Umby: Bleed Union Blue, or Traitorous Cur??

This Beak is Made for Walking
(Nancy Sinatra, 1966) Hah!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone!  We here at the Dark Blue Jacket hope you have a safe and awesome holiday weekend.

 Last week the news broke that RJ Umberger had asked for a trade.  OK, first and foremost, wherever Barry Trotz is hired, that's where Umby is going.  OK?

AND, you know you are a local hero when the DKM fellows seranade your nose. At that point you know you have it made in the local fan base.

Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, it's time to process the whole thing.  First off, Professor @OhioHockeyDog, my essay response (scroll to bottom of article for the essay assignment) will follow.   As a basic 'sad fan boy' (Puck Daddy, 2014), it's very difficult for me to think like a General Manager.  It helps to have a catalyst.  Umby asking for a trade is a great catalyst to start thinking about how you will make this trade.  So as a blogger, I'm grateful to Umby for some off season content.

As a fan, I think he is a no-good, traitorous cur; or a hero.

Regarding Gaborik

Marian Gaborik while in training camp.

A buddy of mine is seething in frustration about the trade of Marian Gaborik.  While it is true that we got an especially fine bag of pucks in the trade, along with draft picks (I am uncertain, but I believe a second round and a third round), it is also true that Gaborik has performed well for the LA Kings, with his playoff statistics standing at 9 Goals and 6 Assists for 15 Points (9 G-6 A-15 P) in 14 games.  Keep in mind that his regular season statistics are 11-19-30 in 41 GP, with 6-8-14 in 22 GP coming with the CBJ and 5-11-15 in 19 GP for the LA Kings.

So in 14 playoff games Gaborik has almost equaled his regular season output.  A very impressive performance, especially for an unrestricted free agent with a phenomenal injury history.  And my buddy projects that performance into a CBJ uniform, and wonders if the Blue Jackets would still be playing today if they had not traded him at the deadline.

And frankly, if Head Coach Todd Richards (HCTR) would have had the ability to roll a sniper like Gaborik out during the thunderous comeback at the end of Game 6, it certainly would have increased the odds that the CBJ could have tied that game, and I'm not sure the Pens would have won the series if that had happened. The thought of Gaborik isolated on Fleury in that moment makes me slightly sick to my stomach.  But as Dandy Don Meredith always said: "If 'ifs and buts' were 'candy and nuts', we'd all have a Merry Christmas."

This is a dangerous brand of speculation, mostly because it will drive you crazy.  But frankly, I don't think you see those numbers from Gaborik playing on the CBJ, even in the playoffs.  The Blue Jackets have tried to play a puck possession game this year, deliberately moving up the ice with good passing, and getting in deep on the forecheck and grinding on the other team.  LA can play that kind of game, no mistaking that.  As Hitch would say, they play a very heavy game.

But as I watched them dismembering Anaheim last night, I noticed that it was with a quick strike, stretch game.  Anaheim was trying to get in on the forecheck  like the CBJ like to play, and Drew Doughty, arguably one of the best defensemen in the game, was shredding them with lightning quick stretch passes to breaking forwards.  That is Gaborik's game, but it is unwise to think that the CBJ have the same capacity to play that game, especially in a playoff environment.  When the CBJ are throwing stretch passes up the ice, they are playing another team's game, and likely losing.  They have gotten away from their identity.  LA has the talent and experience to change up to that kind of game if that's what the situation demands.  They also have the experience and talent to out-grind you if that's what the situation demands.  They are a very versatile team, and Coach Darryl Sutter does a masterful job with their line up.

On LA, Gaborik is one of many threats.  On the CBJ he is one of the main threats, and much easier to defend and shut down, especially in a playoff environment.  He now is playing on a much deeper, much more experienced team, that has won a Cup recently.  And realistically, it looks like they are on their way to another one, as they are a deeper team than Chicago, especially with Gaborik on board.

When Gaborik came back after the Olympic break, I do feel he gave Arty Anisimov a big bump in production by creating more space for him by his presence on the ice.  And, I didn't feel it was a huge risk in keeping him.  But what then?  You traded two number one picks, Brassard and Moore, and a beloved player in Derek Dorsett for Gaborik.  I think Jarmo felt he had to recover some assets, even at a reduced price, for that investment.  A general manager looks really bad when you have that kind of investment walk out the door.  Think LeBron James.  The Cavs really should have traded him, if they wanted to remain competitive, because that way you come away with assets.  They lost that multi-million dollar investment, and now they are in the cellar.  You just can't let that type of asset walk out the door.  Back to Jarmo's situation, you may lose on the deal, but you recover residual value where you can, with the possibility of making a great pick in the future.

