Jackets take 3 outta 4 points on Western swing

Well if you told me before they started their two game Western road trip that the Jackets would come away with 3 of 4 points I would have kissed you.....well pucker up fans b/c that is exactly what happened.

Last nights game was really controlled from the first drop of the puck by the Anaheim Ducks. They outshot the Jackets 34 to 20 and outhit the Jackets 26 to 18. There were some 70+ penalty minutes handed out in this one as it was a rough and tumble affair. Still though the Jackets hung tough and really stole a point out of this one...heck they could have stolen two if anyone could bury a shootout attempt on this squad.

Lit em up

Again the Jackets team defense and system held them in this one. The Ducks were coming off 4 days of rest and got most of their wounded back in the lineup. The Jackets played the night before and were up against a borderline desperate Anaheim team that is off to a very slow start. Past Jackets teams would have coasted through this one and used every excuse in the MacLean book of BS but not the 07 version....this Jackets team played tough, played rough and took the best shots Anaheim could give and made this a heckuva game. Man I love how this team is competing right now!!

Norrena...what more can you say about this guy....he came in cold in a pretty difficult position going up against a desperate Anaheim squad with a tired Columbus team in front of him....he had to be the best player on the ice last night for this team to have a chance...well guess what? He was! He stopped 33 of 34 shots and really was responsible for the point last night....it was a shame he couldn't get any shoot out support last night.

I loved Jan Hejda's game last night....he really stood out to me as the best skater for the Jackets....he racked 22+ mins 3 hits and 2 blocked shots... I really thought he was a beast defensively more than anything.

I thought it was awesome to see the powerplay come up big when the team needed one last night.....it was an extemely timely goals by Zherdev off a Hainsey shot from the point that immediately got this team back into it after giving up an early goal in the 3rd. The Jackets PP may be middle of the pack but its been averaging about a goal a game over the last 8.

Dim the light

Rick Nash was pretty quite last night...well until the 3rd period hit....with about 10 to go Nasher really tried to throw this team on his shoulders and end this thing. He drew a penalty, fired a wrister off the cross bar and then in OT just barely missed putting home his own rebound in OT. Nash has got to be "the guy" most nights and so far just every game this season he has been the most notable offensive force on the squad.

Zherdev scored his 8th point in 12 games last night. He continues to play well but he was a little light on the puck last night giving it away 3 times....the good thing though is that he's giving it away in the right areas of the ice which is the offensive zone when he's trying to create -- that's okay -- you still want the guy to be creative....I just hope he doesn't revert back to his neutral zone and defensive zone turnover Z. He also had a sweet hit on Beauchemin in the 3rd and a couple of nice rushes offensively.

The boys answered the bell last night. Jarred Boll, OK Tollefsen and Jason Chimera all scrapped.....and the team as a whole played a rough physical brand of hockey and didn't back down from anything.

Adam Foote I thought played his best game of the year. Solid defense and even played goalie throwing his body in front of a shot to save a goal....and that sucker would have went in if #53 didn't sacrifice.. He also led the team in total ice time playing a whopping 28+ minutes.... While I'm glad to see him playing at that high level...that is too much time for this guy....need to manage his minutes a little better or we'll end up seeing this guy on the shelf.

Busted bulbs

Somebody just throw some names in a hat and draw b/c that is probably our only chance at winning a shootout.... Nash can't get it done...neither can Vyborny or Feds.... I've heard people say bring back Balastik as he was our ace....but chances are if you brought him back we wouldn't get to nearly as many shootouts -- in other words, he's just not a very good player.

Freddy Modin only played 4 minutes last night before leaving the game with back spasms. This is shaping up to be a real bad year for Modin as he can't seem to stay healthy. Hopefully the org gives him plenty of time to heal properly....this team is gonna need big #33.


So 7-3-2 after 12.....which is a top 5 record in the NHL --- yeeehaw! This team is for real ladies and gentle men.

St. Louis rematch up next which should be a dandy on Sunday.

-LTL