't careful. Maybe it already has.

"Guys just have to step up and give a little bit more," Werenski said. "Especially in crunch time and third period. Obviously it's been a hot topic, and we just have to dig in and find ways to win.

"It's not just me. I'm the one saying this, but we're all sick of it, you know? There's nobody else that can get us out of this. It's a fine line, but we're on the wrong side of it more times than not, and like I said, that's unacceptable. Tonight it's a greasy goal that gives them the lead. Nothing pretty about it."

Werenski, who had two goals in Tuesday's overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks, was at it again early Thursday. He scored at 15:20 of the first period when he executed an odd-man rush perfectly with Charlie Coyle and Cole Sillinger.

The Blue Jackets were thoroughly dominating the second period -- shots were 12-1 in favor of Columbus through 12 minutes of play -- but then two crucial mistakes helped cancel their momentum.

Zach Aston-Reese, in the lineup because Brendan Gaunce returned to Cleveland to be with his expectant wife, took a slashing penalty that put the Wild on the power play, where Ryan Hartman quickly tied the game.

Only 1:24 later, Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson chucked a pass toward center ice from the wall, serving up a turnover that send the Wild the other way with numbers. Vladimir Tarasenko finished off the rush to give Minnesota the lead.

In a period the Blue Jackets had been dominating, suddenly they were trailing.

"We're hanging in there, and then, you know, we make some pretty silly mistakes, right?" Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. "We've got to clean that up. We have games that are winnable, or that we could get to overtime or a shootout at the very least, and we haven't done that, and we didn't do that tonight."

The Wild's go-ahead goal also highlighted a Blue Jackets shortcoming. They aren't nearly competitive enough in front of the net on either end of the ice, which means they allow more "greasy" goals than they score.

Minnesota's Joel Eriksson Ek scored for a 3-2 lead at 11:50 of the third period when he was able to jam after a loose puck long enough to spin Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves around and out of position. There were bodies in the area, but Eriksson Ek paid no price to score.

"We have to get a little harder and tougher and greasier in those areas ... firmer," Evason said. "You know, it's something, as you guys know, that we worked on (in practice) a few days ago, that exact thing, collapsing and getting the job done. We just didn't here tonight, obviously, on that goal."

Evason considered reviewing the goal. But after seeing a clear replay on the bench, he decided against it.

"Our thought process was that whenever the puck's available and you're going for the puck ... and even though (Eriksson Ek) spins him, the puck's there," Evason said. "(The NHL review), we think, is going to side on the fact that he was fishing, or he's allowed to go in there and try to dig at the puck."

The Wild added two empty-net goals in the final two minutes to cap the scoring.

"That's just a good hockey team that knows how to win," Werenski said. "There was no panic in their game. It's just them coming up, playing their game in the third period, playing hard, getting back on track. They did nothing out of the ordinary except just stick to their game plan and keep coming and keep coming. That's what happens. Good teams find ways to win and they don't stray from the game plan. They don't turn the puck over at the blue (line) or whatever. They play a direct, simple game and at the end of the day, their skill will take over and they'll make plays and score.

"I hope we can learn from that, and learn from watching a team like that, who's won six straight and are on a bit of a heater right now. But like I said, enough is enough of this losing."