After Wednesday’s demoralizing loss to the Sharks, the Jackets once again have their backs against the wall and need to find a way to beat their Western Conference nemesis, Colorado.
7:00pm EST, Nationwide Arena
Fox Sports Ohio, High Definition
Yes, we all should be over the Adam Foote saga by now, but quotes like these from Puck-rakers yesterday, have to aggravate every fan a bit:
Former Jackets captain Adam Foote (strained quad) practiced today, but said he struggled with the one-on-one battle drills. “It doesn’t look promising,” he said in reference to playing Friday night.
Foote has played in Nationwide Arena just twice since being moved at the 2008 trade deadline. Asked why the Avs have had so much success against the Jackets, he smiled and said: “I don’t know I so rarely play against them.”
I’ll fully admit, I may never get over how that POS weaseled his way out of Columbus and away from his team.
Right now though, the focus must be on the looming struggle to reach 8th place. Wednesday night when the Jackets lost to the Sharks, literally everything in the NHL went the wrong way to help the Blue Jackets chances.
But the Jackets didn’t claim the two points they have any control over.
A loss tonight against the Avs could put the Jackets 8 points out of the playoffs again, and ending the week just how they started… back to square one.
One goal losses that fail to gain a point cannot be tolerated at this point. It’s time for someone on this team, or the whole team, to reach down deep and pull out a run that makes every fan and follower proud.
As sappy as it sounds, it’s exactly what the Jackets need. They are the underdog, and need to play with that chip-on-the-shoulder attitude that has inspired so many other teams throughout sports history.
As for the game itself….
The Jackets have struggled mightily since the 08-09 season-series sweep of the Avs… There seems to be a trend in Blue Jackets-land that when the CBJ try to tell a specific team that “They are for real” they get punished for it at least two-fold. See the 8-2 stomping of Detroit in March of 2009, and the previously mentioned season sweep of Colorado.
One would assume Steve Mason gets the start tonight. Let’s face it, he’s earned it. The recent stretch should prove to most that he CAN be the franchise goaltender that most believe he is, but it has a lot more to do with the play in front of him than many choose to admit.
The Jackets need a strong outing from everyone on the roster if they hope to walk away with 2 points tonight.
Who to root for:
Jackets over Avs
Blues over Wild
Devils over Sharks
Stars over Blackhawks
Go Jackets.
