Paul Berthelot: Post Battle ECQF Game #5 – 51 shots just not enough Blue Jackets are eliminate from the playoffs with a 5-2 loss.

Great job, Paul, not only on the current post but throughout the season. I enjoyed your posts and hope you'll be back again next year.

Regarding the Pens/Jackets series, you have to tip your hat to the Jackets as they fought hard and never gave up in this series. Unfortunately, Bob's subpar play really doomed them to failure. That said, I think the arrow is definitely pointing up for the Jackets, especially if they can improve their center position. They really need a #1 center that would allow Wennberg to drop down to the #2 line and Dubi to the 3rd line.

But overall, a really good season for the Jackets to build off of. However, I think the unexpected regular season success probably raised the post-season expectations a bit too much such that the season perhaps isn't viewed as favorably as one would normally think by the Jackets' faithful.

51 shots was enough

2 goals was not enough

y'all got shook by fleury lol.

51 shots was enough

2 goals was not enough
- YuenglingJagr

In all seriousness, the Blue Jackets are not far off from becoming a legit contender. They are young have a ton of talent. If they can figure out what the hell Bob's problem is in the playoffs, they will be a dangerous team come April every year.

CBJ was one of the coldest teams going into the playoffs. No, they didn't get a great match-up, but their last half of the season was a pretty good indicator of what was coming.

Letting 4+ goals on average per game is going to get you ousted pretty fast. CBJ will have to figure out how to play scarier if they want to beat a team as talented up front as Pittsburgh is...

Three things. Find a 1st line center (not easy obviously). Dump the coach. Dump the tender. They'll be very good for years to come if they do those things. I actually agree with Torts that it was more of a series than the 4 - 1 result.

Never got to watch Jones much when he was with the Preds, but damn is that kid good.

Three things. Find a 1st line center (not easy obviously). Dump the coach. Dump the tender. They'll be very good for years to come if they do those things. I actually agree with Torts that it was more of a series than the 4 - 1 result.

Never got to watch Jones much when he was with the Preds, but damn is that kid good.
- madmike71

I know Johansson is ripping it for Nashville (heck the guy was dismantling Keith and Seabrook on a nightly basis) but i'm very satisfied with what Jones brings to the table, he's solid and at a reasonable price for the next 5 years.

That being said , because bob does the job in the regular season and Korpi isn't ready and because Tort '' coached'' this team to 16 win streak , they aren't going anywhere.
Unfortunately I see Hartnell on the block not because of his play but because he doesn't see eye to eye with Torts, the defence might need a revamp , I fear Jack Johnson is going to Vegas . Nuuti is going to be solid with Murray.

Three things. Find a 1st line center (not easy obviously). Dump the coach. Dump the tender. They'll be very good for years to come if they do those things. I actually agree with Torts that it was more of a series than the 4 - 1 result.

Never got to watch Jones much when he was with the Preds, but damn is that kid good.
- madmike71

I was very surprised by Bob's play in the playoffs. I thought (and still think) he is the Vezina winner this year. The pens scored most often on Bob's right side even when there appeared to be no space/short side.

hartnell is gone. Too much $ for too little production and doesnt see eye to eye with Torts. Atkinson, johnson and calvert will be heading into their last year before UFA status. Jenner and Karrlson will be RFAs after next year. Bob will make $7.4M again in the last yr of his deal. Sign some folks early.

Good luck in the future and thanks for a good tussle. You all got beat by big brother but that doesn't men we can't be friends.

I am not up on the rules and as an official in other sports I can see how hard it is to call a hockey game, but:

HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THEY CALL GOALIE INTERFERENCE ON WENNBURG WHEN FLEURY WAS OUT OF THE CREASE AND HE WAS HELD AND SHOVED INTO THE GOALIE?

THAT WAS A HOLDING CALL ON PITTSBURGH AND THERE IS NO WAY THE CBJ SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A 2 MINUTE PENALTY ON THAT PLAY!

