Well that was a game, wasn’t it? It had a little bit of everything and by everything I mean every possible way to score happened: short-handed goal, power play goal, penalty shot, shootout, regulation goal…and then you add in one almost line brawl and a quite a few scuffles, 55 hits between two teams and a first period that pretty much had your head spinning and you have one enjoyable night of hockey (did I mention the Jackets now have 6 wins in a row?). The Jackets were able to hammer out a win against the team that eliminated them from last year’s playoffs and ensured that this season’s record against PIT will include at least one regular season win. BUT for the third time in a row, the Jackets beat a conference opponent WHILE giving them a point. That certainly makes a climb to a playoff spot that much more difficult and the push and pull between what this team can do and what if they get a top pick in the draft continues. Ah the drama. Let’s look at the three stars from last night’s game as named by NHL.com:
3rd Star: Kris Letang Prior to that goal with 10 seconds left in regulation, the Penguin who I thought made the biggest impact was actually Blake Comeau. He led the team in shots with 7, had the first goal and played a great game in his former home arena. Sure Letang had scored that second goal but Comeau was still the more impactful player…until Letang scored the tying goal to force overtime and earn his team a point. Pretty impressive stuff. Clutch play and now that first goal loomed larger. Letang certainly was a guy deserving of a star tonight.
2nd Star: Ryan Johansen In my opinion, it wasn’t until about halfway through the third period that any real standout players emerged. And that’s not a bad thing. The game was such a team effort with a ton of guys doing a lot of little things that it seemed like everyone might earn a star on which ever team got the win. But then we went to OT and then…we went to the shootout. For me, the second star would have gone to Cam Atkinson. I loved the different look Cam brought to the ice tonight – 5 hits, crazy physical play and clearly hustling on the ice. That’s not to glorify hits, it’s to show that Cam has a physical game and was doing everything he could to contribute to the team last night. And he also had a lovely little goal in the shootout. So Cam would have been second star, but Johansen is also certainly deserving. WHAT A SHOOTOUT GOAL. My god. Johansen played with speed, space and shot selection to confound Greiss and score a nasty nasty goal.
1st Star: Boone Jenner An interesting choice, and a good choice. Again, it’s not so much that Jenner wasn’t first star but think of all the other guys who did stuff to make a difference: Bobrovsky, Johnson, Foligno. But yes, Jenner played quality Jackets hockey. He had a goal and an assist, and that goal came on a penalty shot. Jenner scored with authority and confidence and that score likely buoyed the team’s confidence, notched the tie when the CBJ needed to find an equalizer to make the score 2 all and reignited the team.
Game in One Picture
Stud. Everyone. As I’ve alluded to – tell me one player who really did NOT make an impact last night. The fourth line played perhaps their best shift of the season in the first period; Jack Johnson – who seems to play his best hockey versus Pittsburgh – was flying and scored his second of the season; Nick Foligno does Foligno-things and scores; Calvert was buzzing and had a couple shifts where he single handedly maintained possession in the zone; Bobrovsky stands tall in the final frames (3rd period, OT and the shootout) and on and on and on. That game was fun as hell to watch and it was rewarding to see the team play like they can. Consider this the current standard of where this team should be. And it sure looks like this is becoming a real rivalry.
Dud. Father Time. Like seriously – that game could have gone on all night and it would have been amazing. What play, and what an entertainment factor. When the clock struck midnight the day, and the game was over and it’s on to the next.
Next up – Tuesday. Detroit. In Detroit. Let’s get after it.
Carry the Flag
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