Is this really happening?!!

It just seems too good to be true..

Detroit, Boston, Pittsburgh & Chicago..

Are you kidding me?!

We'd probably be happy getting 4 to 5 point out that group if you had offered that up a week ago.... fast forward to today and the Jackets grabbed 8 points and only gave one back... and that was to an Eastern Conference team in Pittsburgh.

I've said it a lot lately but wow is this fun or what!!

This Jackets team is absolutely rolling and its not fluke hockey... Howson has quietly and methodically assembled the pieces while always considering the short and long term impacts of each decision, Hitch has put the puzzle together and now Columbus finally has a legit hockey team... one in which we are all proud of to support.

I'll be the first to admit I thought last night's game was a lost cause. I figured the Jackets would be zapped of energy after a very intense Pittsburgh game and let's face it, Wade Dubielewicz was getting the start.

Boy am I happy to report today how wrong I was and in fact, Dubbie played a tremendous role in the victory.

No he wasn't technically sound, he flipped flopped around quite a bit, over challenged shooters and gave up some chops-licking rebounds but he made enough stops to win. Yes the team D in front of him did a great job but they didn't stop Patrick Kane's quick shot in the dying minutes of a 1 goal game -- that was all Mr. Dubielewicz.

STOPLIGHT GAME REVIEW

GREEN
* No it wasn't pretty but Dubbie played well enough to get the Jackets another key two points and give Mase a well deserved night off.

* Antoinne Vermette.. Howson you look like a genius!! Vermette with two goals including what I think was the most critical one of the game and that was the early tally.. .the guy earned that getting to not one but two rebounds to put it home. Dude is fitting absolutely perfectly in this lineup.

* Team defense. Try this stat on for size.. the Jackets had 17 blocked shots to the Hawks 3! Everybody was doing their part to keep the Hawks 'O' to the outside and when they did get chances guys were sacrificing their bodies to help Dubbie out. That's a team ladies and gents!

* This team does not give up. The Hawks had all the momentum in the 2nd period... they dominated and evened the score.. this has also been said a lot but Jackets teams of yesteryear would have folded their tents and headed for the airport... not this team, they took their lumps and waiting for a chance to change momentum which leads too....

* The powerplay... I've bitched and moaned about the PP all year but it did its job last night by scoring an absolute critical 3rd goal when the Hawks were storming to put the Jackets up for good. That goal changed the momentum back into the Jackets' favor.

* Jakub Voracek found an extra gear... actually he skated pretty well against Pitt too.. but how about that feed to Juice and how about his hustle to create that Torres goal..

* Juice's goal was just dirty laundry... I think Huet is still trying to pick himself up after that shake and bake.

* Torres is on a tear.. really providing some key secondary scoring for the Jackets.. He's got 5 goals in his past 8 games. Who can forget the goal he scored against the Bruins?!

* Rick Nash also gets a green... mostly for the way he played on the kill and that beast of a play he made to seal this two points as he read the 'D', picked off the past then barreled down the right wing to score an empty netter. Nash led all forwards in short handed time with 4:23.. in fact the only player who played more shorthanded was Hedja who logged 5:14.

* "Jason Lives" in Chicago. Some nice air time there Matt! Way to represent!!

* 141 of ya stopped in last night to check out the "live blog"... thanks for the participation.. I have a blast doing that with you all!!

* Any two points you can ever grab on the road is a damn good thing!

YELLOW
* Peca with a couple of helpers but if only he could have buried a couple of those chances he had... he would have been a green all the way. Really like his play up the ice to Voracek.. He wasn't good in the dot either only winning 4 of 11 chances.

* That second period was ugly...the saving grace was the late score on the PP.

RED
* PK could not stop the Hawks PP. Technically they only gave up two PP goals but that first goal was only seconds after the PP expired. Gave the points to much room.. and big Dustin Byfuglien free reign in ftron to the Jackets cage.

* I'll take a Hitch press conference anytime over having to listen to Chicago's coach.. which for those that have the NHL Network and watced "NHL On The Fly" know what I'm talking about.. lay off the coffee and cigarettes dude.

3 BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE NIGHT
1. A small Dubbie contributes in a big way!
2. Antoinnie Vermette throws two more on the big board!
3. Jackets make it 4 in a row... all against teams in a playoff position.

The win does the following.

* Keeps them solidly in 6th place in the conference with a 6 point cushion over 7th placed Edmonton.

* Breaks their record for most wins in a season with 36. Their previous record was 35 set in the 2005-2006 season.

* Pulls them within one road victory of matching their franchise high of 15 set in the 2006-2007 season.

* Bumps the Jackets up to 9 wins above .500 for the first time ever in Blue Jackets history.

The Jackets will get a much needed rest today and then will face what is sure to be a peed off Detroit Red Wings team tomorrow at home at 5 p.m. EST. With a win it would become the first time the Jackets have ever beaten the Wings in a season series.

Let's get out and support this squad Columbus and drown out those turncoat Wings fans that will inevitably show up.

GO JACKETS!!

-LTL