© Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine has had a rough time in the playoffs so far.
Through two games against the Washington Capitals, he and his team have dropped both. For Laine, the struggles have been so noticeable that Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis benched him for the entire third period in Game 2.
Laine logged just 10:10 of ice time through the first two periods before being glued to the bench in the third. In Game 1, he played 13:14 and finished with a minus-2 rating.
As Blue Jackets fans, we all know how streaky Laine can be. But in the playoffs—when his team needs him to step up and fire a few into the net—he’s failed to make an impact.
There’s no telling if St. Louis will pull him from the lineup or put his full trust back in him to start Game 3 on home ice. But if Montreal wants a real shot at turning this series around against the Capitals, they’re going to need Laine to step up and play better.
So far through two games, he has zero goals, one assist, six shots, and is averaging just 11:42 of ice time per game.
