Give 'em a Bjorking!!

On a night when the New Jersey Devils had the legs on the Blue Jackets, the CBJ (read Bob) hung in there until the third period.  In a play eerily reminiscent of the Calder Cup Championship series last year, Oliver Bjorkstrand slipped through a seam in the defense and Sam Gagne hit him with a sweet, gentle pass that Bjorkstrand took top shelf blocker side on the Jersey goal tender Kinkaid who had played a heck of a game.  This ended up being the winning margin, with Cam Atkinson sweetly wrapping up the game with an empty netter for his 30th goal of the season.

Sergei Bobrovsky has given up one goal in 4 games, the lone goal coming on a ticky-tacky call in overtime to create a 4 on 3.  He has back to back shut outs, and it is my earnest hope that Torts benches him for Friday's game, bringing in 'the kid', Joonas Korpisalo, to give Bob the extra day of rest.  Joonas also had a shut out in his last game, and deserves to see the net, as the Jackets have a Friday-Saturday home and home against the dangerous Buffalo Sabres.

The Blue Jackets are re-writing the franchise record books at a furious pace right now.  Zach Werenski has tied Rick Nash in the rookie points category, and has a mere 17 games in which to get an assist and eclipse that mark.  You never know what will happen in this sport, but it is satisfying to be able to view him as one of the most significant rookies in franchise history, even though the Toronto Press will award the Calder Trophy elsewhere (not without justification, but still).

It is a real delight to see Cam Atkinson join the 30 goal club in the Blue Jackets history.  He is very deserving of this, and it will help the team, as his teammates will be less focused on trying to get him that goal.  I think he will score quite a few more down the stretch now that the thirty goal monkey is gone.

And finally, Sergei Bobrovsky, in spite of being the best goal tender in franchise history for several years, has finally claimed the 'most wins in a season' spot from Steve Mason, and tonight extended that record to 35 wins.  That Mason's 2008-09 winning performance stood up this long is a testament to how well he played that year in propelling to the CBJ to its first playoff appearance.  He had nothing left in the tank when the Red Wings came to town in the playoffs.  It is my earnest hope that it is a rested Bobrovsky that faces the CBJ's playoff opponent this year.  I think that can happen, while keeping Bob hot.  We'll see.

The team sits at 90 points on the season, with 17 games remaining.  The franchise record for a season is 93 points.  That gives you an idea of how good this team is.  They will re-write the record books in their own image before this year is done.  I could point out that they did that type of thing last year in a negative direction, but I would only do so in order to show the point that the pendulum swings both ways.  Hockey is a funny game.

On a night when they didn't have their game, the goal tender did, and bailed them out.  The team got their legs, and made the shutout into a winner in the third period.  A very big win, and evidence that the team is playing well, and heading in the right direction.

But before I leave, I want to make mention that TJ Tynan made his NHL debut tonight.  I was really pleased to see that, as he has performed well for the Cleveland Monsters, and has earned that chance.  Way to go TJ!!

A home and home with Buffalo this weekend.  This is a good Buffalo team, that got up 3-0 on the Penguins, but couldn't close the deal.  The Jackets will need to bring a good game Friday night.  they actually get to have a practice on Thursday, which should help the team.

A good win tonight.  That's enough to think about.

GO JACKETS!!
GO MONSTERS!!