Blackhawks Down

Game 4 of the season series between the CBJ and the Chicago Blackhawks fires up tonight at 7:00 in the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena. The squads are 1 -1- 1 thus far, with Columbus winning the most recent encounter, 5 - 3 in Chicago.

This season represents a brave new world for both franchises. With a playoff position effectively sewn up, Chicago is reaping the benefits from their group of youngsters and an early season coaching shakeup. Similarly, the CBJ are riding many of their young prospects and emerging superstars to unprecedented success, with a playoff berth within their grasp.

Of late, the teams have been experiencing different fortunes, with the Blackhawks losing three in a row, and winning only one game in regulation in their last 10 tilts. (2 others were won in OT). They are coming into town for the back end of a tough back-to-back, having served as the obliging visitors for Martin Brodeur's coronation last night in New Jersey, a 3 -2 victory for the Devils.

The Jackets, in contrast, are winners of 4 of their last 5, with consecutive wins against Detroit, Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago before being drubbed 4 -0 by a very angry and determined Detroit team on Sunday. They are healthy, for the most part, and rested, ready to tackle the Dirty Dozen games left before the playoffs.

Clearly, the Jackets have more to gain and lose in tonight's contest, though Chicago is in a virtual tie for 4th place with Vancouver. The Blackhawks have a game in hand over the Canucks, and will face them in 10 days. The Jackets, currently in 6th, with a 3 point cushion over 7th place Edmonton and 8th place Nashville, are looking to nail down their first ever playoff slot. Home ice advantage in front of a rabid crowd will be key tonight.

The Jackets know what they need to do to win. First, play with energy and passion for 60 minutes. Do not give Chicago hope, and let them go remedy their ills against another team. No letdowns of the type we had in the 2nd period last game, where 2 quick goals tied it up. Second, stay out of the box -- Chicago has a tremendous power play. Third, play Hitch Hockey, taking care of the puck in our own end and making swift, sure transitions. Support each other with and without the puck, and keep the aisles clear for Mason. Finally, put lots of rubber on net. Goaltending has been an intermittent soft spot for Chicago, and Khabibulin is just coming back from injury, and Huet is vulnerable to early pressure.

Great contest at a great time of year. Late March, and in the thick of the playoff hunt for the first time!! Go Jackets!!

Playoff Follies

Coming off of a fantastic week for Bluejacket hockey, last night notwithstanding, and with 12 games to go (the Dirty Dozen), it is an appropriate time to revisit where things stand in the playoff hunt.

First, let's look at the projected standings, based upon every team playing at the same pace they have played from Day 1 through last night. Obviously, by this point in the season, this becomes more accurate, as the opportunity to move the numbers hugely in any direction are fairly limited, and various hot and cold spells have been accounted for. Top 3 seeds are reserved for division winners, regardless of point totals.

1. San Jose 121 points
2. Detroit 118 points
3. Calgary 102 points
4. Chicago 102 points
5. Vancouver 98 points
6. Columbus 91 points
7. Edmonton 88 points
8. Dallas 88 points
9. Nashville 87 points
10. Minnesota 86 points
11. St. Louis 86 points
12. Anaheim 83 points
13. Los Angeles 82 points
14. Colorado 74 points
15. Phoenix 74 points

So, the final two qualifying slots are hovering right in that 87-88-89 point area where they have been for awhile, and are likely to stay there. Assuming that the top 5 (San Jose, Detroit, Calgary, Chicago, Vancouver) are in the playoffs, let's look at the contenders for the final 3 spots, and what faces them down the stretch.

In looking at this, I tried to quantify games remaining, games against the top echelon teams (defined as teams with more than 80 points right now), home road games, etc. One factor that also needs to be considered is the "games in hand" concept, which at this point in the year cuts both ways. Of the 7 contenders (Columbus, Edmonton, Dallas, Nashville, Minnesota, St. Louis & Anaheim), all have played 69 games except the Bluejackets (70), and the Oilers (68). The Bluejackets have just finished a tough string of games, and now get some breaks between games. The other teams are just embarking on those strings, so will be coping with fatigue along with playoff pressure. Finally, the analysis includes what each team needs to do to reach 90 points. Although the 8th spot will likely fall at 88, 90 provides a good standard for comparison purposes. Here is the skinny:

Bluejackets -- 78 points, 12 games left, 6 home 6 road, 5 games vs. elite teams. The Jackets have 3 remaining with Chicago (1-1-1 so far), 3 with St. Louis (1-2-0 so far) and 2 with Nashville (2-2-0 so far). Nothing easy, but no more killer road trips, and just need 6-6 record to reach 90 points. Health is good, schedule provides rest, we have a bit of a bulge, so things are better than we could have expected heading into the Dirty Dozen.

