Midweek Breather -- Jackets Off To Europe!!

It's Wednesday, the middle of the week, and only 9 days until Christmas.  Time to take a deep, cleansing breath and regain our perspective on hockey (and life):

• Gut wrenching loss last night, but the quality of play was much better. (At least that's what I heard, since we could not watch the game -- thanks to Versus, DirecTV and Gary Bettman)
• Minnesota brings out the bizzare -- last night a last second goal, last year the phantom Nash "stick higher than the crossbar" dispute, and so it goes.  You think the Coen Brothers are conspiring against the CBJ??   
• Howson has been very quiet -- too quiet, IMHO.  Watch out . . . 
• On a more positive note, the Jackets will join Boston, Minnesota, San Jose, Phoenix and Carolina in Europe to open the season next year, as confirmed by an NHL executive at the meeting in Pebble Beach.  No word yet on the specific venues.  Road Trip!!!!
• The Jackets and Wild continued their tradition of playing tight, low scoring games, particularly in Minnesota.  In 17 games played between the clubs in Minnesota,  only 3 times have the teams combined for more than 5 goals. 
  
• Jacket scouts were rumored to be at the Toronto/Washington game the other night.  See Howson item above . . . 
• Bettman announced that salary cap not expected to change much for next year -- $1 million either way or so.  That means that the Blackhawks will only need to jettison about 8 players to meet the game, instead of 9 . . .
• Eric Smith will be hosting his weekly Fire The Cannon chat tonight at 7:00 PM.  I will endeavor to join in and offer my two cents worth. Details here.
• The boys have had a rough go of late, but it will turn around.  Keep in mind that despite this horrific streak, we are now just at .500.  How many years did we dream of reaching the .500 mark???  

Go Jackets!

New Article On CBJ Issues

My latest piece, discussing the various issues plaguing the Jackets, is now posted at The Hockey Writers.  Entitled The Young and the Restless, it examines things from aspects of player issues, coaching issues and system issues. 

Give it a look and let me know your thoughts!

Fear Factor . . . and Other Delights

Despite the 5 -3 loss at the hands of the dreaded Nashville Predators tonight, I stand by my prior post, in that it is not time to panic.  In fact, while this was an ugly one to watch in many respects, watching it clarified several things.  Some involve players, some involve coaching.  In no particular order, here they are:

