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| Ottawa 3 - Columbus 2 |
I'm going to keep this short due to illness (Yeah, I caught something after returning from paradise). But that's OK, because this is a pretty simple one to break down.
- I WAS ROBBED: You guys got a rocking eight-game winning streak. I got every member of my family coming down with some medieval disease while on vacation. Then I get them well (enough), home and...get these games. Blergh.
- I'M RUSTY: Not Klesla, but rather I need to shake the rust off. I thought yesterday's game turned to a terrible mess after the early start but looked at this game as one where you had two relatively evenly-matched teams. Sure, the CBJ got down early, but they pulled it back to tie it at two (with two power play goals no less!) before succumbing. I thought the Blue Jackets had some fight in them tonight...just got stymied by a well-coached team with (probably) more talent and a goaltender that played rather well. Then the postgame locker room interviews and coach media availability threw half the team under the bus, talking about passengers not drivers, etc. In opposition to last night, which they thought was well-fought. Shows what I know.
- CURTIS PLAYED LIKE A BACKUP: Yeah, I know that Curtis McElhinney wasn't signed to be a starter. But he wasn't playing like an NHL starter either, which meant that the rest of the team needed to step it up. I thought that they kinda did, but everyone drawing a paycheck from the team said otherwise. Go figure.
- CAM IS A NIFTY SCORER: Love that power play goal (which, sadly, I can't embed for your viewing pleasure). The between the legs feed from Matt Calvert may have been better than the Atkinson goal, though. I'd love to see the two of them go on a tear.
But I guess it doesn't matter who's wrong or right...the scoreboard is what counts. (Yes, a scoreboard reference on the official day of Vinny Prospal's retirement from professional hockey.) And the Blue Jackets lost, which does matter. Gotta keep piling up standings points if a playoff run is in the cards.
NEXT UP: Thursday night against the Washington Capitals at Nationwide.
I agree about Calvert's play, tonight, he planted himself in the paint and made two big plays - the nifty pass to Cam and a solid screen for the goal from Wiz. I also agree with those thoughts from the room - that was as lazy and disengaged as the team has been in awhile. In particular, Johansen looked totally out of sorts. I disagree with you on CMac, I thought he did his job and was hung out to dry by weak efforts in front of the goalmouth. All in all, it would have been nicer to be in Mexico.
ReplyDeleteAgree on RyJo. Wonder if he is sick it injured?
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