The Columbus Blue Jackets completed their six game road trip tonight in Chicago against the yet to be defeated in regulation Blackhawks. It was a massive task for a team struggling to find offense, averaging only two goals per game throughout the road trip.
Steve Mason got the call in net for Columbus, John Moore made his return from injury in favour of injured Jack Johnson, and recently recalled Ryan Johansen began his next quest at justifying a full time spot in the National Hockey League.
The first period was a pleasant surprise for those Jackets fans who have endured this season. It was full of pressure in the Chicago end with high end scoring chances, along with limited chances for Chicago (excluding while they were killing penalties). I made note of this as the period wore on, but it was a welcome change to see this play against a team like Chicago.
The most exciting moment of the first period came on the stick of Brassard, who had the go ahead goal on his stick with Crawford well out of the net, but couldn’t connect. The puck, and the chance of the period, fluttered high and wide.
As the second period wore on, I began thinking about how this season often seemed to play out, and predicted that the Jackets would see themselves in a 1-0 deficit heading into the third period. Missed opportunities continued to pile up for Columbus, and as predicted, one very blown assignment on Shaw lead to him being wide open in front of the net.
The third period felt more frustrating than it felt exciting. Chances were minimal, and foolish decision making ruined a number of offensive breaks, as well as leading to some incredible scoring opportunities for Chicago. Fortunately for the fans, Mason came to play tonight, and stopped everything sent his way.
Some interesting stats from the game:
- Brassard went 1 for 9 in faceoffs
- Letestu on the other hand, went 10 for 12
- Nikitin/Tyutin pairing were on the ice for the goal against, not surpringly
- Mason made 26 saves for a .963 save percentage
- The Blue Jackets record is now 5-12-2, good for league worst
More on Steve Mason. I did not see a ton of shots head towards his glove hand this evening, but I have to believe this performance gives many league General Managers a good look at what his potential can be. While he may not be a top tier goaltender in this league, he could be proving himself as an acceptable backup goaltender. It is not so much that I believe he cannot serve a purpose in Columbus, I just believe he would do well with a change of scenery, both for him and for the fans here.
After the game, Derick Brassard was asked about the overall result of the game, and used the word ’embarrassing’ to describe not being able to score on Crawford. I think this opinion is quite apt, considering how many great chances they had with the net yawning at them, and Crawford somewhere else entirely. It certainly provides me some comfort knowing that they aren’t taking the losses well, and I wonder what it is going to take for the team to produce. I accept the limited talent argument to an extent, but these are all professional hockey players who know how to shoot the puck.
Ryan Johansen should have been flying tonight. The demotion to Springfield should embarrass or at the very least disappoint the young centerman, yet I never got that impression from him this evening. Maybe the trip wore him out, maybe he needs a game or two to get back to NHL speed, but I was very unimpressed by his inclination to watch the play rather than move his feet. He needs to be better.
Lastly, and arguably most painful on this review, is how incredibly disappointed I have been this year with our returning defensemen. Wisniewski, Tyutin, and Nikitin specifically have been making a year out of making awful decisions, coughing the puck up at the worst times, sending aimless and horrible passes to the opposing team, and shooting laser beams high, wide, and nowhere near the net. These three need to be better in the worst way. If I had control of the line changes, I don’t know that I would have anymore confidence with them on the ice versus Erixon or Moore. That needs to change if this team wants any success as this season wears on, and I sit here shocked that defense is the weak point of this team.
Five of the next six games will be played on home ice. It is time to find the best game possible, if not to salvage this season, but to give the fans what they deserve.
Carry the Flag.
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