After the All-Star weekend, fans were wondering how the Jackets were going to respond to the break. The team has been on a slide as of late and it needed to turn it around. Playing another team in the Metropolitan division was going to be a tough test, especially one that beat them in the waning seconds of the game. How were they going to react?
Good, Better, Best
Good: Brandon Saad
I’ve said it before in this space but people love to accuse Saad of not playing up to his potential despite being on pace for a career best year. He had two points on the evening and was apart of one of the best lines of the entire evening. He isn’t just someone that scores goals either, he had a beautiful pass that eventually led to the Foligno goal.
Here is an alternate angle on the most recent Foligno goal. Cross ice pass and Wennberg finds Foligno down low. Workmanlike. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/fZiq0K24Xt
— Buckeye State Hockey (@BuckeyeStHockey) February 1, 2017
He is a threat every single time he is on the ice and it is going to be hard for team’s to try and match up with him. Not to mention his line may be the most dynamic in the league.
Better: Alexander Wennberg
He has somehow the clock that makes the Jackets tick offensively. It doesn’t matter if it is at even strength or if it is on the power play, Wennberg this year just puts up points. He has the patience to wait a play out and he is crafty enough to get the puck off the wall if need be. His points already tell you that he is a number one center but even the little things are starting to pile up in his favor as well.
Derek Stepan and Mika Zibanejad aren’t players to sneeze at and he was able to best them in multiple facets of the game. If there is one part of the game you hope he is able to improve on, it would be his consistency from game to game. He has a real chance to be something special.
Best: Seth Jones
After an All-Star break, you may think that anyone participating is hoping for a little bit of rest. Seth Jones was a real highlight this past weekend performing well in the Skills Challenge and in the All-Star game itself. Taking a game off wouldn’t have been that big of a deal considering everything he had done in recent memory. As we are all beginning to see with Jones, that isn’t the type of player he is and his performance is only solidifying how great of a long-term signing he will be for the team.
Two goals from the back end are always going to be appreciated. From the drop of the puck, he immediately made Henrik Lundqvist unsure in net. It was odd to see such a strong player for so long look so mortal. The Jackets defensemen were roving down low, early and often, throwing pucks on net from different places. The goals from Jones came from the point and as a trailer coming into the slot. It really seemed like he wasn’t going to be stopped offensively. Having your number one defensemen be such an asset on that end of the ice is just a cherry on top of the proverbial sundae.
Despite their 6-4 win being sloppy towards the end, the Jackets have to be happy to get back in the win column, even if it means that they let in some goals along the way.
Tweet of the Game:
You Rangers fans should just FolinGO home.
— This tweet is 6 ft away. (@RadiantRG) February 1, 2017
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