‘Entire game was a joke’: Blue Jackets’ Evason left fuming after loss to Panthers

After blowing multiple leads in Saturday’s 7-6 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason was in no laughing mood after the game.

“This whole game was a joke,” Evason said when asked what led to his team allowing seven goals. “That’s what I account it to. In every way. Entire game was a joke.”

His post-game messaging delivered a consistent message, but not exactly a very clear one.

In the loss, the Blue Jackets held 1-0, 4-1, and 6-4 leads throughout the game, but couldn’t hold off the Panthers’ offensive attack.

The result clearly played a part in Evason’s sour mood, but there seemed to be more below the surface.

Evason was visibly frustrated during the game, specifically after Columbus had a goal pulled off the scoreboard in the first period, when Brendan Gaunce was deemed to have kicked the puck into the net.

The Blue Jackets didn’t let that slow their momentum in the offensive end, however, as they scored the next three goals of the game to silence Amerant Bank Arena.

But midway through the second period, Evason found himself on the wrong side of another review.

Panthers forward Brad Marchand hit a flying puck with his hand behind the Blue Jackets’ net right before Seth Jones buried Florida’s second goal of the night.

Evason chose to challenge the play for a hand pass, but the puck was determined to have just deflected off Marchand after the NHL’s review, and the goal stood.

Asked if the “joke” began with the decision on the play, Evason repeated his same refrain.

“It’s a joke. An absolute joke,” he said. “That game was where it was at.”

The Panthers scored the next two goals to even the game from there. And even though the Blue Jackets rebuilt their 6-4 lead, it wasn’t enough as the Panthers stormed back to win on Sam Bennett’s winner with less than four seconds remaining.

Columbus will have to wipe the slate quickly, as it is back in action on Sunday night in Washington against the Capitals.

But Evason wasn’t worried about his team bouncing back from Saturday’s devastating loss.

“Our guys are great. Our guys have no issues,” he said. “They know what happened. They’ll be good to go tomorrow night. We’ll play hard; we played hard all night. We played great.

“Game was a joke.”

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