Alexander Wennberg during 2013 Development Camp.

Yesterday, the CBJ and the Puck Rakers announced the signing of Alexander Wennberg to an entry level contract.  If we sign Marian Gaborik to an expensive free agent contract, we have someone who is a proven scorer, with a proven injury history.  And he will be looking for the big money.  On the other hand, we have a bright young Swede coming in to the system on an entry level deal, instead of the $6-7 million per year Gaborik wants.  All he needs to do is a.) make the team, and b.) put up better than 6 G-8A-14P and he's better than Gaborik was for us, with the added bonus of a bright future ahead of him.  We sign Gaborik, and Wennberg stays in Sweden for another year or two, because Gaborik is likely occupying the spot he would fit in the line up.

I do agree with Jarmo that Gaborik didn't quite fit in the CBJ system that was played this year.  I'm not real sure Brassard would have either.  I think he is much better off with Alain Vigneault as a coach.  Which is not to belittle HCTR, I just think Vigneault is a better fit for the type of player Brassard has become.  But I digress (again).  Jarmo's job is to look out for the long term interests of the organization.  The Gaborik trade was a high risk, high reward trade, that ended up being a loser on the risk side, but had the side benefit of completing the locker room purge of the players who quit on Hitch.  With talent like Wennberg coming into the system, you don't want to be tied to a high cost aging veteran, so you recover the assets that you can.

Over the short term, Gaborik might have helped us out of the first round of the playoffs.  On the other hand, the team made the playoffs without him, a validation of HCTR's system, and the work ethic of our players.  This issue CANNOT be understated (he shouted).  This years players have established the performance baseline for the CBJ, that starts with an indefatigable work ethic.  This is the baseline that Wennberg, Kerby Rychal, and Marko Dano will see coming into the organizaton.  Bring your skill if you want to make this team.  But you better bring your lunch pail and your work ethic if you want to stay on it.  You can't have anyone exempt from the work ethic.  A high priced free agent may, or may not have that work ethic.  Young talent coming up through the system will see that as the baseline for everyone, so will accept it as normal.  The good news is that the team structure is there to assist them in that learning process.

Gaborik is having one helluva playoff.  I think that happens in LA.  I don't think it happens in Columbus.  Nothing in this post is intended to be a criticism of Gaborik.  It just didn't work here, but it seems like it will in LA.  But we get a number 2 pick on the deal.  I wonder if we can get another Boone Jenner?

This year we were privileged to see that best team in CBJ history.  Coming into the 2014-15 season, Nathan Horton will be healthy coming into training camp, Wennberg will have a shot to try to make the team (not to mention Rychal and Dano) without the pressure of having to be a star, the team will have the experience of knowing they can make the playoffs if they play their game, and more importantly, the experience of playing together another year.  Stability is not a bad thing for the CBJ right now, and signing Marian Gaborik does not contribute to that in the long run.  So I think we are better off where we are now.

GO JACKETS!!

The Bar is Raised

Former GM Scott Howson

"The bar is raised" quoth Scott Howson following the 2008-09 playoff season, perhaps foreshadowing the disastrous years to come for the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Not ten months later, the winningest coach in Blue Jackets history was fired, and the team was on a downward spiral that would only stop at rock bottom, 30th place in the league.  A grim reminder of how things can go bad on you fast in this league.

While Howson retains a measure of credit for the players he brought in that took the CBJ to the playoffs this year, we must remember that Craig Patrick influenced his decision making in a dramatic fashion.  All that said, Howson listened to Patrick, to his credit, as well as pointing out that John Davidson's contract situation would make him available.  Thus, Howson's contributions to the organization's current success are real and significant.  Balanced against that are the disastrous hiring of Arniel, who was not ready to be an NHL coach, and the plummet to 30th place.  Both of these are squarely his responsibility.  Even though Howson was astute enough to know that the expectation bar had been raised, his teams failed miserably to even make traction towards those heightened expectations.

So it was interesting to see Jarmo Kekalainen's take on the season, as reported by the Columbus Dispatch, and other sources.  Jarmo was quick to point out that the team barely finished in the top half of the league, pretty much in the middle of the pack, or 'mediocre'.  He was also emphatic that the team was not satisfied with this finish, and felt they had a higher ceiling.  I think these are healthy attitudes.

