Jackets Not Spooked by Kings on Halloween

Chimera was the first star of last night's game following two goals against the Los Angeles Kings. The Jackets won 4-1 with Pascal Leclaire in the net.

The Jackets current record of 7-3-1 is a franchise best, and worth 15 points already this season. At the current pace, the team could break 100 points. But let's not break out the "P Word" just yet. I'm sticking with the "cautious optimism" approach for a while longer- until the all-star game, anyway. All I'm going to say at this time is that it's November, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are still in it. Truth Serum at End of the Bench brings up an excellent point about the upcoming challenges on the CBJ schedule this month.

Tonight the Jackets are at it again in Anaheim. The Ducks aren't doing too well so far this season, so the Jackets may have their way with them, just as they did opening night. (Also recall last year's come-from-behind win at Anaheim.) The Ducks just aren't the same without Sellane and Neidermeyer. Notice how much ice time Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin are getting- they're #1 and #2 in the league.

Freddy Norrena will be in the net tonight. He's had a little trouble getting started this season, especially compared to Leclaire. Tonight will be a great opportunity for him to stand out. Anaheim is a beatable team and he has a confident group of skaters in front of him. If the defense can keep up the good work, Norrena can get the win.

Jackets win 4th consecutive game for a total of 15 pts.
CBJ 4, LAK 1
Official Scoresheet

Blue Jackets Head Out on Two Game West Coast Roadtrip

The Blue Jackets are on the west coast for the next few days to visit Southern California. Tonight they take on the Los Angeles Kings and tomorrow they will head across town for a second meeting with the Anaheim Ducks.

Neither of these Pacific division teams is above .500, so the Jackets should be more than capable of putting up a good game.

The LA Kings winger Mike Cammalleri is currently tied for the league lead in goals with 10 in 12 games this season. Despite consistent scoring, Cammalleri is only sporting a -1 rating. That's reminescent of Rick Nash a few seasons ago.

If the Jackets are to win tonight, they're going to have to keep Cammalleri contained, particularly when the Kings go on the power play. They'll also have to tie up Jaroslav Modry when on the attack. He's currently their best defensman.

Modin is back in the lineup tonight, and will likely play on the top line with Rick Nash and Michael Peca. Westcott is still on IR for now, but could come back soon. Leclaire will be in net, keeping the potential for a fifth shutout alive. According to Puck Rakers, Norrena will netmind on Thursday regardless of Leclaire's performance tonight. Also mentioned in Puck Rakers: A Soup Nazi sighting.

The photo is of the California wildfires from NASA.gov. Not sure if the Calgary Flames were in town when all this started.

Opening Night 2007: After

If you were not in attendence for Friday's opener, I'm sorry. You missed something special. The pre-game, the goals, the cannon and the shutout were incredible. From the opening video montage to Stinger's placing of the 'victory flag' at center ice, there was a certain buzz in the air that kept the crowd on edge and the players on their toes. The 'Carry the Flag' slogan turned out far better than I hoped, but more on that in a later post.

Nash netted himself 4 points in the win, and he was seriously looking for that fifth point, preferably in the form of a hat trick. Even in the last moments of the game when Modin took the face off in Anaheim territory, Nash tried to get into position for that remaining shot. Modin even strategized before the play about how he would try to get the puck into position.

Fedorov and Leclaire rounded out the three stars, with the goaltender missing the second star spot by about 5 saves.
It was an impressive performance all around by a team that put the pressure on early and kept the pedal to the metal until the final horn sounded. Anaheim, on the other hand, became quite frustrated by the middle of the second period. They continually tried to rough up the Jackets, particularly with after-the-whistle aggression. The Jackets didn't bite, and were able to keep their cool.

Great game. GREAT game. I'm skeptical enough to realize that the whole season won't be this dominating, but hopeful enough to dream that way.

Saturday night in Minnesota wasn't quite as magical. Despite playing hard, the Jackets fell to the Wild, 3-2. I wasn't able to watch the whole game, unfortunately. The bits I caught at the end well illustrated Michael of Army of the Ohio's point about being 'vexed' by the neutral zone trap. The CBJ offense could not get past center ice, barring an icing call. The team seemed to play a tough game though, and that's what matters. Next up is the Phoenix Coyotes at home on Wednesday.

Jackets now 1-1 (.500)
Friday's Scoresheet
Saturday's Scoresheet
(Scoresheets have been redesigned this season)

Opening Night 2007: Before

We're merely hours away from showtime. At 7pm, the puck drops for the Jackets' 2007-2008 season. I, for one, am quite excited. As a matter of fact, I could barely sleep last night. So much has changed since last year. On opening night of last year, the Jackets were coached by Gerard Gallant and led by GM and President Doug MacLean. Just the switch to the 'H&H' leadership team has changed the tune of Columbus hockey. Now that Hitch has had the remainder of last season, plus the offseason and training camp of '07 to work with the team, the Jackets should be in better shape to start the season.

