All-Blogs.net directory Light the Lamp - a Columbus Blue Jackets blog: Pre-game thoughts: Die another day

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Pre-game thoughts: Die another day

Not a whole lot can be said about this series that hasn't already been said. The Jackets have dug themselves a big hole that only 2 teams in the entire history of the NHL have dug themselves out of.

At this point the Jackets can fold their tents and start polishing their clubs or they can play like it's the 7th game of the Stanley Cup finals and save some face.

It's up to them... they can come out and play like its over or they can dig down and fight for a chance to die another day.

The one key for me is I would really like to see how this team plays after they score first. These boys need to throw everything including the kitchen sink at Osgood and get on the board first. Mason has also got to play better than he has and make Detroit work much harder for their goals.

You know I would say let's win it for the fans... but screw that.. these guys need to win it for themselves.. they need to win it for that crest on the jersey and for all of the hard work put in this year to get this club to this point.

Should the season end tonight I am going to walk out of that arena proud of the steps taken this year by this team and organization -- finally there is something to look forward to.

I expect more Wings fans tonight as the bottom drops out of the bandwagon.. that said, you die hards out there keep your eyes peeled for octopi. My advice is if we are down with about 5 minutes to go start scanning the crowd for white jerseys and then pop at the first sign of plastic or dead tissue.

Tradition my ass.

-LTL

17 comments:

tomdury said...

couldnt agree more with you concerning osgood. this team needs to start crashing the net and creating some havoc in front of the net. for three games now the boys have looked like it is game 11 of the regular season.....osgood makes a save, they skate toward him, then slowly skate away. i think the fellas need to take a page from the flames, go to the net and whack and whack and whack until the whistle......then whack some more. definitly need to see some kind of change tonight from the first 3, you cant play a team the same way and lose 4-1 each time without something changing. looking forward to seeing what is shaken up about tonights contest

RG said...

I agree with tomdury and will take it one more step further. The Jackets need to take a page from Philly. After Kunitz blasted Timmonen during Game #3, a Flyer immediately engaged him. Where was this type of response from the Jackets on the Umberger hit?

DP said...

I will be there, and I won't be leaving early. I would hope that, no matter the outcome, TRUE Jackets fans stay until the final horn to show their appreciation to this team that busted their asses all season long to get here.

I'll be in 206 yelling my lungs out.

Cheers,
DP
WFNY Game 4 Preview

SoupDog said...

I hope, hope, hope for a win tonight, just to get that monkey off our back. But, if my hopes don't come through, I will stay past the end to salute the team for giving me the best year of hockey in Columbus, EVER!!!!!

soultrain said...

I know that I will be there back in my normal 109 for one more night this season. I will be there to the end and even if this team doesn't get the much needed victory, I hope that those die hards stick around after the game to salute this team, and maybe they would even come back to the ice to recognize the success they had this year when everyone doubted them from day one. Still proud to be a Jacket fan and will hold my head high no matter what. Great lessons learned on how far we have to go, but just stop for a couple minutes and just think about how far this team has come since only a year ago when we had veterans running for the hills because of the lack of future they percieved in this team. Rather see what it takes to win a cup than be playing golf in Colorado!!!

TSS said...

im going tonight and it doesnt matter what the score is because this is the best season the blue jackets have ever had and you cant help but be proud of what they have done. hate to say it but detroit is a much better team than us and i think that for our first playoffs eever we did a pretty damn good job. so at the end of the game tonight, if detroit has outplayed us and our season ends, ill be the first one to get up out of my seat and cheer my ass off because this is just the first step on our way to the Stanley Cup down the road. as for the octopi issue, wont have too much to worry about up in 207.

GO JACKETS
RIP JHM

dilligaff66 said...

maby they should play filitov god knows he needs the playoff atmosphere.

DP said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
DP said...

Just got home from The Nat. To allow so many things to go uncalled (which is fine, I’m more of a “let them play” kind of guy anyway) only to then turn around and call a too many men penalty... well, it stinks.

I was, however, also very disappointed in the amount of bottles and garbage the fans threw on the ice. Having been at another game like that in the past (up in Cleveland, hmm...) I wish I hadn’t had to see that.

All in all, I’m sad the season is over, but I cannot say how proud I am of the way the guys played in this last game, and all year. To fall behind and come back against this Wings team three separate times, and to play such an inspired third period... all I know is I will never forget what that arena was like as long as I live.

Unknown said...

Great game, great crowd. We went down swinging and that is all I can ask. I hope this doesn't sound to harsh but that call at that time was BULLSHIT. I don't know who I am mad at, but its definitely not our team. We fought to the end. No penalties for almost 30 minutes and then that call. I am moving on, but we got fucking hosed. I don't agree with throwing shit on the ice, but there needs to be accountability for referees.

TSS said...

all i can say is i love our fans so much and im going against a lot of people but i dont have a problem with the throwing of beer bottles because to come that close andd have it taken away in the last two minutes... cant really blame them.

great season jackets

Unknown said...

One more thing LTL... keep this thing going during the off season! There are many routines I have, and one is checking this blog 2-3 times a day. GO JACKETS!

Wally said...

Fitting end to the season...

Largely absent the first 2-1/2 games, we showed resolve, determination, grit & heart...

But ultimately, officiating & special teams screwed us. Again.

Sound familiar?

Regardless, GREAT GAME!! A win is the only thing that would have made it better. Lots to work to do this off-season, but the future looks bright!

Unknown said...

the crowd last night was UNBELIEVABLE for the whole game. However i do have to say that i was DISGUSTED by the behavior of the fans who threw things on the ice. there were thousands who were just as upset as those who threw things who chose to act with more class and dignity than that. we as fans should still be holding our heads high and acting with class despite a very questionable call at that juncture in the game. if you want to protest the call, fine...boo as loud as you want but throwing things on the ice is ridiculous.

DP said...

I agree with jeffdury. Disgraceful display from what was otherwise a great performance from the fans.

FWIW, game recap/reflections up at WFNY.

LTL, let's make some plans to do a podcast or two over the summer to keep the momentum going...

Cheers,
DP

LTL said...

Great comments everyone.. I will definitely have a recap up later today..

Work is keepin me too busy today... boooo!

-LTL

MattTheMask said...

No consistency from the refs last night, with some terrible call thrown in there.

Im not too upset about the fans throwing beers, bottles etc. at the refs. I dont want this to become a regular occurrence, however I want the refs and NHL to realize we arent going to just take all these terrible calls and not be concerned with it. The fans made a stand, and put their foot down and stated no more b.s. calls! I wish we could have a crowd that into a game 82 games a year plus playoffs!