Tonight, the Blue Jackets won their first ever playoff game against the mighty, storied Pittsburgh Penguins. We’ll get to the game recap in a second, but please indulge me a tiny bit of nostalgia. It’s truly a distinct pleasure and honor to reflect on tonight’s game. The woes of the Jackets team have been many and well chronicled. For many of us, the reality of tonight was a hope…a far off dream – something that might happen. That dream steeled our resolve when we took insults or pity from fans of other teams. That dream drove us to find one another and connect and find our strength as a group because no one knew what kind of a struggle being a Blue Jackets fan could be. That hope kept us coming back game after game, player after player…we wore our CBJ gear with pride and tried to share the gospel of a team that maybe someday would be considered a contender.
Friends, tonight dream became reality and “someday” is today – courtesy of Matt Calvert’s tenacious second whack at a puck against a scrambling Marc Andre Fleury.
I don’t know where each of you were when you watched the game go down but I am sure we came together one time more – struggling and fighting panic in TWO overtimes and then with the victory processing shared disbelief, followed by relief, followed by unbridled joy.
It’s a great time to be a Blue Jacket fan – this team is a group that believes and, perhaps sometimes more than we are able to, puts the past in the past and focuses on building a future to be proud of.
To put it simply, tonight was special. Really special. Let’s look at the three stars as named by NHL.com
3rd Star: Brian Gibbons. This is what happens when the home team is not the winning team – unless it’s a dominating performance start to finish, one of the home town boys is getting on that star listing. Tonight perhaps the most deserved guy is Gibbons. Bylsma has said Gibbons is perhaps the fastest player on the team and he showed that speed tonight notching two goals and putting the Pens up 2-0 in the first period. He had Jackets fans fearing a hat trick, but he left the game with an injury and didn’t return for the final….what is it technically…4 periods? So yes, if you’re gonna pick a Penguin, I guess he’s your guy. I probably would have given this star to this next fellow:
2nd Star: Jack Johnson. Well hey there, Jack. Two goals in two games in the playoffs including the tying goal tonight. Couple that with big physical play in over THIRTY EIGHT minutes on ice starting in the defensive zone almost half the time (46.4%). Something lit a fire in Jack and he has returned to a guy who doesn’t just eat minutes but a guy who produces offensively and uses that big size to make his presence known. I’m ok with Jack getting the star but as I said, I would have given him third because I really would have given second star honors to Brandon Dubinsky. So let’s talk about good ol’ 17. Brandon Dubinsky has basically neutralized the very best hockey player in the world right now in one Sidney Crosby. Dubinsky knows what the playoffs demand and he’s delivering – in spades. Sid was 52% on faceoffs on the season, tonight – 37.5%. 87 did have two assists but no goals and even trailed Matty Calvert into the zone on Calvert’s shorty. Bradon scored an assist of his own and had a 57% CF (5v5) starting 63% of the time in the defensive zone – just wait till this team seems home ice advantage and can control the line matches that much more – that’s something I’m looking forward to seeing.
1st Star: Matt Calvert. Finally. A star we can all agree on. “Matty Hustle” has been something special all season. But he was starting to be known for his pesky play and his ability to agitate until tonight when he reminded us he can also score – and score a lot, in key situations. The first was a beauty of a short-handed goal that had Niskanen looking silly and that Head Coach Todd Richards credited with turning the tide of the team and the game. Matt is good at those shorties – per Bruce Luebke, he had 18 shorties during his three years with the Wheat Kings. And then there was that game winner. With few nails left to bite, Jackets fans watched as Cam Atkinson fed the puck to Calvert who hit the puck in glove side low with a shot that was blocked by Fleury with a kick save, but there wasn’t enough to get it away from the net quickly and Calvert struck once more – this time top shelf. The puck rattled the top of the net and boom. The win was secured. Even before the goals, Calvert was delivering on the ice. He matched up with Dubinsky against the Crosby line in over 22 minutes of ice time- 5 shots, 1 missed shot and 3 blocked shots. Guy’s legit and a force. When the pressures on you want a guy who can deliver – Matt Calvert is one of those guys.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_F-Wr_BlTA]
Game in One Picture.
Stud. It took a while to write this what with all the gifs and and joy and excitement, and more and more guys kept creeping in to this category. What do you do about Ryan Johansen? And what about the intense play of David Savard? (particularly after the defensive corps lost Fedor Tyutin for the night). So here’s the deal, on a night like tonight, just this once, put all the analysis aside and let the happiness win out – the stud is the Columbus Blue Jackets – everyone on this team made this win happen, and while it’s just one of the four needed to keep playing, it meant a whole lot more to the league, the community and the fans tonight.
Dud. So I almost didn’t name a dud, because you know, first playoff win and all. But let’s come down to earth for a second. Two very very important things:
1) Dang it stop taking penalties and I’m looking at you Blake Comeau. EIGHT penalties – EIGHT. Stop it. Stop it right now. Pittsburgh is good and you are darn lucky that they were only able to convert one tonight. If – if – Foligno is in fact healthy for Monday, I’d wager Comeau is gonna have to wonder about his spot in the line up after THREE penalties – you just can’t play that sloppy.
2) With all the feelings going on, do not forget the first period. Good gracious the Jackets had 27.6% CF (5v5) after 20 and had just four shots to the Penguins’ 15. The way this game started I feared that we had awoken the beast in Pittsburgh by coming too close last game and now they were out to prove a point. If that is in fact the case, don’t think that a loss – at HOME – will do any less to get them motivated. No more sloppy starts, no more nerves, no more miscommunication. Every single mistake is magnified times eleventy billion now – gotta bring your best game every night to win it.
The Jackets flew home tonight – one full day off before another CBJ game day – but it’s a playoff game – the first in 5 years to occur at Nationwide Arena. The crowd should be electric, let’s home we can continue to see the magic that this team is able to conjure for more than a few games.
Carry the Flag!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
