Pre-game thoughts: No time to dwell on tough loss

Jackets are right back at it tonight versus the Colorado Avalanche. In a way its a good thing as yesterday's game really was a tough loss considering how well they played. In a way its a bad thing as 9 times out of 10 you play as well as you did yesterday you get the win.

So how will the Jackets respond against a team that is very tough to beat at home (they are 16-6-1) in the Avalanche? That's anyone's guess but here are some keys for the Jackets:

Keys to lighting em up

Forget yesterday. Its gone. Its history. Time to look forward not back.

Same effort. If the Jackets come out and play the exact same game as they did yesterday they will win this game.

Take advantage of Colorado injuries. Sakic is out. Statsny is out. Smyth is out. Not terribly unlike the Stars injury situation. The Jackets need to pounce and take advantage of these injuries.

With those 3 out then the focus of the Avs's offense falls to Hejduk, Brunette, Wolski and Svatos. Svatos has been particularly hot lately scoring 7 goals over the past 10. In short, even with those 3 out the Avalanche still have the horses to do some damage.

Forget the record against these guys. The Jackets have only won once in Pepsi Center in 13 attempts. This has been a season of change for the Jackets so toss our the records. Plus the Jackets should have some extra motivation after getting thumped in their only visit to Colorado this season. The Jackets did beat them twice at home however.

Broken record time. Need that first goal.

Leclaire in nets. We need those "big saves" on the road. Didn't get it last night from Norrena. Will need it tonight from Leclaire.

3rd line d-pair must play better. OKT and Russell really struggled last night. OKT has to do a better job of moving the puck and making decisions. Russell has been collecting a lot of minuses lateley and must play better.

Puck-rakers is reporting that Modin is stiff this morning. I hope that is just his body getting back into the NHL groove and not his injury flaring back up. He was great last night and this team needs more of his play on the road.

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This is the kind of game that has "loss" written all over it - in the "old days". Lost a road game they played hard enough to win...they come back again the following night against a very good home team in the Avalanche. Oh yeah, why even bother watching right?

Well, if this season has told us anything its told us that this isn' "the same old Jackets". Tonight they get a chance to prove that again. Lets see how they respond.

A win tonight ties us with the Avalanche for 8th spot in the West with 54 points.. With Nashville, Chicago and St. Louis sitting right behind us with 50 points each well I think its pretty obvious that every game matters from here on out.

GO JACKETS!

-LTL