• Playing With Fear -- The Jackets are playing scared right now, and have been for awhile.  It is an ironic situation, as they are so afraid of making mistakes, they are hesitating and making more mistakes in the process.   We all know that Hitch is not patient when it comes to mistakes, particularly by young players. However, in attempting to insure no mistakes, particularly in our own zone, they are in fact making matters worse.  By holding the puck, or waiting for it to arrive, they increase the pressure on themselves, leading to poor decisions and/or turnovers. This is clearly impacting Methot, who made some awful, awful plays tonight.  Fear also causes paralysis, and is not limited to the youngsters. Watch Mike Commodore right now.  He is so concerned about making mistakes due to his conditioning, he stays rooted in one place.  The results are disasterous.
• It Ain't Mason -- Mason has become the popular whipping boy this season. While he has not been the Calder Trophy caliber netminder of last year, he also has not been playing nearly as badly as his numbers indicated.  Tonight was a perfect example.  Goal 1 -- quick turnover in our zone, Mason moves quickly from left to right to cover, perfect shot to upper far corner behind him.  Goal 2 -- awful turnover down low by Methot, puck shoved out to point blank range.  Goal 3 -- defense leaves Sullivan all alone at the left post --tap in goal.  Goal 4 -- way too much gap for 4 vs. 4, Mason screened up high, never sees the shot leave the stick.   Goal 5 -- three bodies in front of Mason, and puck caroms off Jones' chest.  If Mason doesn't make five or six great saves in successoin in the first period, this is an 8 - 2 game.
• Stop Tinkering With Bodies -- Part of the equation for turnovers and mistakes is uncertainty.  One of the things that promotes uncertainty is lack of familiarity.  The incessant tinkering with lines is wearing on the players and is proving counter-productive.  Tonight it was Chimera learning to play with Nash and Vermette, Huselius learning to play with Umberger and Voracek, Brassard, Modin and Torres learning to play together, etc.   It showed. After a time, the players get tired of trying to predict where the others will be, and try to take charge themselves.  Nash is prone to this as is Huselius.  We have the talent to succeed.  Put some lines together, and let them play for awhile.  They will get hot, and go cold, but they will become a single unit and learn to trust each other. Hitch is trying to force the issue right now, playing Nash some insane minutes.  He had over 23 minutes tonight -- leading all skaters.  That is nuts, and is going to lead to him getting hurt, burned out or both.  Stop!
• Address The Real Issues -- Fairly -- Hitch was correct tonight in saying that the primary problem was "from the red line back."  While the forwards have been remiss in their defensive duties, by far the worst offenders have been our blue liners. Though Hitch made it sound like this has only been happening since Klesla went down, that is revisionist history.  Klesla was inconsistent this season before being hurt, and Tyutin has had a horrendous start (though is playing better of late).  Russell was scratched for several games for perceived transgressions, yet Commodore, Hejda, Tyutin and, to a lesser extent, Methot, have avoided the same penalty.  This double standard for veterans and youngsters has dogged Hitch for years, and he needs to show that you are either playing well enough to be in the lineup, or you aren't, regardless of stature.  If guys don't hustle back consistently, let them pay the price, but treat the entire team the same way. 
• Change The Culture -- the atmosphere of fear has to disappear, and has to be replaced with one of trust.  The team has a lot of talent, and they need to be allowed to use it -- responsibly.  Use the system to channel the talent, not stifle it.  Admit reality -- Modin is going to be a good influence, but he is not the savior, nor is Dorsett, nor is Boll.  All have important roles to play, but only in the confines of an integrated whole.  If players are put on the ice, knowing they are trusted, and not fearing banishment for a mistake, the fear and hesitation will leave.  Will they make mistakes?  Absolutely.  However, for the first time in team history, we have the talent to overcome mistakes.  Let them learn from mistakes and develop instincts, so they can spend more time acting and less time thinking.
• Maximum Effort -- The quid pro quo for trusting the players is for the players to show they deserve the trust -- not by being perfect -- rather by going all out for the entire shift, every shift.  We have a lot of guys doing it, but not everyone. They can't wait for the puck to get to them when in their own zone -- they need to skate to it.  As Hitch says -- they need to move as a unit, up and down the ice. Let the defensemen pinch -- but the forwards need to cover. 

We can be sure that Howson is closely monitoring the situation, and will act if necessary.  The time might be nearing, but players and coaches need to make a cohesive push to change the way things are working.  It can't be unilateral. 

The club is just a few wins away from being back in the thick of things, and that is well within their reach.  Coach and players need to open their hands to grasp the opportunity.

If This Were An Actual Emergency . . .

OK -- put down the axe and step away from the door . . .   Time for one of those periodic reminders that needs to be asserted when the going gets a bit tough. Judging by the comments flying around cyberspace, Hitch needs to be fired and his system scrapped, Nash needs to be traded,  and all of our problems can be solved by praying at Our Lady of The Eternal Hit, following the path of St. Jared Boll and St. Derek Dorsett.

Verities and Balderdash, I say (with apologies to the late Harry Chapin), all wrapped into one.  Yes, the team has gone through a bad streak, and the quality of play has not been stellar.  Does Derek Dorsett add a lot of energy to the lineup? Without question.  Does his absence from the lineup doom us to a cellar dwelling finish in the West?  Hardly.

The Jackets are a wound up team right now -- they are grabbing the sticks too tightly, backing off too early, providing too much space to avoid getting beat.  They are thinking instead of reacting.  Part of this is youth and relatively little time playing together.  Part of it is the system -- the technical, fastidious, defensive oriented hockey that Hitch demands.  Great when it works, but in the live play of a game, there are hundreds of opportunities when players can interpret what they see on the ice differently.  That's when you get gaps, turnovers and odd man rushes.  When you have a veteran laden roster, they recognize these situations instinctively.  Our guys will get there, but in the meantime we need to simplify.  North-south hockey, lots of coummunication, and putting the puck on net.  Keep the lines intact for more than 1 game in a row -- allow everyone to get comfortable.

We have had four streaks this season -- 2 good, 2 bad -- and nothing in between. It is because our good streaks have been very good that we reman above the .500 mark. Time to steady the ship, and we have the talent to do it. 

