Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Jackets Set Franchise Record Despite Loss To Chicago

March 15, 2013, 10:44 PM ET [11 Comments]
Glen Miller
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Jackets lost to Chicago Thursday night, 2 – 1 in a shootout, but they still extended to nine their points streak. They are now just 15 (sarcasm alert) games away from matching the run the Hawks themselves just had ended. Piece of cake, right? Hey, the 9-game point streak is already a franchise record but why not keep it going?

Columbus has played Chicago as tough as any other Hawks opponents this year. In four games the Jackets are 0 – 2 – 2 against Chicago and each contest has been decided by a single goal.

Again, if it wasn’t for the play of Sergei Bobrovsky the Jackets probably wouldn’t have earned even the one point. Bob stopped 39 of 40 shots against, including 20 combined in the third period and OT. He robbed Brandon Bollig with a tremendous glove save early in the third period. He also stoned Dave Bolland on a rebound attempt. After Bob turned aside a Nick Leddy shot the puck kicked over to Bolland who had circled in from behind the cage. He fired a wrist shot into what looked like a wide open net but Bob was able to lunge across and make the save.

Credit goes to Corey Crawford too for a great performance in the Chicago goal. He stopped 29 of 30 shots against through OT beat two of the three Jackets shooters in the shootout. His best save might have been a glove-save on Tim Erixon in the third. Erixon snuck in from the point and unleashed a hard slap shot from the top of the left circle but Crawford was up to the task.

Johnny Oduya tallied for Chicago in regulation. After moving in from his left point position he knocked a pass down on the backhand, took the puck back to the forehand and snapped a shot which beat Bob high on the glove side. It was Oduya’s first goal of the season.

Jack Johnson evened it up on the PP in the second period. Brandon Dubinsky won the faceoff in the offensive zone to his left wing. Derick Brassard softly slid the puck to open ice where Johnson was able to step into a hard slap shot. It was Johnson’s 4th of the year with three coming on the PP.

The OT period was a wild end-to-end frame with chances galore. I’ve already mentioned the great chance Bolland had to put the game away. The Jackets had a couple of terrific opportunities too. The best was Nick Foligno partial breakaway.

Foligno picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated in on the LW on a two-on-one. As the defender went down to the ice to try to take away the passing lane Foligno pulled the puck back into his skates and took it to the net. He was hit from behind just as he was trying to get the shot off which caused him to push the puck just wide to the left.

Artem Anisimov converted in the shootout for Columbus showing off a great set of hands in the process. He came in on the forehand and as he neared the net he went to the backhand. With his long reach he was able to lift the puck over the shoulder of Crawford.
Toews and Patrick Kane delivered for Chicago and Corey Crawford stopped both Ryan Johansen and Brassard to seal the win.

Some other thoughts on the game

Ryan Johansen is often being matched up against the other team’s best center. Thursday it was Jonathan Toews and Tuesday it was Sedin. He’s played pretty well and has obviously earned the trust of the coaching staff.

Bob has been molten lava hot in his last ten. He is 6 – 1 – 3, with a goals-against of 1.48 and a save % of .950. It’s the best stretch of goaltending seen in Columbus in several years.

What is up with Matt Calvert; another scrap, this time with Andrew Shaw. My guess is since he has been one of the Jackets better players he is getting more attention from the opposition. Maybe he has decided he needs to play a little more physically to earn his space on the ice. Maybe, just a guess on my part. But I am liking Calvert's game a great deal.

The Jackets host Phoenix Saturday with a chance to extend their point streak to 10. I’ll have a post up tomorrow profiling our first trade deadline candidate, Vinny Prospal, and I’ll also talk realignment.
Join the Discussion: » 11 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Glen Miller
» Murray to Miss 4 - 6 Following Knee Surgery
» Columbus Deadline Rundown
» Blue Jackets Deadline Plans
» Tyutin to Miss Two to Three Weeks with Ankle Injury
» Blue Jackets Playing Contingent Out in Sochi