As hard as the CBJ worked this to make the playoffs this year, they have to work harder next year to make the playoffs.  If you want to advance beyond the first round, you have to improve your play AND work harder.  Fortunately this team seems wired to tackle this kind of work as a challenge.  The 2008-09 team did not respond to success by working harder, and the results were disastrous.  Hopefully the hard wired work ethic of this iteration of the Jackets helps them to climb the mountain again next year.

Hitch has stated he squeezed everything out of that 2008-09 team, and it is one of his favorite teams because he felt they 'maxed out'.  They were unable to repeat that level of effort.  I think Todd Richards got everything available out of this year's group, but I don't think he 'squeezed it out of them'.  I think he created a situation that allowed them to deliver the effort at least semi-voluntarily (Richie can be demanding at times).  I believe that is a scenario with a much better chance at repetition than the squeezing approach.  Hitch's players just couldn't climb the mountain again.  So long as our young players are racing each other to the top of the mountain next year, things should be just fine.

But these seasons never end up the way you expect that they will.

GO JACKETS!!!

Dark Blue Jacket's PHBA Ballot

Some of you may have heard about the creation of the PHBA, or the Professional Hockey Bloggers Association.  This was created by one of the savants over at The Royal Half, of which this blog has an awkward kinship.  We like to think the Kings and CBJ twitter accounts are just copying us.  Happy Besties Day, TRH.  Honestly, thanks to The Royal Half for putting this together. This was no small undertaking and it turned out really well.

As the invitation email explained, the PHBA was created to give hockey bloggers across the country a voice and to see how our results stacked up against the actual hockey writers.  You know, the heralded professional hockey writers, who are either blathering about some super hero movie or are reminiscing about the Leafs 1967 Cup run.  Those same folks who sometimes nominate Crosby for the Vezina and Chara for the Selke, but I digress.  The purpose of this post is to make my votes public and explain them to you the readers.

Gallos Doles Out Some Brewskis

Check it out!  A veritable plethora of CBJ beers to hand out to the 2013-14 Columbus Blue Jackets players, coaches and fans!

And as always we thank "Light the Lamp" for the CBJ beers meme.  LTL disappeared down the rabbit hole of parenthood, and is off spawning and rearing future Blue Jackets Fans.  We know what that means in these parts, because that is part of the whole Columbus thing. It is, without any doubt, a great place to raise your family.

Just a little reminder there .

But, as is fairly normal, I digress.

What a season!  What a playoff run!  Yes, losing to the flightless seabirds of yinzer land is ignominious, but our team did it in a style and fashion that forced a better team to take a look in the mirror.  And, that's the beauty of the playoffs.  You know your team got a fair shake at proving they were better than the other guy. There is an upper tier of teams that are ready to compete for a Stanley Cup, and the Penguins are one of those teams, sporting two of the best players in this era of hockey, and having already won a Stanley Cup.  It would be foolish to suggest that our beloved CBJ run in those circles.  We are, however, firmly entrenched in that next tier that is ready to compete for making the playoffs each year.

I want to celebrate this position, because these things can be fleeting.  2009-10 is a good reminder that a return to the playoffs is not automatic.  Just ask the Islanders, who made the playoffs in 2012-13, but lost their starting goal tender to injury in mid-season, and their star player to injury in the Olympics.  These are long seasons fraught with uncertainty, and organizational depth, and a willingness to have an unparalleled work ethic are hedges against that uncertainty.  And, fortunately, the key to the CBJ fans heart!  If the work is there, and you ain't got it, so be it.  But if you put the work in, and get the results, this fan base will back you a long way.    So with all that said, let's dole out a few brews!!!

1.  My first CBJ Beers go to the 2013-14 Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey Club.  A team is more than a collection of individuals.  It is an opportunity to be greater than the sum of your parts.  And this team was able to accomplish that.  The beauty of a team, is that it helps to absorb the vicissitudes of adversity, and where adversity at times singles out an individual, the team is a safety net to help absorb that shock.  This team exemplified this dynamic throughout the year, and certainly had more than their share of adversity.  Yet they came out of the year as the highest performing team in franchise history on so many, many fronts.

As a fan, this was a fantastic year.  It was extremely entertaining for the vast majority of the season, and the playoff chase was scintillating.  You may have a better team Yinzers, but I bet we had more fun this year!  And the playoffs?  Mama mia!  That was some kinda fun!  Not without its stressful moments, but that is what makes is so fun!