Defense has been coming around the last 4 games, and Mason has looked good as well.  Need some breaks to go our way, and this thing will get turned around.  82 games is a long season, folks, and every team is going to have its turn in the barrel.  Howson has his eye on the needle, and will know when to pull the trigger on a deal if needed. 

Keep the faith!\ Go Jackets!

One of Those Nights . . .

The last thing the Blue Jackets need right now is to run into hot goaltending and have the bounces go against them.  Unfortunately, both happened tonight at home, and the result was a 3 -1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. 

Full marks go to Anaheim for this one.  Playing in the back end of a road back-to-back sequence, they came out strong, played a tight collapsing defense, and rode a superior performance from goalie Jonas Hiller to earn their first victory over Columbus this year.

Columbus came out a bit flat, but held their own throughout the first.  Anaheim and the Blue Jackets customarily have very physical confrontations, and this was no exception.  Sheldon Brookbank and Jared Boll dropped the gloves after a physical confrontation along the boards.  Shortly thereafter, Derek Dorsett and Mike Brown tangled in a confrontation that proved expensive for the Blue Jackets, as Dorsett sustained a broken hand, and will be lost for an undetermined amount of time.

The tight contest remained scoreless until late in the first, when Anaheim gambled at the blue line, and emerged with a 4-on-2 break when the Jackets' forwards were caught deep.  Mason stopped the first shot, but Dan Sexton found the puck in the ensuing scramble, and parked it home for a 1 - 0 lead. 

The Blue Jackets dominated the second and third periods, outshooting the Ducks 27 -14 over that spell.  However, the combination of the Duck's collapsing defense and Hiller's acrobatics frustrated the comeback.  Columbus exerted good pressure, and maintaned a presence in the crease, but could not solve the goaltender.  The second frame remained scoreless until the final minute.  Bobby Ryan took possession of the puck in the neutral zone and entered the offensive zone on the left wing with speed.  Kris Russell maintained contact, but appeared to lose his balance as Ryan cut toward the center.  That slip gave Ryan all the room he needed, as he skated unmolested into the crease, gave Mason a quick deke, and netted a backhand for a 2 -0 lead.  Just 19 seconds later, however, R.J. Umberger took a feed from Rick Nash below the goal line, and fired home a bank shot off Hiller's leg, returning the gap to a single goal with just 36 seconds left to play in the period.

The Blue Jackets continued the assault in the third, but could not convert.  Anaheim extended the lead to two with 6:13 left in the game, when Corey Perry cashed a perfect cross-ice feed from Ryan Whitney on the power play.  Fittingly, a late surge by Columbus included a couple of shots ringing off the post, and some other tantalizing opportunities jsut eluding the Blue Jackets' sticks.

There were many positives for Columbus in this one, despite the loss.  Their defensive coverage continues to improve, and the play of Commodore, Hejda and Tyutin is beginning to come around.  Mason had no chance on any of the three goals, and played solid in the crease and in playing the puck.  Unfortunately, the offense suffered a rare off night.  Coming into the game, Columbus was tied for sixth in the league in goals per game, and was second in power play effectiveness. 

Although discouraging, the club has to focus on the positives and put the emphasis on playing a full sixty minutes of hockey.  They appear somewhat trapped between the worlds of defensive responsibility and offensive aggressiveness.  They will need to find that middle ground to reverse the current slump.  However, they remain in the hunt, and a few game winning streak will go a long way to righting the ship.  Not much consolation tonight, but the elements are there. 

Jackets Stop The Bleeding With A Solid Effort

With grumblings of fan discontent echoing loudly in their ears, the CBJ responded in resounding fashion with a 3 - 0 shutout of the Florida Panthers, a team equally desperate to end their current slide.

Tonight's game featured a resurgent defensive effort -- sorely needed after surrendering more goals than virtually any other team in the league through 29 games. Mike Commodore and Fedor Tyutin played their best games of the season, and Marc Methot was also a solid contributor.  Kris Russell continued his excellent play -- being responsible in his own zone, and leading transition with sharp passing and elusive skating. 

