Three Stars and Game in One Picture: CBJ @ NSH

Wow. Well that was a game. It was everything we love and hate about the match ups with Nashville – physical play where one big play usually makes the difference. Now you can add stellar goal tending to the recurring trend of these games. Who can forget the flurry of saves Bob made against Nashville in the final game last season and he would do it again in the closing seconds to preserve another win. In his post game interview, James Wisniewski said that was as close to a playoff game as you get. I have to agree. We were fortunate enough to be at the game and the atmosphere was pins and needles. That game was intense, hard hitting hockey. That’s what you want to see – that’s what JD has promised us…and tonight we got it (well at least after the first period). With the Jackets’ divisional opponents scooping up points tonight the win was essential and the boys in Union Blue got it done. They travel to Dallas next and I have to believe they are gonna need the day in between to recover from that match up. So on to the three stars…

3rd Star – Artem Anisimov

After 40 minutes it was pretty obvious that there was going to be only one goal scored in that game and it was going to be the game winner. To be honest, I was terrified it was going to be against us. While Rinne faced more shots tonight he was seeing EVERYTHING – and making saves from every angle and in every way. So when Arty skated in and took the feed from Wiz it was glorious. I was worried that without Gaborik to give him some space, #42 might be slightly less effective – and in a game like tonight where space was going to be hard to come by – I wouldn’t have guessed the goal would come from him but it did. You could see his confidence slowly start to build. After some near chances in the third as the Jackets found their rhythm, it was Arty who tried a wrap around twice – once on each side. He was feeling it…something was building and he was rewarded with the Game Winner.  Splitting hairs – but given the tenor of that game, I would have perhaps voted Arty #1 star. But as long as he acknowledged. A great accomplishment for the Russian.

2nd Star – Pekka Rinne

Ok first of all. Let’s remember this guy is playing in his third NHL game SINCE OCTOBER after seeing only nine games of action…and why was he out? BECAUSE HE HAD A BONE INFECTION IN HIS HIP. Dude. To come back from that as a netminder is impressive enough but to play like he did? Wow. What an effort. As already mentioned, I legit didn’t think that he would be the goalie to falter. He was just so good tonight. Confident, a vision for the puck, making the saves you HAVE to make stopping 35 of 36 shots. We sat on the CBJ Shoot twice end so we had a first hand view of a lot of Rinne saves that just had us shaking our head. While bodies banged around all over the ice, this game really was a battle of Rinne vs. Bobrovsky and it was amazing to watch.

1st Star – Sergei Bobrovsky

Bob-O! As mentioned before, I may have swapped places on this list between him and Arty but again, I’m ok with this call – obviously a shut out, particularly in a game like this, deserves some serious recognition. Bob’s real work came in the first when the Jackets decided to figure out how to not enter the offensive zone in a myriad of creative and frustrating ways and he faced 14 of the 28 total shots he’d see all night. It also came in the final five minutes of the game, when the Predators came alive and, in the final two, pulled Rinne for the extra skater. Bob was Bob. The arena was loud tonight and as he sat in his buddha like stance during stoppages, I wondered what the heck goes through his head…but whatever it is, it worked. He had sound net play – particularly on ice that didn’t look to be at it’s best.

Game in One Picture

Stud: Todd Richards. Hear me out. Earlier this year, Richie said he’d scratch people who others might be surprised to see up in the press box…well it took a while, but after the performance (or lack thereof) in Chicago, the head coach finally followed through on his promise. Frattin was no surprise, but the young Cam Atkinson was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. While perhaps punitive, or message sending, I chose to also see this as a move against how Richie saw tonight’s game going – and that was big, tough, physical. Honestly, I think this was NOT the game to ask Cam to play a big role…so HCTR scratched him and in went Comeau and Tropp. Two guys, the latter in particular, who played sound hockey and seemed better suited for this type of play than #13. This is not a full indictment of Cam, nor do I think Richie sees it that way, but tonight was not a night that he was one of the best 12 guys to play – and I think it took cojones to make that call and I think it was the right one.

Dud. Jack Johnson. I get it. He eats minutes, offensive defenseman. Yadda yadda. But really, I don’t even want to count the mistakes he made. Particularly in that troubling first, with the team still trying to find their game, turnovers, bad passes, being out of position…cringe worthy. He racked up 27+ minutes, the most of everyone on the team, and yes that will wear you down. But still, shouldn’t we at least had some sharper play early? I mean, can we put together a pick up game or something and ensure he doesn’t get picked so maybe it lights the fire under him again like we saw before the Olympics? Again, just like my comments about Cam, this is not an indictment of Jack’s body of work – the guy is critical in us making this patchwork defensive corps work – but we still need sound play.

The team travels next to Dallas and then returns home to face the Red Wings on Tuesday. The desperate fight for the playoffs rages on. But tonight, we can relish a game that was pretty damn spectacular…that whole “Hard Nosed Hockey” thing? We got it in spades tonight.

Carry the Flag!