CBJ 6 – ANA 4
As mentioned by the commentators last night, it felt like the beginning of a playoff series. It’s okay to say that now, because there’s actually some frame of reference with our own team.
It looked like another road loss with a blown lead late, but on what has to be considered the biggest goalie gaffe against the CBJ this season, Fedor Tyutin gave the CBJ the lead with less than 4 minutes remaining, and they wouldn’t blow this one.
The first period saw the Jackets surrender the opening goal for what felt like 100th time this season. There were giveaway’s galore and just plain sloppy play by the CBJ who looked like they had left their minds at the beaches of SoCal. After the Anaheim goal by Joffrey Lupul there was some semblance of order, and the Jackets made it to the intermission down 1-0.
The early going in the 2nd period saw much of the same as the close of the 1st. At one point, there was an exchange that made me exclaim that the Jackets weren’t going to crack JS Giguere… thankfully I was wrong. Antoine Vermette got the rally going scoring the first of 4 CBJ Goals in the 2nd period. Scott Niedermayer answered the CBJ’s first goal, but Rick Nash and two beauties from Nash Jr. (Jake Voracek) put the Jackets ahead 4-2 at the end of two.
With the recent struggles in the 3rd period for the Jackets, only an idiot expected this lead to hold. And indeed, it did not, first Lupul then Selanne on the power play even the game at four a piece with over 12 minutes remaining. It didn’t look pretty. But the boys in Blue kept pushing and got back to the basics of what got them the lead in the first place.
5-4 Jackets (Everybody watching was just as surprised as Tyutin)
The final four minutes was typical Jackets shutdown defense and the Captain was able to ice it with his second of the night and 200th Career goal in 450 Career NHL Games Played.
Overall the Jackets looked pretty solid. The blowing of a lead seems to have become a regularly occurring problem now, but Hitchcock will surely find a way to shore up the D. The new lines were okay overall. Obviously the best line recently has been Juice-Vermette-Voracek without question. Jake Voracek seems to have been woke up with last Saturday night’s empty net goal against the Kings. Voracek now has 4 goals in 9 games posting 4-4-8 so far this season. Last season Voracek was able to post 9-29-38 in 80 games played and now he is on pace to surprise many teams across the NHL.
The unsung hero last night was Steve Mason. When needed, Mason was able to stand tall and made a huge difference for the Jackets. Until his performance last night he could be considered not always on top of his game so far but was a game changer when called upon against the Ducks.
Stat of the game: The Blue Jackets are 3-0 on Saturday Nights