However, the most notable contributor of the evening was Steve Mason.  Dubbed the #1 Star for his effort, Mason invoked images from last season with some stellar play.   He stood tall, aggressively took the top of the crease as his own, and was more active with his stick than at any time this year.  While Florida did not exert extended period of high pressure, there were several flurries of activity, and Mason responded with aplomb.  He appeared energized by the revitalized defense around him, and may also have been motivated by some rather harsh public appraisals of his attitude by goalie coach Dave Rook.  Rook implied that Mason might have allowed last year's Calder Trophy success get to his head a bit.  While Mason has not been the primarily culpable party for the recent failings, he has also not been the exceptional netminder of last year.   With a shutout under his belt, he could be poised for a run. 

The Jackets came out of the chute strong, dominating possessoin in the first period, but proving unable to convert on their opportunities.  Chimera made a nifty forehand/backhand move on Vokoun, to no avail, then somehow managed to miss the net entirely from an unmolested position about 6 feet dead on to the goal.   Nash, Huselius and Vermette put on a clinic of puck possession and scoring opportunity at the 13 minute mark, but failed to convert.  Given Vokoun's history of success against the Jackets, more that a few were wondering if these squandered chances would come back to haunt the squad.  Chimera, however, vindicated the effort as the first period wound down, following his own backand shot and stuffing home the rebound, with just under two minutes left in the first.

The second period brought a dreadful sense of deja vu, as the CBJ allowed Florida to dictate the early tempo.  The familiar littany of failed clearing attempts, turnovers and defensive gaps emerged once again.  On this night, however, Mason was there to stem the tide, and the Jackets righted the ship by the midway point of the period.  They displayed a frustrating knack for firing pucks into the bodies of defenders, as Florida blocked an amazing 20 shots over the course of the contest, but surrendered nothing at their own end. 

Given recent history, entering the third period with a one goal lead was not exactly a cause for jubilation.  However, the club came out with a strong forecheck, particularly by Nash, Voracek and Umberger, and appeared destined to take control of the period.  Unfortunately, the referees had other ideas.  Kristian Huselius was called for a very questionable delay penalty, and Andrew Murray was nailed for hooking shortly thereafter, giving Florida 23 seconds of 5-on-3 advantage.  The penalty killers knocked off the two man deficit, and the subsequent 5-on-4 with aggressive play and solid puck management.  Immediately afterward, Derick Brassard coralled the puck along the left wing, and roofed a beautiful short sided shot over Vokoun to extend the lead to 2 - 0. 

To provide some indication as to how desperately Florida was seeking the win, Vokoun was pulled with over two minutes to play.  Pahlsson deposited the empty netter directly off the center ice faceoff, and the final margin -- plus chili for all -- was secured. 

The victory serves as a benchmark for several reasons.  First, it should at least temporarily quell the rising tide of negativism that had begun to dominate the debate, ranging from calls for Hitchcock's firing to calls for massive trades and restructuring.  Secondly, Steve Mason was truly superb  -- quite possibly signaling a turning point in his season.  Brassard may be catching fire, and Chimera scored in his third consecutive game.  Overall, they appeared like a much looser, more confident group on the ice.

The trick will be for Hitch to capture this energy, allow the mometum to carry into Nashville on Thursday and beyond.  Hitch needs to keep the reins a little looser than he has in the past, as these colts need to run a bit.  He can keep them on the ranch, but can't squelch the spirit.   This is a young, talented group of players, and they showed what they can do when they are loose. 

Nashville preview and other goodies later today.  Go Jackets!!!

Close, But Not There Yet . . .

Coming into tonight, Columbus fans were primarily focused, perhaps obsessively so, on the return of Adam Foote -- former wearer of the "C" in Columbus, who professed loyalty but then extorted a trade back to Colorado.  Foote had been conveniently injured or otherwise unavailable during prior Columbus visits, so this represented the first opportunity for vocal vengence by the assembled crowd. 

The Blue Jackets themselves, however, were more focused on exorcising the defensive demons that have possessed them for the past few weeks.  Repeated turnovers in the defensive zone, lack of communication on the ice, and simple lack of focus had combined to produce some ugly losses, including a forgettable 6 - 3 home loss to Toronto on Thursday night.  While the goaltending has not been up to last season's standards, the spotty defense has hung the netminders out to dry with repeated point blank opportunites, making Steve Mason and Mathieu Garon appear worse than warranted.  