Edmonton -- 73 points, 14 games left, 8 home 6 road, 6 games vs. elite teams. While the Oilers have a good home/road mix and 2 games in hand, they also have a brutal schedule. Starting tomorrow, they play 8 games in 12 days, and still have the Sharks, Flames, Canucks, Blackhawks and Red Wings on the schedule. Need an 8 -5 -1 record to reach 90 points, which will require them to really bear down coming home. They are 3-2-5 in their last 10.

Dallas-- 74 points, 13 games left, 5 home 8 road, 5 games vs. elite teams. The Stars have been up and down more than a see saw this year. Without Brad Richards, they are searching for scoring help, and Turco has been hot and cold of late. They are just about .500 on the road, which they will need to improve upon down the stretch. Need 8 - 5 - 0 or 7 - 4 - 2 to reach 90 points, which will be tough with 5 vs. San Jose, Calgary and Vancouver on the slate.

Nashville -- 73 points, 13 games left, 5 home 8 road, 6 vs. elite teams. Nashville had a nice surge to get themselves into contention, but face a road-heavy schedule coming home, including 2 on the road in Detroit, and home & home series with Chicago and San Jose. They need 8 - 4 - 1 to reach 90 points, which will be a tall order. They are 7 - 2- 1 for the last 10, but only 2-2-1 in the last 5. They start a 3 game California road trip tonight, including a wicked Anaheim-San Jose back-to-back on Wednesday & Thursday. They also have to improve on their NHL rank of 27th in scoring, as you can't rely exclusively on defense and goaltending down the stretch.

Minnesota -- 72 points, 13 games left, 6 home 7 road, 6 vs. elite teams. The Wild are an enigma, in the sense that they have a terrific goal differential number (177 Goals for, 172 Goals against -- 12 in the NHL on a per game basiis). However, the overall numbers don't support enough scoring to translate into necessary wins. They are 26th in the league in scoring which puts huge pressure on Backstrom in goal, and upon the defense. They need a 9 - 4 record to reach 90, and face an East Coast swing, with games against the Devils, Rangers and Islanders, on top of remaining games with Vancouver, Calgary, Chicago, Detroit.

St. Louis -- 72 points, 13 games left, 4 home 9 road, 5 vs. elite teams. After being an after-thought for most of the season, St. Louis has made a nice run to get their name in the playoff conversation. Unfortunately, their run came at the expense of home games, as they have only 4 left at Scottrade Center, and 2 of those are against the Jackets. Remaining road games against Vancouver, Calgary, Chicago, Detroit will make it tough for them to reach the promised land. Like Minnesota, need a 9 - 4 record to reach 90.

Anaheim -- 70 points, 13 games left, 6 home 7 road, 3 vs elite teams. Anaheim is right on the fringe of contender status, but needs to be included due to their schedule. Just about an even split between home and road, and only 3 games against elite teams. They face Phoenix and Colorado a total of 5 times, and have another 5 against Nashville, Edmonton and Dallas. 2 against the Sharks and 1 in Vancouver round it out. Still, Anaheim needs a 10-3 record coming home to reach 90, which looks fairly undoable, particularly since ownership sent white flag sounds out at the trade deadline. Still a proud organization, but one that is probably more focused on retooling than on mounting a serious playoff run this year.

Finally, keep in mind that these 7 teams have a total of 91 games left, 35 of which are among each other. This is one of the big reasons the Jackets current advantage is so big -- very difficult to make big jumps in the standings at this time of year, particularly in the West. Also, keep in mind that for the Jackets to miss the playoffs, 3 teams would have to play well enough to pass them and take the 6 through 8 spots. Anything is possible, but not very likely, considering the difficulties each team has in its schedule, and the character the Jackets have shown to date. Only twice this year have the Jackets gone 3 games without a point, and that was under vastly different circumstances than now.

Put it all together, here is how I see the Western Playoff Race right now:

1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Chicago
5. Vancouver
6. Columbus
7. Edmonton
8. Nashville
9. Dallas
10. Minnesota
11. St. Louis
12. Anaheim
13. Los Angeles
14. Colorado
15. Phoenix

Go Jackets !!

