Sergei Bobrovsky: 'I have zero confidence right now'
The Columbus Blue Jackets were considered a sleeper Stanley Cup pick before the season. But they’ve fallen on hard times with four losses to start 2015-16.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been less-than-stellar, going 0-4-0 with a 5.05 goals against average and .830 save percentage.
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"I have zero confidence right now. It's a tough time," Bobrovsky said according to Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch via Twitter after a 7-3 loss to Ottawa on Wednesday. “It’s tough to analyze right now what’s going on. It’s just disappointing, the last four games. We have to be better."
"I think I have to build that confidence in myself and my ability. We have to win the next one. We have to keep working."
Bobrovsky stopped just 20 of 26 shots on goal in the loss. He won the 2013 Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender. Last season he had a 2.69 goals against average and .918 save percentage in 51 games. The year before he had a 2.38 goals against average and .923 save percentage in 58 games.
Said center Ryan Johansen on Bobrovsky per the Columbus Dispatch:
“I don’t even know if he’s struggling that much,” Johansen said. “It’s our whole defensive game right now.”
On Tuesday, Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said the Blue Jackets confidence and game was “off the rails” according to the Columbus Dispatch.
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Last season, Columbus missed the playoffs, but finished the year on a 10-1-0 tear.
"We’re watching this group; that’s the way it goes in this business," Kekalainen said. "We have higher expectations this year. That goes with the territory. As a professional, you have to live up to them. That’s how this business works. It's a results business.
The Dispatch notes the Blue Jackets have been slow starters under coach Todd Richards. Last season they started the year 6-15-2. In 2013-14 they began the year 6-10-3 before making the playoffs. The prior year they started 5-12-4 and were eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the season.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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