With Foote being predictably and lustily booed every time he set skate on ice, the first period was largely a feeling out exercise, with each side displaying tight checking and caution in the offensive zone.  Fans were treated to nine total shots in the period -- with the Avalanche holding the 5-4 edge.  Not exactly scintillating stuff, but an improvement over recent starts.

The demons emerged once again in the second stanza. Colorado began possessing the puck for longer periods, and started occupying that danger zone below the goal line behind the net that has bedeviled the Jackets thus far this season.  6:46 in, Jan Hejda dove below the line to chase the puck, leaving Woski all alone at the right post.  Stastny found him, Commodore was late getting over, and it was a simple 2 foot tap in for a 1 - 0 lead.  Nine minutes later, the scene was duplicated. Umberger lost contact with Milan Hejduk at the left post.  Duchene put the feed on the tape, and another tap in made in 2- 0.  Though the Jackets' energy improved in the second half of the period, and they outshot Colorado 12 - 10, they still faced a 2 goal deficit heading into the final frame.

The energy created in the latter stages of the second period carried over to the third.  Jason Chimera, who forced the play all night long, netted Columbus' first marker when he crashed the net and directed the puck of the skate of  --- Adam Foote.  A review in Toronto amazingly confirmed the goal, and the Jackets were within one.  Just 39 seconds later, however, Chris Stewart entered the offensive zone on a partial break.  He fired the the puck from above the left dot, and it deflected off Methot's stick and into the back of the net.  You could almost hear the air being sucked out of the Arena at that point. 

To the Jackets' credit, they kept their foot to the floor (ultimately outshooting the Avs 15 - 4 in the third), and created numerous opportunities.  It is a cruel fact of the latest slump that poor play has been exacerbated by the lack of good fortune as well.  So it was tonight -- Peter Budaj robbed the CBJ on numerous solid chances, and others were narrow misses.  Jakub Voracek, another star performer all night long, converted a wraparound with 4:28 left in the game, narrowing the gap to a single goal.  They kept the pressure on, pulling Mason with 1:16 left.  With 13.6 seconds left, it appeared that the Jackets had tied the contest, with Chimera parking one from in close.  However, the net came off the moorings as the goal was being scored, and a Toronto review of the call of goal on the ice ensued.  Replay showed that the shot actually came in under the side of the net -- no goal.  Another effort coming up short. 

After the game, Hitchcock bemoaned the lack of hunger throughout the locker room.  He characterized his team as "inconsistent", and called out the team to find that level of desperation necessary to do "whatever is necessary to win".  That may be the case in some circles, but the failures cannot be laid exclusively on attitude.  For the first time in recent memory, Hejda and Commodore, the #1 pairing from last year, received the lowest amount of ice time on the blue line.   They continue to make blatant errors, and don't appear to be improving.  Hejda has been better, but Commodore has been challenged to play at a level anywhere near to his effort of last year.  Fortunately, Fedor Tyutin is showing signs of coming out of his funk, and Kris Russell has been extremely solid since returning to the lineup.  He brings energy, mobility and puck movement to the blue line, and has the capacity to take the puck deep in the offensive end.

Columbus was improved tonight, but still not good enough.  The players are clearly tight -- gripping the stick too hard, afraid of making a mistake.  Others (Nash, Huselius) often try to do too much on their own -- which has the opposite effect.   Even solid puck handlers like Anton Stralman are making errors, due largely to tightness.  The team needs to relax, play the brand of hockey that they have demonstrated they can play, and do it for 60 minutes.  They need to be accountable, but they can't live in fear that the next mistake will send them to Syracuse.  That is where the coaching staff can provide assistance.

GM Scott Howson has said that the answers lie within the existing roster, but numerous reports indicated that he is sniffing around for a defenseman, with Toronto identified as one of the more likely trading partners. 

Not time for panic, as the Jackets are still in the hunt, and have some good streaks ahead of them.  Still, the team as a whole has to find that comfort zone that will enable them to play technically sound hockey, without consciously fretting over every detail.  Such are the challenges of having the youngest team in the league, and Hitch will be challenged to display the kind of patience he is not know for displaying with young players.

Slumps are no fun, but they are finite.  Howson, Hitchcock and the players need to take a collective deep breath and look forward.