The Jacketsblog: An Unofficial Columbus Blue Jackets Blog

The Blue Jackets travel to New Jersey to face the Devils, is one goal enough to decide the game tonight?

Prudential Center, 7:00pm EST, Fox Sports Ohio, High Definition

One change from Saturday night’s line-up versus Nashville, everybody’s favorite name, Grant Clitsome is back and will probably play tonight.

The Dispatch and NHL.com have stories on Mason finally gets a chance to face his childhood idol, last year Brodeur was on the shelf when this happened:

Yes that would be the puck NOT crossing the line and the net being dislodged. Yet the Devils were awarded a goal in the waning moments of last year’s only meeting between the Blue Jackets and Devils. Hopefully a better turnout tonight… only 10 games left

Puck previews:

• Yahoo! Sports
• The Dispatch
• NHL.com

Live blogging it tonight, catch ya on the flip side.

GO JACKETS!

Not quite the epic-ness of the Civil war, but it is North vs. South and Union Blue vs. Baby Diarrhea Green/Yellow and Gray.

Go Jackets!

Not getting tonight’s game in HD like I’m supposed to be… talk about pissed off

1st Period

18:43 Nashville, your ice shouldn’t be messing up this early in the game

17:05 Tootoo is on the ice and those horribly annoying whistles are going off like mo-fo’s

15:47 What was Juice doing after that shot? He just coasted by instead of continuing to work for something more

14:52 First mention of the Miami Redhawks by Bill Davidge (where’s my vomit bag? btw did you know he used to coach there?)

13:40ish Rinne with a big save, seeing lots of pucks early has to do nothing but help his confidence

11:10 All Jackets early, but not getting the early goal with all the pressure is a bit disconcerting, especially on the 2nd night of a back-to-back

10:41 The forecheck looks really strong so far tonight, gotta keep that going

8:58 Voracek tripped on the blue line

8:47 Nice shot by Methot while Rinne was far out of his crease, no rebound though

6:50 Jared Boll tries to kill Tootoo, probably a dirty play, but I’ll be honest, I don’t feel bad for him

4:50 Penalty kill came up big

Commercial break: I’m tired of the “I luuu you” commercial. Everyone must watch Breaking Bad tomorrow night on AMC at 10… I’m not kidding

I admire Blue Haired Guy’s spirit, but his jersey is an epic failure

3:05 I’m worried that the PK instead of energizing the Blue Jackets has put us back on our heels

2:45 Mason gets lucky, and Rinne comes up big at the other end on Brassard

1:25 Somebody falls trying to clear the puck and misses, then the Preds D-man can’t keep it in, ha!

End of the 1st, gotta wonder if the CBJ blew all their energy in the first period… let’s hope not

Great stats analysis from Dannielle at Strait Jackets

2nd Period

18:45 Preds forecheck is strong and the Jackets are struggling right now

16:24 Great play by Blunden saving a surefire Nashville goal

15:06 Davidge, true rivalries exist when the opponents beat each other, the Blue Jackets aren’t doing their part as of late

12:18 After an exciting first period, the 2nd period has calmed down significantly

9:30 Rick Nash with a great shot that barely misses

8:41 Jackets going on the PP, Ryan Suter off, gotta take advantage

7:25 The back-door pass on the power play is NOT working, gotta try something else Noel

7:13 5-3 for the CBJ for 32 seconds

4:21 Jackets can’t score on the PP and the Preds get a huge boost in momentum… uh-oh

3:10 CBJ going on the Kill

1:10 There’s the Steve Mason we all know and love

End of 2 and it’s scoreless, both goalies looking really good

MEGA-PROPS to FoxSportsOH for using O.A.R.’s “This Town” on their new promo!

You must watch this show:

3rd Period

17:45 Russell may have had a goal there if he’d shot right away, but the puck may have been rolling on him

15:51 Blue Jackets going on the power play, Arnott high-sticks Murray

15:31 And Stralman evens it up taking a stupid interference penalty, although it prevents a 2-on-1 for the Preds

14:39 How Ryan Suter hasn’t taken a cross-checking penalty for destroying Methot blows my mind

***Michigan wins the CCHA Championship**** My tribute:

11:55 CBJ looking tired dumping and chasing more often than not

10:14 Mason staying strong as time winds down…

6:45 The Linesman didn’t call the “backwards across the blue line” move offsides!!!!