Ran Out Of Steam . . .

We might have been able to predict this one. 5 games in 8 days, consisting of Detroit (twice), Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago. 4 consecutive wins, 2 on the road. A Detroit team angry, wanting revenge for the 8 - 2 drubbing last Saturday. Then, it was Detroit making mistakes, and the Jackets taking advantage. Tonight was precisely reversed.

Detroit was very sharp tonight--passing was crisp, checking was tight, and none of the sloppiness that we saw last Saturday. They came out firing on all cylinders, and the Jackets did not have the legs to keep up in the first period. Turnovers, penalties and sloppy defensive play led to a 15 - 7 shot disadvantage after 1, a full 2 minute 5-on-3 power play for Detroit, and a position squarely behind the 8 ball for the home club. We found some space and opportunities in the 2nd, but the bounces were not going our way, and our crispness was lacking. Osgood was solid, if unspectacular, and when another defensive lapse allowed Detroit its 3rd goal, the air went out of the 18,675 in the house, who seemed to approach the game with a collective air of trepidation.

I am foregoing the normal +/- ratings tonight in favor of a clear statement of the problem tonight: defensive failure. In short, we were awful in our own zone. Give full marks to Detroit, who are enjoying the return of Messrs. Hossa and Homstrom, but we made their job way too easy. Two characters are at center stage of this failure tonight: Klesla and Backman. Although I am reticent to call out individual players, especially given how well the team has been doing overall, but this was so obvious it was painful.

Klesla has been hurt much of the year, so he is either physically limited or just not ready to play. Either way, he needs to sit. On the first goal tonight, Klesla was in perfect position to sweep the puck to the boards or otherwise neutralize the play. Instead, he stopped skating, creating a clear breakaway and catching an understandably surprised Mason totally off guard. All night long, Klesla was slow, reluctant to engage and very weak on the puck.

Backman was constantly out of position, poor on the puck, and allowed numerous opportunities. Novotny took his first penalty trying to cover for Backman, who then compounded the error by cross-checking for no apparent reason, creating the 2 minute 5-on-3. Nice experiment, Hitch, but give Christian some lovely parting gifts and send him to the Healthy Scratch Home For Wayward Defensemen.

There was a cascading impact to these defensive lapses. Tyutin and Russell, the unfortunate blue line companions of Messrs. Backman and Klesla, were forced to effectively play by themselves. We couldn't generate quick exits from our zone, which enabled Detroit to effectively trap the puck in the neutral zone, play their possession game, and choke off our offense. Sure, our offensive guys had some chances they blew, and the puck bounced over and around sticks all night, but this one falls on the defense. Mason was fine -- he just had nowhere to hide, as everytime he turned around there was a Red Wing breaking wide open with the puck.

Enough said. Detroit had their ears pinned back, and were very good. We garnered 8 out of 10 points in a brutal 5 game stretch, to the almost unanimous amazement of fans and skeptics alike. Tonight was Game 70. Over the last 30, we are 18 - 10 - 2, above the .600 mark. In contrast, over the first 40 games, we were 18-18-4. We have created some gap over Nashville, Dallas, Edmonton, Minnesota and Anaheim, and are closer to Vancouver and Chicago. St. Louis did us a favor by beating Minnesota tonight, and Anaheim has a tough tilt against San Jose.

While the Jackets are moving into a relatively easier schedule (off until Wednesday, then a game Saturday, then the following Tuesday), while most of those in the race are just starting the killer parts of theirs.

We knew we were not going to win every game coming in, so no time to get too out of sorts over this one. We ended up with a very respectable 3-3 record vs. Detroit this year, which is better than most other squads can claim. They are a very good team. Get some rest, and use the home advantage to give it back to the Blackhawks on Wednesday. Go Jackets!

Sunday Morning Fare/ Clip The Wings

Had a full day of domestic chores yesterday, getting the prodigal son ready to go back to Miami U. after Spring Break, etc., so had the opportunity to bask in the glow of the Jackets' current 4 games stretch. What kind of odds could you have gotten in Vegas that the Jackets would beat Detroit, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago in sequence, with 2 on the road, and the backup goalie in one game?

Startling Newcomers -- How brilliant does Howson look right now for getting Williams and Vermette in exchange for a minor league defenseman, an injured goalie and a 2nd round pick? Here are some numbers to consider: In 41 games with Atlanta, Williams had 7 goals, 11 assists for 18 points, and a +/- of -9. In 26 games here, he has 8 goals, 11 assists 19 points and is +7. Over 82 games, that boils down to 25 goals, 35 assists, 60 points and +22. I'd take that, wouldn't you?