2.  My second CBJ Beers go to Jarmo Kekalainen and John Davidson.  Because now you know.  Last year, at the Nashville game, they came away thinking that was a loud barn, and what a good thing they had here.  And I bit my tongue.  Because I knew how much better it really could be, and they got a very, very graphic exhibition of everything that Nationwide Arena can be.  So, I'm not sure if you guys like beer or not, so to help you out, these CBJ brewskis are redeemable for a pair of socks.  Cause I know Nationwide Arena blew yours off.

3.  My third CBJ Beers is given in gratitude to the CBJ fans.  I really, deep down, felt this team had earned the ovation that you gave them at the end of Game 6.  At perhaps the hardest moment for the players, you came through and rewarded them for what they had accomplished.  The hurt of that final loss will diminish for the players over time, lost in the wash of new competitions, but they will never forget that sound.  They earned it.  Thank you for having my back on this, because you delivered in the biggest way possible.

4.  My fourth CBJ Beer goes to Nick Foligno.  Late last May, when I was on the last day of rehabilitation from serious knee surgery, I came down to a 'Front Street Friday', and you were signing autographs.  I was in line behind Dancing Kevin, and after you had signed 'the belly', it was my turn.  I thanked you, as a season ticket holder, for the run at the end of the truncated 2012-13 season.  And your response to me was to get that fire in your eyes, and say emphatically 'we'll be better next year!!!'  Good call there Nick.  You guys were better, and then some.  So once again I say to you Nick Foligno, as a season ticket holder, I'd like to thank you for all you did this season.  You guys were really fun to watch and it was great to be part of your season.  And I hope you answer me the same way.

5.  My fifth CBJ Beer goes to Ryan Johansen.  33 goals Joey.  What, 2 in the playoffs?  You had a great year Joey.  But Crosby and Malkin got to you in the playoffs.  So you know where you need to aspire to get to.  It took them awhile to get to the level they are at, it will take you a bit too, so don't be impatient.  But don't be content either.  We know well here in Columbus that one superstar does not a team make.  But you are a part of the fabric of this team, and you did what you did in the context of the team.  Hold on to that.  It will take you far.

6.  My sixth CBJ adult beverage goes to my comrade in arms, Tom, The Dark Blue Jacket.  Speaking of disappearing down the rabbit hole of parenting.  That rabbit hole represents a very worthwhile endeavor, one that is worthy of your time, energy and thought.  You give a lot of yourself, yes, but that never defines who you are.  It is a stage of life, just like being an old fart.  So there it is.  Do what you need to do, but never lose sight of who you are, and don't miss those opportunities to remind yourself of who you are.

I'm sure I'll be doling out more beers soon.  I'm in a good mood.  This team was all one could ask for as a hockey fan.  I am content.  For now.  But there is some sort of silvery shadow in the back of my mind that is making me restless......

GO JACKETS!!

Pride

A cloaca is a funny thing.  It is an organ that serves as both male reproductive organ, as well as female reproductive organ.  In addition, the cloaca serves as the primary controller of waste evacuation, especially in flightless sea birds.  They don't really pee, so most of the stuff coming out of a cloaca is #2.  Blue Jackets fans were treated to an example of just how tight flightless sea birds can clench their cloaca tonight, before falling to the flightless sea birds from yinzer land, 4-3 to end the Blue Jackets play off run.  I wouldn't want to be the equipment guy for Pittsburgh, cause those ol' cloacas don't seal up that tight....

But there it is.  Our CBJ are out of the playoffs, falling to a team that upped the intensity ante over the last two games that our young team could not answer.  Credit to the Pens for how they played the last two games.  Credit to our guys for never quitting.  I feel very good about what our team has accomplished this year, and it was a very fun year to be a Blue Jackets fan.

At the end of the day, I am proud to be a Blue Jackets fan.  I went into tonight's game vowing not to get cheated.  I left it all out there, as did many other fans.  THAT is what Nationwide Arena is supposed to sound like.  And it is great to see it back.

I need to go nurse my wounds now.  But in the upcoming days/weeks we will start exploring the many accomplishments of this team.  Keep in mind that John Davidson just views this as a brick.  A big, and gratifying brick, but just a brick, nonetheless.

Congratulations Blue Jackets players and coaches.  You did us all proud.  Well done!  Well done indeed!!

GO JACKETS!!!

Progress In Pittsburgh

I had a very difficult time as a fan processing the game from Saturday night.  I was very disappointed at some levels, but reading post game write ups from other sources has helped,  What I knew that I saw, but refused to accept, was the Penguins exerting their will in the 3-1 win.  How they did it was very interesting.

