Ah, the 1 point game. Depending on how you feel this is a glass half full or glass half empty scenario. The problem is the Blue Jackets are parched for points at the moment and anything less than 2 points has to be considered a let down. The CBJ played what may have been 20 of their best minutes of hockey to open the game which was a welcome sight after so many slow starts as of late. While I don’t think anyone was surprised by the shot in the arm that the return of Skille and Calvert seemed to give the team, I was very happy with the newest members of our defensive corps in Jordan Leopold and Kevin Connauton. While it was disappointing to watch a 2 goal lead evaporate after a goal that Bobrovsky will be having nightmares about for months to come, seeing the team rally and tie it to force OT gave the fans in attendance something to cheer about. Now for tonight’s threes stars:
3rd Star: Nick Foligno
How many different ways are there to praise Foligno’s work ethic and play? I feel like I’m starting to sound like a broken record. The guy personifies the Blue Jackets brand of hockey. Tough, ugly goals by getting to the dirty parts of the ice. Foligno added two more points (1G, 1A) this evening to his already impressive campaign while also leading the team in +/-. You can’t help but feel like this guy’s decided to write the terms of his own contract.
2nd Star: Ryan Johanson
Johanson had yet another impressive evening with 3 points (1G, 2A) tonight. His unassisted goal was the result of having his stick in the right place at the time, getting a jump on the defender.
Ryan contributed on both of the other goals with great puck movement and I know it’s ludicrous to be so critical of a player who contributed to all three goals on the evening but I’d really love to see Joey step up his play when the puck is behind him. From my seats, once he’s beat, he tends to coast and make minimal effort to catch up to the play. I know, I’m looking a 3-point gift horse in the mouth but I feel like this is a development that’s just come about this season and I’d love to see it nipped in the bud before it becomes the new norm.
1st Star: Alex Khokhlachev
This pick seems to have come from someone of the school of thought that GWG equals automatic first star. I’m not of that school of thought so I have little to say here except for up until his goal in the shootout, Khoklachev was unremarkable. He had 1 hit and 9:33 time on ice. Congrats on the youngster for playing a key role in getting his team the 2nd point on the road on an evening where goal tenders were stingy.
Game in One Pic Coming Soon
Studs: It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the way Skille and Calvert play and anyone who wonders why I heap so much praise on those two need look no further than their play tonight. They skated fast, they stick-handled well and moved the puck confidently throughout the ice. While not a marquee name like Horton or Dubinsky, I see both of these guys playing a large role in any righting of the ship.
Dud: The dry scrape. Thank goodness I’ve seen it for the last time in Nationwide Arena. The crowd was rocking at the end of regulation, still abuzz from Johnson’s game tying goal with 7 minutes to go and then 5 minutes of a dead arena for the dry scrape. Good bye and good riddance.
The Blue Jackets return to the Wells Fargo center tomorrow to face the struggling Philadelphia Flyers. A win in Philly would see the Jackets tied with the Flyers for 6th in the Metro. Do the CBJ have what it takes to make that leap? We’ll see. Until then, Carry the Flag!
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