3:00 Regulation winding down, gotta push back

1:24 Huge Icing call on the Preds, big face-off and possession coming up

End of the 3rd period, going to Overtime!

OVERTIME

4:18 Mike Commodore is stoned on a breakaway… never thought I’d type those words in my life…. also not sure how that happened either

3:06 Predators score on a puck that Steve Mason didn’t stop all the way, and it trickles in to give the CBJ the millionth straight loss in Nashville

MIN 2 – CBJ 4

Down two goals midway through the 2nd period, it looked as if the Blue Jackets were on their way to rolling over en route to their 32nd regulation loss of the season.

Kristian Huselius did something different from normal and scored a very gritty goal burying his own rebound that had ricocheted off the post (where have we seen that before?).

The Jackets went on to pot 3 more goals in the 3rd period capping a great comeback and showing more resiliency than has been expected from this team since the early stages of the year.

Supposedly there was some question to the validity of the goal scored during the above sequence. Kris Russell was able to score on a beautiful shot but… well let Puck-rakers explain it a little clearer:

Umberger was part of another dicey turn of events that led to Russell’s goal at 11:02 of the third period, tying the score at 2. As Russell’s shot from the blue line whizzed through the goal mouth and behind Wild goaltender Josh Harding, Umberger was seen crashing and banging with Harding and Wild defenseman Nick Schultz.

There was initial confusion. NHL referee Stephane Auger was pointing at Umberger in the crease and motioning wildly with his right arm, causing many to wonder if he would let the goal stand.

The goal ends up standing, the Jackets tie it up and go on to win. Porty points out to “remember this” next time we’re mad at Toronto or the Hockey Gods, but in my opinion, the Hockey Gods have 8 years of mistakes to make up for to the Blue Jackets.

Couple other points of interest

• The last time the Blue Jackets scored 4 unanswered goals in a comeback was October 17, 2009 against the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings’ Dustin Brown scored 10 minutes in and the Blue Jackets answered with 4 straight of their own.
• Mathieu Garon is now 6-0-3 at home with 1.90 Goals Against and a .933 save percentage.
• Rick Nash has reached the 30-goal plateau for the 5th time in his career and the 5th time in 6 seasons.
• Still not mathematically eliminated :-p

Feel better everybody, good times really weren’t that long ago, but while we’re moping over the disappointing season’s end drawing near, there are a lot of reasons to be positive. First some news tid-bits, then a re-run

• The CBJ want to host the 2013 All-Star Game, The Dark Blue Jacket thinks there was a second gunman on the grassy knoll…
• Nash will be back Friday vs. Minnesota (Puck-rakers)
• Forward Matt Calvert signed his entry-level deal (Blue Jackets.com)
• Klesla and Hejda are both likely done for the year

Thank God there’s a game tomorrow, enjoy the trip down memory lane…

This is what it’s all about. The Jackets and Blackhawks went 60+ minutes matching punch for punch, blow for blow, goal for goal, and still came out on the winning side.

Some ‘Hawk scored 1 minute into the game while Rusty Klesla and Fedor Tyutin talked about how not to suck anymore. Luckily RJ Umberger scored a sweet no look goal on a great feed from Voracek.

The Jackets seized their first lead of the game just before the end of the 1st when Derek Dorsett finds the puck on his stick and buries it.

Patrick Kane was a threat all night and pulled Chicago even, easily beating Steve Mason. The penalty kill continued to struggle and gave up a 2nd period goal to Jonathan “I can’t spell Tows” Toews. It was back on the CBJ to answer, and they did with a sweet sharp angle shot that was more of a feed, that turned into a goal.

The Jackets were on the penalty kill the entire 3rd period yet somehow held of the ‘Hawks and their very dangerous attack. Next came overtime when the Jackets somehow got on the rush thanks to Rusty Klesla (HOLY CRAP he did something to help!) springing RJ Umberger and Antoine Vermette.

Couple other stats and notes:

• Vermette and Umberger have each tallied 7 points since being paired together upon his aquisition.
• Tonight the Jackets tied the franchise record for points (80) and home wins (23)
• Team Canada Exec. Dir. Steve Yzerman admitted that Hitch is a candidate for the Team Canada job in next year’s Olympics.
• Columbus area Tim Horton’s are now selling “Stinger Donuts” that include the neon green found in the original CBJ logo. (picture forthcoming)