Before the game, I wondered to myself if there was something to the notion that we might lose the battle, yet win the war.  Indeed, we lost that battle, with the Penguins pouring 50 shots on Sergei Bobrovsky.  They were the better team, they deserved to win.  Which creates an interesting dynamic, because they beat us by playing the same type of game that we do.  It stands to reason that Pittsburgh, with superior talent on its top lines, should be able to play Blue Jackets hockey better than we do, so long as the bring the same intensity and commitment to the hard work that our system entails.  And they did that Saturday night.  But I wonder if they can sustain it?

The long term impact of Saturday's loss is that the CBJ have managed to dictate the terms by which this series will be won.  The winning team will win by playing a Blue Jackets style of hockey better than the other team.  Pittsburgh certainly ramped up a Blue Jackets style of hockey Saturday night.  Our team played that style to win its way into the playoffs, and also managed to take the style on the road, winning a franchise record number of road games.  In short, Columbus has shown that it can sustain Blue Jackets hockey over a whole season under a variety of conditions.  So far the Pens have cranked that style up for game 3, and game 5, but otherwise have been unable to sustain the level of commitment.  Whereas Columbus has shown that it can sustain that level of play under pressure.

So the take away message is that the team that plays Blue Jackets hockey (high intensity, strong forecheck, tight defensive checking, great goal tending) will win this series.  It should be interesting to see if Pittsburgh can repeat their feat of Saturday night on the road, in a hostile arena.

On the other hand, this Pittsburgh team was expected to win multiple Stanley Cups.  They have only won a single Cup, and thus are under achievers.  Ironically, if they really think to get by Boston in the Conference final, they need to be able to perfect 'Blue Jackets Hockey', because that is the only hope they have to prevail in that series.

On a personal level, I am going to go out and cheer this team tomorrow with all that I have.  No more worries, no more neuroses, just hard core support for our team.  No matter how it turns out, I will be proud of what this group has done.  But it's not over yet.  No, not by a long shot.

GO JACKETS!!

The Hits Keep on Comin'

Like many Jackets fans I spent yesterday basking in the glow of Game 4. The improbable comeback. The unbelievable crowd. Just everything surrounding the fact that this series sits at 2-2 after the happenings at the corner of Front and Nationwide on Wednesday evening.

That entailed reading a number of articles and blog posts, and even taking in a podcast or two, from all sources: Columbus, Pittsburgh, and national media types. A rather generalized summary of each:

Columbus: "That was AWESOME! We're 2-2! You've waited 14 years, is this fun or what!?!?!!"

Pittsburgh: "OMG Fluery! FLUERY!! WTF? Where are Crosby and Malkin?? Why? WHY?"

National: "This is a nutty series. Nobody can hold a lead. And Fluery has gone and screwed up...we told you it would happen!"

Both fan bases are equally correct in thinking the series could easily be 3-1 in their favor right now. So, how exactly are the Jackets keeping pace with the Pens?

The Jackets are doing it with possession and in forcing the Pens to play the full 200 feet. I've just started to understand the advanced stats movement, but I'm not going to include them here. Instead, let's look at good, old fashion, "traditionalist" stats on getting and keeping the puck. In other words, old-timey possession stats.

Here are the shots, hits, giveaways (GV), takeaways (TK), and face off percentage (FO%) for the first four games:

	Shots	Hits	GV	TK	FO%
Game 1
CBJ	34	48	2	5	44%
PIT	32	27	10	5	56%
Game 2
CBJ	45	51	3	5	57%
PIT	42	28	13	2	43%
Game 3
CBJ	20	65	4	5	57%
PIT	41	32	4	6	43%
Game 4
CBJ	46	51	10	5	57%
PIT	25	37	11	3	43%

As you can see, things are pretty close through the series, with the exception of hits where the Jackets are just running away with things. (We'll get to that in a bit.) In this case, pretty close seems to favor the Jackets a little bit. If shots and face offs and were lopsided towards the Pens, they'd be getting their way a lot more and the series probably wouldn't be 2-2. No big secret, if the Jackets want to win this series they can't get in an open ice skating contest with the Pens.

Shots and hits seem to get a lot of focus in this series. Shots are a pretty good indicator of possession, you can't shoot the puck if you don't have it. Hits are also a pretty good indicator of possession, but in the opposite way, more hits usually means less puck time. Since the Jackets are a dump it in, punch you in the face, "Gimme that puck," kind of team they are naturally going to have more hits than the Pens. With that context, looking at the hits each game compared to the shots...the Jackets had the puck very little in Game 3, and had it a whole lot in Game 4.

