COLUMBUS, Ohio -- He was sitting in his stall with his head in his hands and the dazed look of exasperation on Nick Foligno's face was evident for all to see. He didn't want to talk to the media after the team's performance on the ice. No one really wanted to talk after losing their sixth game in a row.
But, he holds himself accountable, first and foremost. Someone had to answer for the uninspired game that had just concluded.
"I really don't know what it is," Foligno said. "I don't know if it's our mindset, inexperience, or... I don't know if it's even that. I don't really know why we're playing like that, why we're having a Jekyll and Hyde kind of game."
There are flashes of the team that everyone, including themselves, knows that they can be. Unfortunately, those flashes are too few and far between.
"We're doing really good things one time and then not following it up and doing it consistently all game long when we know that works. It's frustrating and disappointing because I think right now we're finding ways to lose games instead of finding ways to win games. That's because of our decision-making and the way we're playing."
They had nine shots on goal in the first period and it went extremely downhill from there. In the second, they managed only three shots followed by seven more in the third. There was an almost a nonchalance about the way they played against Carolina.
Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards did not mince his words postgame about the regression of the team from Saturday's game in New Jersey.
"It's a huge step back," he said. "It's disappointing on a lot of different levels. Unmotivated... hockey. We finally had some energy when scored to make it 3-2 and we started to play more inspired hockey.
"Out-battled, out-skated... for most of the game. It looked like to me that (Carolina) wanted it more than we did."
Listless is the word that comes to mind when trying to describe what was seen. Their passing was not crisp with slow decisions being made, almost as if they were waiting for something bad to happen. In essence, they waded into the game.
While he didn't have kind words for his hockey team, he held himself accountable for the way they played the game.
"Obviously, I have to do a better job," said Richards, "because it looked like we were waiting to see which way this game was going to go. It's tough to win hockey games with four defensemen and five or six forwards that are going."
The engagement of the team is suspect. Whether that is because they think it's early enough in the season that they can bounce back, or that some are using the myriad injuries that have plagued the team as an excuse, everyone is not pulling their weight.
"There are some guys that are engaged in the game," he continued, "you can see it. Some guys are engaged. Other guys are not engaged. They're waiting for something to happen."
How this all pans out in the coming days remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, there are many unhappy people within the team. They are unhappy with the losing. They are unhappy with the team losing their identity. And they are for sure unhappy with the way the game of hockey is being played.
Has this team hit "rock bottom" after six straight losses? Unfortunately, this reporter does not think they have. It's not a number of losses that will determine what "rock bottom" is. It boils down to an attitude, of being fed up with losing. I don't think they are there yet.
"Desperation," Foligno said, "your backs are against the wall. It seems that when we're facing some sort of adversity, we decide to play hockey. That's not the way you're going to win games in this league."
Columbus returns to action Friday as they visit the Hurricanes. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