Same story with Vermette, except more so. In 62 games with Ottawa, Vermette had 9 goals, 19 assists 28 points and was - 12. In 4 games with the CBJ, he has 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points and is +4. That extends to 61 goals, 61 assists, 122 points, +82! :-)

What this shows is one of the great things about hockey -- the chemistry aspect. It is not enough to have individually talented people, though you certainly need that. The flow of a hockey game is so quick, and the margin between success and failure so small, that the ability to read your teammates and know where they are going to be is critical. Look at Detroit as a great example of guys who know each other and play as a seamless unit.

Howson as a keen eye for players that are being misused by their current clubs, and are currently underperforming. He and Hitch have also showed the required patience to let our boys gel as a unit and create their own chemistry. As predicted here, they have played better and better with each passing week and month, as that chemistry has developed. Watching Williams and Vermette blend in has been fun. Williams is effusive in his praise for Columbus, and Vermette is sounding more upbeat with each game. These guys are two keepers!

Startling Newcomers, Part II -- This one refers not to the players, but to the fans who have recently jumped on the CBJ bandwagon or have changed their tune from one of rank pessimism to cheerleaders. In typical fashion for the lunatic fringe of Central Ohio sports fans, people who couldn't have told you the difference between Mike Commodore and Commodore Perry three weeks ago are now buying jerseys and claiming long time allegiance. Don't get me wrong, the more the merrier, but it is pretty amusing to watch. To a lesser extent I saw the same thing back in San Francisco, when Walsh and Montan came on the scene as saviors for us long suffering Niner fans, while scores of new bandwagon members jumped on. Hopefully, this will represent the turning point where Central Ohio sports fans begin to recognize that there is more to life than college sports.

Perception Changing -- Lots of key indicators showing that perception of the Jackets is changing, not only locally, but across the league. TSH, THN and NHL.com have featured an increasing number of complimentary feature pieces on the Jackets, and the blogs are full of positive observations. NHL Network has pretty much conceded the Calder Trophy to Mason (and in contention for the Vezina and Hart), and believes the Jackets not only will be in the playoffs, but could do some damage once there. Even the volume of questionable calls seems to have gone down from the officials, but that may be imagination on my part. However, I will note that the last two Toronto reviews have gone in our favor. A team record, I believe. . . .

Schedule Relief -- After wading through the majority of the schedule most heavily laden with back-to-back games in the league, the Jackets now have a couple of weeks of sanity. The next consecutive game instance is not until March 28-29, with a home and home against St. Louis. (We will be in St. Louis with the Jacket Backers!) While you want to play frequently when you are hot, a few days between games will be just what the doctor ordered, literally, for the guys.

Red Wings Keys -- The final game of the regular season (nice to have to specify "regular") against Detroit this afternoon, just over a week after we were part of the giddy contingent in Joe Louis Arena cheering on the 8 - 2 drubbing of the Wings. Don't expect the same tonight. Detroit will be out for revenge, and needs a win to salvage a .500 record against the Jackets this season. They are also in a tight race for the top seed in the West. They had the offense clicking yesterday in St. Louis, so have some momentum coming in.

On the Jacket's side, they are playing perhaps the best hockey in the league right now, have some offensive confidence and mometum, and Steve Mason with some extra rest. Detroit is on the back end of a back-to-back, and their goaltending situation is, shall we say, unsettled. Osgood played well yesterday, so don't know if they will go with him again, figuring he is hot, or go with Conklin in light of the consecutive day games. Either way, we just need to stay out of the box, play Hitch Hockey like we have been, and pepper the net.

We'll be in our usual spot in Section 110, and likely hanging around the JacketBackers table at the first intermission. Go Jackets!

An "E" Ticket Ride!!! (with 19,167 riders)

Hitchcock warned us that watching this team of youngsters would be a roller coaster ride, and tonight displayed that in spades. After two periods that seemingly impossibly matched or exceeded the level of play we saw against Detroit and Boston, the CBJ let up on the gas in the 3rd, and the immensely talented Penguins made them pay.


