Tortorella bemoans rules, officials after Penguins top Blue Jackets

A pair of questionable calls put the Columbus Blue Jackets behind the 8-ball Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After carrying a 1-0 lead into the third period, and then tying it at two late in the final frame, the Blue Jackets fell 3-2 in a shootout.

Both of Pittsburgh's goals came on the man advantage, but it was another call against Columbus that didn't sit well with the Blue Jackets' fiery bench boss.

A faceoff violation call against Artemi Panarin shifted the Blue Jackets' penalty kill scheme and ultimately led to a powerplay marker for Evgeni Malkin.

While Tortorella called it the right decision, the coach took umbrage that the whistled play had an impact on the game's outcome.

"It's a rule, so the teams can't decide the games. Other people decide the games. It's the rule. They made the right call," Tortorella told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. "But it's frustrating that we don't just let the guys who are supposed to put on the show put on the show."

A cross checking call on forward Boone Jenner, who was a handed a major penalty and a game misconduct, earlier in the game also caught the ire of Tortorella, who thought it was too stiff of a punishment.

"I don't get it. It's barely a two-minute penalty," Tortorella added. "I hope we take a long look at that, at least rescind it, so we don't have that on his record.

"I lose a top-six forward. I just don't understand that. You can't guess on those type of plays. In this type of game, the intensity going on there ... it's a tough job there, I know it is. But it's not even close to a game misconduct."

Thursday's loss pushed the Blue Jackets' record to 5-5-1 in December.