This series is now a 3 game sprint to the end. If the stats continue to be close, the Jackets have a real good chance to get 2 wins out of the last 3 games. They have to continue to forecheck and get pucks to the net. Now that this is at least a 6 game series, the hitting and puck possession should wear on the Pens more - physically and mentally.

Not to mention throwing pucks at the net from the blue line just might go in.

Best. Game. Ever!

Tonight, the Columbus Blue Jackets came back and won the game 4-3 in overtime against the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins, to tie the best of seven series at two games apiece.  The series now heads back to Pittsburgh on Saturday, but a Game 6 on Monday in Columbus is now assured.

What a game.  What a game!  The Penguins asserted their will early, jumping up to a 3-0 lead.  I remember thinking early about the goal that bounced in off Wisniewski's butt in the last game, and thinking it would be great if we got a GOOD bounce off Wiz's butt.  No.  It bounced right to the Pens, and Adams comes down and scores a shorty to open the scoring.  The Pens continued to exert their will, and ended up going up 3-0 before 12 minutes were done in the first period.

With the officiating continuing the absolutely brutal trend of the last game, Neal gets whistled for his second interference call in consecutive games for checking the guy with the puck after a prior brutal call by the officials.  According to NHL rules, a clean hit after a lousy call is called for interference.  But the CBJ capitalize, and get one on the board before the first period is over, making it 3-1.

The game slogs on until a little over half way through the second period, when the Penguins Stempniak gets whistled for a double minor high sticking call.  Shortly thereafter, the officials determined that Sutter lofted the puck over the boards, and the CBJ were awarded a full two minute 5 on 3.  In spite of great pressure, the CBJ were only able to score one, so the score at the end of two periods remained 3-2 Penguins.

Personal confession.  I have watched so much brutal hockey in that arena, that at times I forget about hope.  Fortunately, the players could care less about my neuroses, and believe in themselves.  Sure enough, with 24 seconds left in the third and the goal tender pulled for an extra skater, Brandon Dubinsky buries a goal to tie the score at 3 all.  To say that the building erupted would be a masterful understatement.  The CBJ kill off the last 24 seconds, take a break, and come out in the first overtime on fire, and Foligno (see the back of the Jersey I wear.  YEAH!!!) buries a shot for the game winner.  Four unanswered goals by the CBJ and they have their first home playoff win in franchise history.  More importantly, Jarmo and John Davidson now know how loud Nationwide Arena can really be.

I've had season tickets since the 2006-07 season.  This is the best game I have ever witnessed in Nationwide Arena.  The crowd met the same kinds of challenges that people faced in Game 4 against Detroit, but in this case the team came back and won the game in dramatic fashion.  The team was rewarded with the thunderous ovation that they richly deserve.  This one was a beauty.

The series is tied 2-2 on the strength of four 4-3 games.  Too weird.

This team continues to show its great resiliency.  Now its a best of three series.  Funny things can happen.

This team continues to lift us up with great moments.  Well done.  Well done indeed.

GO JACKETS!!!

Game Three: Pens Push Back

Tonight the Columbus Blue Jackets fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in Nationwide Arena in front of a jazzed up home crowd.  The Jackets jumped the Penguins early, but failed to put them away, and slowly but inexorably the Penguins turned the tide, before putting it away in the third period.

Take aways from this game are that the Penguins played Blue Jackets hockey from midway through the second period through the end, and baited the Blue Jackets into attempting Penguins hockey in response.  The result of course, is predictable.  Poor team discipline lead to Pittsburgh taking over the offensive zone, and dominating the last half of the game, much like the CBJ did in the last game in Pittsburgh.  I thought it was an unusually poorly officiated game for a playoff game, however the refs had nothing to do with Pittsburgh putting 41 shots on the net. That was more related to the fact that they won the face offs and puck races and puck battles for the majority of the third period.

These Blue Jackets now know what Nationwide Arena can really be.  Great crowd tonight, great atmosphere.  These teams will be looking fairly evenly matched if the CBJ can respond on Wednesday with a win.  The Penguins were sure to respond after Saturday's loss.  We need to respond after tonight's loss.

This is fun.  This is awesome.  My day long meeting should be interesting with this voice tomorrow.  But strap it on, and bring it again Wednesday.  We get a day to heal.  I gotta run, I am on the road all day tomorrow.  Our boys played well enough to win, but fell down in the team discipline department.  That can be fixed.

Lather, rinse, repeat!

GO JACKETS!!