Dinner is on us Luongo!

Honestly raise your hand if you thought the Jackets would pull two points out of the game last night?

I hope the Jackets pooled some money together and picked up the tab for Luongo's post game meal b/c he was the best Jacket on the ice.

If you ever wondered why folks say that goaltending is the most important position on the ice that question should be answered in spades by Luongo's performance last night. Quite frankly the Canucks played a solid game but 3 questionable goals on 3 shots in the 2nd gave the Jackets all the breaks they needed.

So the Jackets move to 2-0 for the first time in their 9 year history and have to be riding high right about now.

STOPLIGHT GAME REVIEW
@ Vancouver
10.05.09
Jackets 5 Canucks 3

GREEN
* Mase stopped 40 of 43 shots. The Canucks were launching bombs all night long and Mase hung in there and stopped everything he could. The Jackets don't pull this one out without his play.

* Roy knocked the crap out of someone with a beautiful open ice hit in the first. Also liked the way he came over and challenged Hordichuk after the cheap shot on Boll. Great breakout passes and how about him jumping up in the play? Did have a pretty bad turnover in the 3rd though but for the most part he had another solid night.

* Roy to Nash to Vermette who was driving the net hard for a tap in goal as a penalty expired to get a huge late period goal in the first after somehow surviving a 5 on 3 PK was KEY! Whew that was a long sentence.. Anyhow... was I the only one who thought that goal looked offsides? Think we caught a break on that one.

* Vermette was fantastic in every facet of the game. He played 21+ minutes but it felt like he didn't leave the ice all night. I really liked his feistiness.

* Nash with a 3 point night... what I was impressed with again was his 2-way game.. on one play in the 2nd period Tyutin got caught up ice and who was the first foward back? Nash... then the play goes the other way and Nash ends up with the puck.. makes the play to Huselius who then snapped a wicked wrister high glove on Luongo.

* What is up with Rusty Klesla? 2 point night including another goal. What a block late in the 3rd period that eventually led to Umberger drawing a key penalty. Helluva play right there!!

* Want to know why Filatov is so dangerous? You don't notice him a lot of shifts and then the puck ends up on his stick and BOOOOM!! -- it's in the back of the net. Great pass from Voracek to Vermette who set up Filatov for the quick release. I know why Hitch took him off the 2nd line at the start of the 3rd to protect him and the lead but this kid was playing well - would have liked to have seen him out there more in that period as I thought he earned it.

* Hitch did a nice job on matchups on the fly getting his shutdown guys out against the Sedins. Vermette was also used a lot in key offensive/defensive zone draws regardless of the line. The little things that help you win games.

* Here is a stat for you. Blocked shots: CBJ 23 VAN 8 Roy with 5, Klesla with 4, Tyutin and Methot with 3 a piece. The D was really sacrificing themselves on those long bombs from the Vancouver points.

* Hejda was an absolute beast in his own end. There is a reason why this guy is always a plus player. He just doesn't lose many battles in his own end.

* Jackets PP puts the nail in the coffin. That is what the PP needs to do. Great job by Torres in front of that cage. Great bounce in the Jackets favor. In fact Torres really played a strong game all night long blocking shots, hitting, just laying it all on the line.

* The PP did a pretty good job of gaining the zone more often than not.

* Jackets gave up the first goal but didn't get rattled. There was a time not so long ago in a galaxy far far away that the Jackets crumble after that goal.

YELLOW
* Pahlsson was extremely good in his own end and if it weren't for the fact he couldn't couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat on some o his breakout passes he'd get a green. He had some key defensive draw wins and a couple of big blocked shots as well.

* That was one of the most physical games I've seen Tyutin play. He was all over guys in the corners and just had a lot of energy out there. Also was sacrificing his body with blocks, etc. I didn't like a few of his reads which led to a lot of scrambling in his own zone however.

* Jackets weathered a whole lot of storms throughout this game. They took hits.. they blocked shots... the filled lanes.. Mase made saves when things really broke down. Wasn't the prettiest at time but they got away with it.

* Very quite night for Brassard.

RED
* Late hit on Boll by Hordichuk. To me the refs should have ejected his ass. That is the kind of dangerous crap that needs taken out of this game.

* Got to shoot the puck. Way too many cute passes on the PP. For example Vermette had a prime opportunity in the 1st period to pop one and instead passed it.

*Christian should-have-been-a-Jacket Erhoff showed what could have been with a rocket from the point.

* The Jackets were a blubbering mess on the PK at times. Giving up a 3 on 1 down low on multiple occasions.. also saw both d-men go behind the net at one point.

* Jackets took their foot off the pedal after that 4th goal. Gave the 'nucks a lot of momentum as they looked to get back into it. I don't buy they were tired from the travel excuse. Maybe that dog barks if it were the 2nd game of a back to back.. but the Jackets have been out there 2 days and it's on the 2nd game of the entire season. Credit to the Canucks for picking up the pace as well.

* Who else is sick of this Issue 3 casino commercials getting rammed down our throats at every turn? November 3rd can't get here soon enough.

* I really miss Dorsett in this lineup but if the injury to Boll is serious that won't be for long.

* Luongo chased.. man he was bad...it's only Columbus though right Luongo's agent?

* I'm a little concerned about this shortening of the bench stuff... I know it happens but at some point that is what will wear down players, not the travel 2 days before.

* Apparently you can cross check players from behind now and it's legal. Don't believe me? See Klesla at the tail end of the 2nd period.

* Those 10 PM EST starts are killer!

3 BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE NIGHT
1. As Commodore said last season... it's doesn't have to be a Picasso every night.. 2 points is 2 points
2. Chasing Luongo
3. First ever 2 game win streak to kick of a CBJ season

All in all while not perfect, it was a helluva win by a team that grinded out 2 points on the road against a desperate team in their home opener.

They don't care how you won em, just how many you won!

-LTL