Three Stars and Game in One Picture: OTT @ CBJ

The Jackets dropped another depressing tilt against the Ottawa Senators, 5-2. I don’t know what’s sadder: the expectation of an uncompetitive loss or the expectation of an important player succumbing to injury. As I type this, the Jackets released a report saying Wiz could be gone for 1-2 weeks with a broken finger, and that Artem Anisimov will be “evaluated” tomorrow. (Whatever that means, though at this point I’m assuming it means the absolute worst.)

The way I see it…the current swath of players lost to injury this early in the season could be a blessing. Over the last couple of seasons the Jackets have been known to put together a tremendous start and then suddenly fall off. Perhaps this stretch of rough play and rough luck is happening sooner rather than later? Perhaps in 3 months we’ll all look back and laugh at the sleep lost over the beginning 10 or so games. I mean, Wizniewski is always good for a broken *something* every year, right?

3^rd Star: David Savard

Savard started the game off in the right direction, netting the Jackets a powerplay tally and the first one of the game, a wicked slap shot from the left circle that beat Lehner just over a sprawling pad. Unfortunately, the CBJ powerplay did little else in the game, letting 5 other chances slip by (including a double minor) the remainder of the game.

2^nd Star: Clarke MacArthur

I’ll give MacArthur the benefit of the doubt and say the two goals he scored tonight were due to skill and not blind luck.

I’m not bitter. I swear.

1^st Star: Robin Lehner

What is it about this guy? He always has these amazing games against the Blue Jackets. Near 40 shots against and only 2 got in? Lehner was on point tonight, making stops like he had some magical time controlling device. You can’t knock the Jackets for not getting enough rubber to the net in this game; they just couldn’t crack Robin Lehner.

Sigh

Again.

Game in One Picture:

Stud: Offensive Pressure

The Jackets let in 5 goals, sure, but I think it’s not out of the realm of possibility with a little more luck they could have won 6-5. (Maybe 5-4, as the 3^rd goal came off of a rush after an show stopping save from Lehner) With as much offensive talent out as the Jackets have, they played a decent game…even if it was only on one side of the ice. And Atkinson scored his first game back after that gruesome cut in Anaheim. Ain’t that neat?

Dud: Everything else

More people hurt in a game that the Jackets saw get quickly out of hand as soon as they gave up the 3^rd goal to Ottawa. Curtis McElhinney didn’t have a night to write home about and the PK almost did worse than just letting Ottawa score earlier in the (debatable) Major penalty kill. How many more games of this do we have to endure?!

It’s tempting to panic and write this season off, but after cooling down and looking at the state of Team Columbus you can’t reasonably do that yet. The injury report is practically our entire starting roster and we’re using rookies at important slots in the lineup. If this continues for much longer the Jackets might very well be sunk…but they have been graced with enough time to turn it around.

Carry the Flag!