A Tough Night After the Streak Ends..

Consider tonight a lesson learned for Jackets players and fans.  This team is not unbeatable, they are not perfect, and they won't win out.  They are bound for a crazy finish, but no one can predict where it will land.

Tonight, they were the better team.  Tonight, the chances were there, but the luck was not.  Think about the opportunity Umberger had with Turco sprawled around the ice.  He picks the puck up, prepares the shot, and BAM!  Broken stick.  And such was life for them most of the game.

It seemed like the refs favoured the Stars, but that is arguable.  It seemed like no matter how wide open the chances were, the puck stayed out.. (Juice and Williams in the shootout)..  Let's be honest, the team knew what they wanted to do, but could not get it done.

I am happy though.  The Jackets remain tied for 6th place, and are still only one point out of 5th.  They lose their unbeaten streak, but gain a reminder that not all games will be a 'W' even if they are the better team.  They also are reminded that every single point has value from now on out.

Finally, I want to address Richards injured hand.  I am not going to say 'tough break' or 'karma sucks' but seriously, how random is it that the same team that took out Brassard in a freak accident, loses Richards indefinitely with a busted wrist?  Seems almost fitting.

Carry the Flag!

Ten Games...

Ten games ago, Ken Hitchcock probably sat down his players in the locker room and talked about the importance of wins.  Ten games ago, they were sitting in a massive group around 8-12th in the conference, hoping they could propel themselves into a playoff position.  Ten games ago, they had games against San Jose, Detroit, and other opponents that typically are daunting enough to send shivers up a players spine.

Ten games ago, Steve Mason had mono.

But somehow, ten games later, they are tied for 6th in the conference, and only one point out of 5th.  Somehow, Chicago is only 9 points (and only three victories) ahead.  Somehow, the team is getting healthier, and the puck is going into the net.  They took it to Carolina and Detroit this weekend, showing their defensive mentality against the divisional beast, and flexing their offensive press against a recent Stanley Cup champion team with the same record they hold.  Finally getting the 5 on 3 monkey off their back, and getting much needed goals from Huselius and Malhotra.

These facts makes you wonder where they will stand ten games from now.  What great things can we expect after another ten games?  Will they keep feeding off their crowd, and taking each game personally?  Will Mason continue to build his incredibly impressive rookie campaign, giving analysts and GMs even more of a reason to consider him for three trophies this year?  Can late add on Jason Williams continue to feed off the flying J line, providing the Jackets top line with some much needed secondary scoring.

One thing is for sure....  It is going to be a great ride.

Carry the Flag!

Mason Back and Ready..

It was clear that members of the Detroit Red Wings had an agenda last night.  Go big and aim for the glove on mono recovered Steve Mason.  They took advantage a couple times on a glove hand that seemed a bit slower than usual, but Mason stood strong, allowing Columbus to gain another two points in a game that most teams would accept one or zero points in.

Outside of their clear glove hand target, the physicality around Mason was also prevalent, with guys like Meech crashing into him without penalization.  Good thing Columbus has rarely been favored this year, and would definitely defend their goalie at all costs regardless of how the refs decide to call it.

Getting past the game itself, having Mason come back and gain a victory is also a big positive for the team in a couple different ways.  First off, it reminds LaCosta that his time is not right now, and Mason will hold onto the spotlight for the time being.  It also reminds the fans that no team has that many players come in and steal the show, but frankly, we should consider ourselves lucky that he was able to come in and play as well as he did.

Secondly, it truly shows the value of the team outside of the net.  The defense and offense may not have bailed out Mason last night, but they played very smart and strong hockey against Colorado and San Jose with young LaCosta between the pipes.

Finally, it shows that Mason was not on a hot streak.  Many young players and even veterans come in and play fantastic hockey for a given period of time only to flatten out.  I feel like if Mason was simply riding the wave, that momentum would have dissipated with the time off and he would have come out poorly last night.

Looks like the only guy who will not learn is Hitchcock.  Mason will be starting again tonight in net against Carolina.

Carry the Flag!

Post Game Thoughts

Last night, Dan LaCosta handled everything the Avalanche could muster, recording his first career NHL shutout.  If this team had a laundry list of players they would have never expected to explode into the NHL scene this year (Brassard, Voracek, Mason, LaCosta, Methot, Russell, etc) it would clearly be turning to page two very soon.

Not only did he record the shutout, but he did it in a way that proved his worth.  The defense was alright, but was still penetrated at times, forcing Dan to make one or two key saves in a row on multiple occasions.  His rebound control definitely needs some work, but even with the rebounds he allowed, he remained in position after the fact, making sure wherever the puck went, so too did he and his positioning.

RJ Umberger was once again a physical and agile beast on the ice.  He has really taken on a role that was very similar to his great work ethic in the playoffs last year with Philadelphia.  Always first to the puck, and getting shots on or near the net when you would not expect him to.  While he has not really been awarded yet (he clearly deserved the game winner against San Jose), he has received the respect of many fans.

Modin continues to disappoint, most recently on the first powerplay of the game, when his foolishness put him in the penalty box and made it 4 on 4.  It is another statistic in a growing trend of mistakes and inability from him.  He missed the net on key opportunities in the second period, twice which allowed the puck to bank off the back boards and allow Colorado to bring the puck up the ice in a 2 or 3 on 1 opportunity.  Yes, he made a nice play to tip the point shot which put the Jackets up 3-0, but it did very little to alleviate the prior mistakes of the game.

All in all, it was a strong effort by the Jackets.  If I were Hitchcock, I would be a little worried about them not being able to score in the first period, even though they dominated the offensive zone.  Their resilience is what won them the game though, taking the must win mentality deep into the game.

