Kiss another game goodbye as the Jackets were shutout for the first time this season.
1. The Jackets actually played a pretty good first period. They had all four lines rollin. The forecheck was strong. Some decent chances. Then came the second period and we saw why the Preds win on a consistent basis and we lose. The line between winning/losing so thin as this game came down to two things A. The Predators took advantage of our mistakes (penalties, Tyutin pass to Kostitsyn) and B. Their goaltender outworked our scorers. That was the difference and it's a couple of reoccurring themes we should be used to by now.
2. One Jacket who I thought played his best game as a pro was John Moore. No he didn't get any points but that doesn't matter. He was all over the ice in this game. We saw a lot of great things. We saw his confidence now in using that speed to transport the puck. We saw him play solid in all three zones. We saw smart decision making on when to take chances offensively and when not to. The game definitely seems to be slowing down for him. He finished with 22:10 with 2 shots, 2 hits, 1 block and an even +/-. I do worry a bit about over playing him as we need him to continue to build that confidence for next season. So far so good though.
3. The Jackets offense continues to make other goaltenders look like Hall Of Famers. Rinne had some good saves (the Tyutin glove from point blank comes to mind) but the Jackets forwards have got to convert on their chances. Brassard did a great job creating that open net chance and then he shoots into the goaltender. Nash was stopped by Shea Weber b/c he couldn't lift a shot. Even though they crashed the net they couldn't get Rinne moving from left to right b/c they couldn't string two passes together in the offensive zone. It's hard to believe that this was the first time this team has been shutout but it's not hard to see how it was done in this game.
4. Here is a stat for you - the Jackets are 2-10-1 against the central this season. 3 effing points out of 26 possible.
5. Your guess is as good as mine why Brett Lebda all of a sudden get's an NHL contract. How long has Martinek been out now? Better yet, how long has this team, for all intents and purposes, been eliminated from the playoffs? The team already has a dman in Clitsome riding the pine, which I still haven't figured out why. The only two things that would make some sense is either A. they want to send Savard back down to develop or B. they have some kind of trade lined up that would ship a dman out. Otherwise save the cash and ride out the season with what you've got.
6. The Fail For Nail OR Mikhail is still very much alive. Anaheim won again last night. The Islanders won tonight. Unfortunately the Oilers lost 1-0 so the CBJ remain with a 7 point basement cushion. Considering their next 6 are on the road -- don't count on them making up too much ground on anyone.
EXTRA SHOTS:
Methot needs to learn how to make a friggan outlet pass (that is for you Mike W.!). Rick Nash had a team high 6 shots, 3 missed shots, a -1 and a giveaway in 19:18 in ice time. Again - not as good as he needs to be but hey, we got to see the butt move again. That Dorsett "interference" call was weak. Guy took the puck straight to the net to make a play on goal. Can't pin any goal on Mason as he was hung out to dry on both. He stopped 22 of 24. The Jackets finished this 4 game home stand 2-2. They are 3-5 in the month of January. The Jackets have 3 of the bottom 5 worst +/- players in the league in Brassard, Wisniewski and Nash. Nash is 2nd worst in the league with a -21. Still don't understand why we don't put Nash in front of the cage on the PP instead of the halfwall. Anyone say to themselves -- man I wish Carter, Wisniewski and Umberger were out there? I don't as I don't think it matters.
On to Detroit on Saturday night.
-LTL