The whole game changed on that call, and it stinks, but that's life and obviously Pittsburgh was the better team. No puck luck, bad goaltending (a big problem), injuries, and no breaks didn't help either. All Dubinsky has to do is not hit Fleury's mask in OT in Game Four and this series is still on.

I've already stated what I think the CBJ needs to do to improve for next year so I won't rewrite it, but things are looking up for the team.

But it is a very bitter loss and it puts a real stain on the season, when you play well for most of it, have a slump at the end, and then get dumped in 5. this team has a lot of work to do and a ton of big decisions to make.

I promise I mean this in a completely subjective manner and not to rub salt on the wound or start an argument. I understand your frustration, but here's the reality:

That call did not change the face of the game. Every team has suffered terrible calls at the worst situations, but it's up to that team to keep trucking along.

You guys had tons of chances before and after that goal, so you can't blame that call. You were only down ONE goal and then you guys collapsed and let the Pens run it up.

I honestly don't mean that to antagonize, but that's just the reality of that game and reality of how teams handle those situations.

You guys scored a goal in Game 3 that shouldn't have counted, tied the game, but the Pens kept fighting.

Officiating has become atrocious and teams need to be prepared to get bad calls, no calls and sometimes get fortunate calls. If you read the thread of any series going on right now you'll read people complaining about crazy bad calls that were missed or shouldn't have been called.

You're gonna tell me that cross-check to Hornqvist when his face went right into the cross-bar wasn't a penalty? Again, not trying to be argumentative. Every team in every series could go tit-for-tat on calls, but this is just the reality of officiating in the NHL. Teams need to be prepared for these situations.

I promise I mean this in a completely subjective manner and not to rub salt on the wound or start an argument. I understand your frustration, but here's the reality:

That call did not change the face of the game. Every team has suffered terrible calls at the worst situations, but it's up to that team to keep trucking along.

You guys had tons of chances before and after that goal, so you can't blame that call. You were only down ONE goal and then you guys collapsed and let the Pens run it up.

I honestly don't mean that to antagonize, but that's just the reality of that game and reality of how teams handle those situations.

You guys scored a goal in Game 3 that shouldn't have counted, tied the game, but the Pens kept fighting.

Officiating has become atrocious and teams need to be prepared to get bad calls, no calls and sometimes get fortunate calls. If you read the thread of any series going on right now you'll read people complaining about crazy bad calls that were missed or shouldn't have been called.

You're gonna tell me that cross-check to Hornqvist when his face went right into the cross-bar wasn't a penalty? Again, not trying to be argumentative. Every team in every series could go tit-for-tat on calls, but this is just the reality of officiating in the NHL. Teams need to be prepared for these situations.
- Rinosaur

Sorry, I had the rant and /rant codes in the post and they got taken out by the software. I do not disagree with anything you said here except that in my opinion if that penalty is not called the goal counts and its a tie game. If the penalty is not called and the goal disallowed, then its still a one goal game. Taking the goal away and giving Pittsburgh a power play that they scored on in essence ended the contest.

And as a side note, Hornqvist doesn't get crossed-checked either, It was clearly a penalty on Savard that should have been called. I am surprised that it was missed by the officiating crew

But ultimately as we both said Pittsburgh was the better team and deserved to win, it was just an extremely frustrating series to lose and an awful way to end the season. The way the playoffs are going it looks like Pittsburgh will be in the SCF again, good luck to your team.

Here's to a very good and fun to watch regular season, except after they clinched a spot. Hopefully they learn from that. The post season was a disappointment but I think largely due to some really bad decisions by Torts. Hopefully he learns from that. All in all a good year for the young club. Can't wait til next year. Go Jackets!

Here's to a very good and fun to watch regular season, except after they clinched a spot. Hopefully they learn from that. The post season was a disappointment but I think largely due to some really bad decisions by Torts. Hopefully he learns from that. All in all a good year for the young club. Can't wait til next year. Go Jackets!
- Shakers

You guys have a really good team that I never look forward to playing. Even though I know Torts isn't going anywhere, I think you deserve a better coach. He's helped develop them into a strong team, but I think you need a different coach to get you to the next level.