By: Andrew Utz ~Staff Writer~

season play, the Columbus Blue Jackets are still trying to find their rhythm.
The Jackets travelled to New Jersey to play the Devils on Nov. 1.

Despite scoring goals in the both the first and second periods, Columbus fell to New Jersey, 3-2, putting the Jackets’ record at 4-7.

The Blue Jackets led the Devils in shots with a 34 to 29 advantage, but had trouble beating Devil’s goalkeeper Corey Schneider.

Due to injuries, the Blue Jackets pulled up Anton Forsburg from the minor leagues to start in goal, his debut game in the NHL.

Starting goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky has been out since Oct. 28 with a broken finger. Secondary goalie Curtis McElhinney was benched after letting in four of 27 shots on Oct. 31 at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In addition to Bobrovsky, the Jackets have six other players on the injured reserve list since September.

The number of injuries have shown the best and worst of the team as it battles in the Eastern Conference.

After a loss on Nov. 1, Columbus sits third from the bottom in the conference and 28 out of the 30 teams in the NHL.

The Blue Jackets returned to action Nov. 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes at home losing 4-2, and will play them again Nov. 7 in.

The NHL announced the top three players for the month of October.

Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks leads the league with 10 goals in 12 games played.
His efforts propelled the Ducks to the best record over the last month at 9-3.
Perry has already recorded two hat tricks this season and scored in eight of the 12 October games in which he played.

The second player honored was the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby.

While notching two hat tricks in October, he added his 500th career assist. Crosby scored in seven of the nine October games for the Penguins.

Crosby leads the league in player points, tied at 15 with Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars.
The last man honored as a top performer was Seguin of the Stars.

Seguin has collected points in seven straight appearances.

He made his fifth career hat trick against the Blue Jackets and had a career-high four assists against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Though not an established goal scorer like Perry or Crosby, he notched his 100th career goal against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 28.

The NHL season continues with patterns beginning to shape up and teams fighting to prove their worth.