After Antoine Vermette blistered the net early in third for a 3 -0 lead, Pittsburgh found their accelerator, aided by some untimely penalties. In three minutes of frantic hockey, played almost exclusively in the CBJ zone, Pittsburgh took advantage of defensive misplays, and all of a sudden it was a tie game. Outshot 19 - 4 in the 3rd, the ice tilted dramatically to Pittsburgh's side. Some great saves by Mason, and some stabilizing play by our forward, got us thorugh the remainder of the third, culminated by a great feed from Nash to Peca that came within a skate blade of winning it in regulation.


The overtime was a typical one for this time of year -- some bursts of aggressive play tempered by periods of caution, almost as if they each thought they might fare better in the shootout. The SO was a beauty. Williams tried a backhand through the 5 hole, but Fleury was a bit too quick. Mason stayed with Letang's backhand move, deflecting it to the side. Nash tried a deke move that Fleury also stuffed, and Mason took Crosby's shot squarely in the chest. As Huselius lined up the puck at center ice, Danny Gare was calling for a quick shot, and Huselius obliged. 5 hole laser -- game over.

+/- for tonight: (very simple)

++ First 41:03 -- For that period of time, the Bluejackets played a complete game. They hustled, they won the battles, they made some great passes, had good goaltending and took advantage of some key chances. (They were also robbed of some chances by some amazing saves on Fleury's part). It was Hitch Hockey at it's finest, with Williams, Vermette and Huselius leading the way, with substantial contributions from Russell, Tyutin and Umberger.

++ Last 18:57 -- For whatever reason, we immediately pulled in our necks after the third goal, and Pittsburgh played with reckless abandon. We got sloppy, turned the puck over in our own zone, committed dumb penalties, and maintained no offensive pressure at all. Result: 3 goals, 19 shots to our 4.

Mason showed incredibly grit down the stretch and in the shootout. Huselius was cool as a cucumber. That is the kind of leadership that will stand us in good stead going through the final 14 games.

To review -- three consecutive huge wins over Detroit, Boston, Pittsburgh -- 76 points with 14 games left. That means that 7 - 7 gives us 90 points, which is increasingly looking like it will be more than enough. A tough back end of a back to back tomorrow in Chicago, then home for the final showdown with Detroit on Sunday.

This is a team that everyone is beginning to talk about. NHL On The Fly tonight spoke about how Hitch wants 5th place, and that this team could make a splash in the playoffs. Nice to finally hear some positive publicity for the boys!

By the way, for those of you readers too young to understand the heading, allow me to explain. Originally, Disneyland (and later Disney World) did not have a unified price for the whole park. Up until 1982, you bought ticket books, and each of the rides or attractions took a different number and type of ticket. An "A" ticket was for the low impact, kiddie type rides and attractions you would see in Fantasyland. An "E" ticket was for the scariest, most thrilling and newest rides and attractions. Hence, anything incredibly exciting became known as an "E Ticket Ride." That is the history lesson for today . . .

Go Jackets!!

2nd Period Update -- CBJ 2 Pittsburgh 0

A tough, tight, checking period for most of the time. The Jackets did a great job of keeping composure and pressure on. Umberger stepped to the front this period, with everyone chipping in. Although Mase was not busy, he made some key stops on the ocassional miscue. Even though we are not scoring a lot of hits, we are being physical and are clearly disrupting Pittsburgh's offense.

How perfect is it that our second goal comes from a great forecheck by Vermette, who centers to Williams, who roofs a nifty backhand over Fleury's shoulder? Both nifty pickups by Howson!

14 shots to 9 for the CBJ in the second. Give credit to Fleury for a few outrageous saves during that frame, keeping his club in the game.

Jackets are looking very solid. Much more of a defensive struggle than I expected! CBJ need a PP goal in the 3rd.

Go Jackets!!!

1st Period Update -- CBJ 1 Pittsburgh 0

What a crowd, what an effort!!!! After enduring the first five minutes of full frontal assault by the Penguins, the Jackets found their legs, got the puck deep, and got playing Hitch-Hockey. Mason was instrumental in keeping things at bay until we got into rhythm.

Huselius threw a beautiful change-up through the 5 hole, and the forecheck really had the Penguins off guard. Voracek has been huge, Nash and Huselius strong, and Williams, Novotny looking good. Russel and usual suspects have been solid on defense, but need to be a little more careful with the puck.

10-10 in shots, 2-0 in takeaways, 9-5 in faceoffs, 1 giveaway to 2 for Pitt, close in hits CBJ 9, Pitt 11.

Keep it up boys!!!