Hutch Is a Jedi, Carcillo is Greedo
It usually takes a special pherome spectrometer to detect the likeliehood of Jedis but we don't need that test. Either Michael Hutchinson is a Jedi or he rules the Matrix like Neo. YEs the hyperbole is large tonight but what team has won 3 games vs the Blackhawks in Chicago?
Take it a bit further and the Jets beat a team after playing the night before while the Blackhawks have been rested since Sunday night. While the Jets let the Stars dictate the pace for all but the first period on Thursday they hardly allowed the rivals from Illinois to take anything other than liberties. Yes we're talking about Carcillo.
If you're a regular reader of this space you know I have the utmost respect for JJ who covers the Blackhawks at Hockeybuzz. I'm not going to say he's wrong because he isn't he is almost always right about his impressions and analysis but where we may diverge is with Carcillo. I was a bit angry about it tonight on Twitter. Not because what he did was wrong, but how he went about doing it; late and deliberate. The Blackhawks are too good a team with players who don't take that part of the game to heart. I like Blackhawks hockey and what Carcillo did was not what I think is part of the team's ID.
Yes that's opinion, it's emotion but I think it's accurate. In fairness is what Peluso did to Bickel a fair fight? No and there is lies the problem that the guys who need to settle the score won't or can't and the smart play is to do what Carcillo and Peluso did, take an extra 2 minutes and hope for the best after. It's not what many want as part of the 'game' but it's strategy and it works.
Away from the shenanigans a Jets fan has to be happy with what Hutch did and how the Jets kept rallying. In fact if you looked a little close you may have seen the best game from Bogosian in a year. He was focused, effective and dangerous with a goal and an assist while preventing a sure goal as well. It was the game we've all been waiting to see from him as Ed Tait and I both tweeted almost simultaneously.
What's fascinating is the Jets have no fear in the United Centre and proved it with how they rallied around him and the situation, all away from home. It's something that has to be appreciated about the Jets as against top competition they have almost always made a game of it. Just look back to LA, SJ, ANA and others, the games have been close.'
Does it mean the Jets are better than Chicago, no, of course not but they are close and are ready to meet the level of competition the Hawks bring. Oh that old 'compete' narrative...yeah it matters because whether you like it or not that's the kind of game that brings fans out of their seats and that's good for everyone.
4 of 4 points on the road in back to back games, perhaps those mid season doldrums are gone, hopefully Perreault isn't for some time but I suspect not.