Last night was a game of surprises as the Blue Jackets faced off against the Detroit Red Wings. Luckily for us it wasn’t the kind of surprises that usually occur in Blue Jackets land – when we’re surprised as the new and innovative ways we find to mess stuff up. Last night was a nice respite from the losing ways of late so let’s get to the highlights and different kind of surprises that came from the game.
Surprise #1: Bob is still giving up the early goals. Not sure if this is his “thing” or what, but the early goals putting our boys in the hole early just have to stop. Both shots – going five hole – were depressing and stifling. I was able to attend the #CBJBWW game viewing party last night and we hadn’t even gotten through one round of “Let’s Go Jackets” before it was 1-0 Red Wings. Bob’s performance rebounded and he came up strong and acrobatic late in the game – particularly on the kills – but for a team that is offensively challenged, this must stop now. We have heard of Bob’s unwavering work ethic, and his time working with Ian Clark is well documented – let’s hope those two can continue to improve his game.
Surprise #2: The team didn’t quit. I will fully admit those two goals had me accepting defeat less than a minute into the game. We’ve have far too many object lessons that this team just can’t come back from something like that. We battled through a short 5-on-3 and worked all the way through the last minute and it actually made a difference. I was pleased to see the guys rebound and bring back their ‘fight’ through the game.
Surprise #3: Oh hi, RJ Umberger. Thanks to astute play by Cam Atkinson off the Jack Johnson shot, RJ found the puck and put it in the net. It was good to see RJ appearing focused on the play and contributing. Something that had been missing as of late. When you play hard and smart, good things (should) happen. Nice to see him rewarded with the goal.
Surprise #4: Derek Dorsett Play Rebounds. Apparently we should have The Coach write on players regressing more often. Dorse seemed to return the game that works best for his skills and not only brought home the Gordie Howe, but arguably completed the Derek Dorsett hattie (#3 on this list) – if I could just re-watch the jawing from the penalty box one more time (lip reading was difficult from where I sat at BWW’s last night). Dorse takes away the team championship and a broken nose from the match but I’d wager that’s just how Dorse wants it.
Surprise #5: Spinny Vinny. Many fans love Vinny Prospal for his no nonsense attitude and commitment to hard work, but this season had us worrying a touch about a loss of speed in his game. Was age catching up with him? He may be a step or two back from his glory days, but he showed a nose for the puck and more than a little skill on the game winning goal that came as the result of a beautiful tic-tac pass series when the Jackets went 3 on 2 into the Wings’ zone.
Surprise #6: The Red Wings Are Maybe Just Average This Year. The idea that Detroit wasn’t going to be a looming opponent was an idea thrown around in the off season but it seems to be coming true. Sure they still have a better record than us, but the winged wheel isn’t as imposing as it used to be. Some younger hockey fans may forget the years when Detroit was referred to as the “Dead Wings” – and while I by no means think they are headed back to those days, it’s interesting to watch and am important observation for Blue Jackets fans – any team can fall into a cycle of ebbs and flows when it comes to success.
I would be remiss if I didn’t address the horrifying events involving Artem Anisimov. Artem has been a continued bright spot on the roster this year. His play and effort have not gone unnoticed and many were thrilled to hear that last night marked his return to the line up. The randomness of hockey is all that contributed to the hit that leveled Artie and ended up having him go to the hospital as a “precaution”. We often say it with pride and proof of toughness that hockey is a dangerous game, but this season has already had far too many direct reminders of how dangerous it can be. What happened last night was scary and horrible and fans from all over the world of hockey are hoping for the best for Anisimov. We here at Union Blue join the list of people sending wishes for a safe and speedy recovery for #42.
All in all it was a good win and one that showed a few flashes of hope for the Blue Jackets faithful – many of whom turned out for a great time at Buffalo Wild Wings for a game watch. Saturday brings us a match up against the St. Louis Blues – let’s hope that getting a victory on the road becomes less of a random occurrence and more of a standard.
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