Right after Modin scored I received 3 text messages saying the same exact thing: ABOUT *EXPLETIVE* TIME!!!!
So I figure why not make that the title of this post?!
What a relief though eh Jackets fans? ......and no better team to do it against than that team!
Now that looked like the team from last year. Remarkable goaltending, stingy defense and timely scoring all adds up to the first victory in 9 looong game for the Jackets.
STOPLIGHT GAME REVIEW
vs. Detroit
12.28.09
SCORE: Jackets 1 Wings 0
GREEN
* The first green is the fact that I finally get to hand out some greens!!
* Steve Mason was aMASEing. I want to bottle up that performance so that he can remember just how good he can be. He earned that shutout. He hasn't tracked pucks through traffic like that all season long. He had some real beauties including that glove stop on Holmstrom in the slot.
* The hitting. This team finally played Detroit like they need to which was in your face!. Jared Boll set the tone early with big hits on Datsyuk and Rafalski (he needs to bring that game more often) and the rest of the team followed. The Jackets had a total of 39 hits led by Rick Nash's 6 to Detroit's 13.
* Mase was the Jackets best defender but he had some help. Loved Mathieu Roy's game who had 22 minutes of ice including 3:36 of shorthanded time. Fedor Tyutin was also really good - he really saved Mase's bacon late in the game with a couple of solid plays in the corner.
* Speaking of hitting - every Jacket player but one was credited with a hit in this game. Guess who that player was who didn't register a hit? Answer at the end of this post!
* More on Tyutin. Dude led the team with 7 shots.. Led the team with over 27 minutes played. Tied in blocked shots with 3. Had a helper and finished a +1. Arguably his best game of the season.
* NO SHOOTOUT!
* Modin finally gets on the scoreboard in a big way. Nice initial shot but loved the way he stayed with the puck to finish it off.
* Picard did his job bringing energy out there. He smoked Janik with a huge hit behind the net and then followed it up with a great fight. I hope they keep him in the lineup.
* Team defense was good. Forwards were getting back and sacrificing. Team had good jump through most of the game.
* PK did a great job killing off a 19th ranked Detroit PP. Ahhh how the mighty have fallen -- love every second!!!
* Sell out standing room only crowd. Love to see those Wings fans sent home with squid in their pants.
YELLOW
* Thought Pahlsson played better in this game. Voracek had the legs movin well.
* Umberger, Juice and Brassard were quiet. Didn't like Torres at all in this one -- was very sloppy with the puck.
* The PP continues to gain the zone well with puck possession and move it quickly but just can't buy one.
RED
* The Jackets need to find a way to get their offense going. 1 goal got them by tonight but that won't happen often. In fact this team has scored just 9 goals in their past 7 games.
* Too many penalties. At one point the Jackets took 4 straight minors.
* That turnover by Commodore right in the middle of his own zone.
* Me for predicting horrible attendance for this game. Dead wrong on that one.
3 BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE NIGHT
1. 2 points!!! We have 2 points!!
2. Mase was aMASEing.
3. Sold out Nationwide. Looked very good on the Versus broadcast.
As much as the Jackets would like to sit back and enjoy that winning feeling -- they need to refocus for their game tomorrow against the New York Islanders.
It should mark the debut of the two new Jackets in Jurcina and Clark.
ANSWER: Freddy Modin
-LTL
