The Blue Jackets limped into Winnipeg this Thursday night on the news that everyone’s favourite Russian goaltender would be out for about 3 weeks with a groin injury. How did the Jackets fair in their first test of Boblessness? Well, the answer is not very good.
The Jackets surrendered 3 goals before the home team’s roaring fans had a chance to thaw out their coats. (See, it’s often very cold in Winnipeg, if you weren’t aware.) That chill got to the Jackets as well, holding them to just 12 shots in the first two periods and a pathetic start that sealed the loss for Columbus early. Try as they might, the Jackets just weren’t able to climb out of the hole, coming as close as 3-2 and 5-4 on wonderful efforts by Hartnell, Atkinson (2) and Jenner.
A few thoughts before we close the book on this egg:
-McElhinney had a stupendously bad first period and was badly out of position on Winnipeg’s 4th goal but as usual you can’t blame the loss squarely on him. The Jackets managed to score 2 goals and keep it close while still getting badly outshot, but the offense still needed to do better.
-Scott Hartnell is really good
-Bran Dubinsky needs to stop trying to check people and doing jumping jacks at the same time
-It’s still nice to see a team in Winnipeg, those fans there deserve it and I really hope they make the playoffs this year because that building has given us some wonderful moments already and the team’s only been there for a few years.
-The Jackets play the Islanders on Saturday in Columbus, so here’s hoping a few hot meals and a couple nights in their own beds does them some good. They’re not going to be able to sleep walk against the Islanders.
-In closing, this one hurts because you gotta wonder what the outcome would have been like if Bob was in net. It’s moot now, but I want to get a look at the newbie up from Lake Erie sooner rather than later if Curtis starts to become shaky.
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