Carry the Flag!

Some Negatives After a BIG Positive

I do not like to be the person to downplay a very positive thing, but I have found that I single out players or coaches even in victory.  There are a couple things that I want to get out there and I would really like your (the fans) opinions on them as well.

1.  Ken Hitchcock and his "play em' if they are hot" attitude.  Yes, playing a line a shift after they have scored can sometimes work, but doing it every time seems like overkill.  Not only does that wear out the line a bit more in the middle of the game, it makes three other lines go cold.  Until the Jackets have a number one center, I personally do not think there is a single line that stands out from the rest, unless you want to assume that any line Rick Nash plays on is the number one and should get the most playing time.  I think at this point of the season, and from what we have seen when the top guys are out, there are three capable lines that need equal time on the ice.

This attitude also extends to goaltenders.  He absolutely wore out Mason over the last couple months, and while mono was the real culprit, playing any goaltender in that many games can only lead to trouble.  I think Wade has not really found his bearings yet, but he has been a savior in New York, and I think he can be a savior in Columbus if given the right opportunity.

2.  Modin..  I know a lot of people like him for his 'veteran presence' and 'leadership' qualities, but I want to straighten something out right now.  He is lazy on the ice, makes big mistakes with the puck on the powerplay, and has a very hard time getting the puck to the net when the team needs the puck on/in the net.  Frankly, the team is better off with a young player like Jakub on the powerplay if not for his effort alone.  Modin is sluggish with the puck, and a shadow of his former self.  If ever a player that the team could do without, it is Modin, and he is in my opinion, the last player from the old Jackets era (the team we do not like to take about) that needs to be removed.

3.  Backman.  Yes, he scored the winner last night.  No, he did not deserve it.  The puck was floating in the crease, and he took advantage of a great shot by Umberger, and capitalized on a bad defensive effort and basically swatted in the winner.  This does not alleviate his lazy defensive play, and horrible inability to get the puck on net during offensive possession.  The Jackets offense needs to know that when they play the puck back to the point, the shot will be accurate, and through traffic, and Backman will never be able to provide that for him.

So I have ranted, and I have come to a conclusion that points 2 and 3 and what will really set this team apart.  As much as it may hurt the Jackets in terms of cap space and value of the dollar, Backman and Modin need to have limited roles for the rest of the season, and guys like Methot and Filatov need to get their opportunities with the big club.

Carry the Flag!

LaCosta Wins in Debut.. AGAINST SAN JOSE!

It has been a head banging type of week in Columbus.  Stupid losses to St Louis and Dallas had all the fans expecting a very serious game against Pittsburgh.  Low and behold, another lame effort drove the team to do the unthinkable... Starting LaCosta against San Jose.

Now, I will be the first to admit I was not prepared for that kind of decision.  I know Dubie has struggled, and I know Mason has been in brutal shape while battling mono, but who would have though Hitch would give the least experienced goalie the nod against one of the league's strongest team?

I saw Legace clear waivers, and I read disappointment in some of the CBJ sectors of the net, but frankly, he was not the best decision.  What happened, was the coach put his confidence in DL, and the defense did the same.  The team clearly plays a strong game when they expect the goalie behind them to make the initial save and more.

Tonight has to be a turning point in the season.  They played a strong game and hung with a top team.  They did the same last week against another tremendously strong team in Detroit.   This is and should be a blatant visual effort to the team and their fans that they belong in the playoffs this year.  They are a competent team, and they play a strong, sound game (most of the time).

Be patient.  One center might be just enough to get this years Jackets into new territory.

Carry the Flag.

February Reality Check

Now, I should probably preface this with the fact that I tend to react quickly and frankly to things, although the playoff trance had me going there for a while.

Look back at last year.  At this time, their record was better, and the fans felt practically the same way - they could really get there - about the team.  Were you unrealistic?  No, not at all, but who could have possibly anticipated the Adam fo*te debacle, and the removal of Fedorov (necessary) right around deadline time, as the team waned away from any real post-season hopes.

But is this year the same?  So they lost a couple games in the past week.  Prior to that, they took down one of the league's best (Detroit) and looked comfortable doing so.  Mason found out he has mono, which could easily be the only reason he has looked human since December.  Injuries have quietly dissipated, although the loss of young Filatov, and obviously having Brassard out for the remainder of the season hurts, but also consider the addition of Williams and the rise of young Voracek and you end up rounding out a confident team that fits with one another.

My February concerns are fairly simple.  

• Acquiring a center, even at rental status to take up Brassard's spot for the remainder of the season.  This will allow minimal line modifications, and let the players get set in positions they are comfortable with.  I do not care how much you want to think he might be capable of it, Malhotra is NOT a first line center. Who should go?  A prospect, and Modin.  I do not care how hard that will be to swing, Howson needs to swing it.

• Continue to work with the powerplay to make it a POWERplay, rather than simply a man advantage.  Playoff teams have strong specialty teams.

• Let Mason get healthy.  Mono is a horrible thing to deal with, and he should be on bedrest for at least a week to try and get back when his body is prepared to let him back.  What happened against Dallas and St Louis could easily have been avoided if Hitch would think with his head rather than Mason's.

• Trade a defensemen.  The logjam is going to be an issue with Klesla healthy again.  I personally do not want to see Backman dress again, and I would hate the idea of either Methot or Russell having to sit out games.  They all have their strengths, and they are all trying to build chemistry with their linemates.  No more juggling!
  

Enough from me fans.. What do YOU think?

Carry the Flag!