It may be the first game of the season for Columbus, with a clean slate 0-0 record, but Anaheim is already 1-1-1 following two games in London and a shootout loss to Detroit on Wednesday. The Ducks are likely tired and weakened from their road trip, but will certainly want to rebound from their loss in Detroit. Look for them to try for early scores so they can turn on the cruise control. If the Jackets can get the first point on the board, chances are high that they can outlast the Ducks down the stretch and keep it close, if not put Anaheim away in the third period.

I will be in attendance for tonight's opener. This year, my girlfriend bought me a 20-2-1 plan for my birthday. Look for me in section 217.

Here's what other sources are saying about tonight's game:
USAToday
Army of the Ohio
Columbus Dispatch
Orange County Register

Jacket Times Sidenote:
Tonight's home opener marks the one year anniversary of The Jacket Times. Thank you for stopping by our corner of the hockey blogosphere. After 170 posts, three writers and 16,000 hits, it's been a fun ride. Here's to an even better 07-08!

The NHL goes to London- A fair trade for Beckham?

The NHL 07-08 season opened over the weekend with two games in London, England of all places. The two southern California teams traveled nearly halfway around the world to take to the ice in 'The O2', which looks like one of those fish that will kill you unless it's cut just right. arena. John Bull attended the game but was unavailable to be reached for comment.

Taking a piece of the NHL to Europe is great way to expose the game to foreigners. England was a good choice, given that many other European countries already have their own hockey leagues. But taking the league abroad is a bit premature. Right now, the league is having a difficult enough time building and keeping a domestic fanbase. If the league wants to broaden its horizons, perhaps it should have considered playing a game in a U.S. city without a team. Las Vegas, Kansas City, Houston, Anchorage, New Orleans or Portland would have all been great choices to play a game. It would have been an opportunity to test the market in those cities as well as bring in new fans.

The games resulted in a 4-1 win by the Anaheim Ducks and a 4-1 win by the Kings, who will hopefully still be jetlagged from their aggressive international road trip preceding the Jackets' home opener on Friday.

Another International Cup Affair

For the third season in a row, NHL players and fans are going to have to clear customs when traveling between the teams' cities.

Ottawa and Anaheim have made the final cut and are ready to win the cup. On one hand, you have Anaheim, who played in the finals just a few years ago, but did not win. On the other, Canada's capital team hasn't taken home the cup since the Charleston was popular.

Two superb teams have made the final round and the games should not disappoint. I picked Ottawa to win in the conference finals and I'm picking them to win again. Anaheim will put up a strong fight, and their defense may make the difference in the series. Ottawa will need to hold nothing back and find a way to neutralize Pronger and Niedermayer to get the edge.

Anaheim's biggest asset is Teemu Selanne, at whom I shake my fist. (I still resent his unnecessary last second empty net goal in Nationwide, but I respect the story of his hat trick this season.) Selanne will be playing in his first ever Stanley Cup Final in his almost 20 seasons in the league. It's telling enough that the guy was selected by the Winnipeg Jets eight years before they moved to Phoenix.

Ottawa's most important weapon is the trident of Alfredsson, Spezza, and Heatley. Those guys are a thrill to watch on the ice. If Anaheim's defense can't slow them down, they'll run up the score quick.

Jacket Times prediction: Ottawa in 6. Anaheim plays incredibly well at home so Ottawa won't be able to steal more than a win or two on the road.


And here's how to do the Charleston:

NHL Conference Finals Preview

And then there were four.

The 'final four' of professional hockey is upon us, as Anaheim, Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo contend for Lord Stanley's chalice.

The match-ups:

Western Conference: Detroit vs. Anaheim
Detroit entered the playoffs as the west's #1 seed, though their journey through Calgary and San Jose wasn't without a few set backs. I mentioned in an earlier article that I've been somewhat disappointed by the Red Wings' play. I retain that, and think they're in for a challenge (again) when they face Anaheim. The Ducks are playing very well, and their stars Giguere and Selanne are leading the way. Also carrying the team is Francois Beauchemin (sp?) who the Blue Jackets traded in exchange for Sergei Fedorov.

Anaheim has been a powerhouse all season and they're hungry for the Cup. They came close back in 2003, when they were beaten in the finals by New Jersey. At the time they were coached by none other than Mike Babcock- the current coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

The Wings have been streaky but have found ways to come up with the win when they needed it. I see this series as being a back-and-forth affair, but the Wings have the experience to finish the job. (Heck, Hasek and Chelios have enough experience to start their memoirs.)

My prediction: Red Wings in 7

Eastern Conference: Buffalo vs. Ottawa
Tough call on this game. Buffalo has been the team to watch all season. They've got the talent, skill, and stacked roster to make it happen. The city is behind the team and is desperate for a professional sports championship. They'll be facing off against the Ottawa Senators; a team with which they are developing a bit of a rivalry following the 119 penalty minute brawl earlier this season. Ottawa also has a stacked roster. If they don't make it to the finals this year, fans and hockey afficianados are going to look back on this team in 5 years and say, "what happened?". They've got Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson up front, and they've got two great goaltenders. Emery's been taking the most starts, but Gerber can stand up for himself as well. Gerber played for last year's cup winning Carolina Hurricanes and went to the finals with Anaheim in '03.

This series is going to be a great one to watch, particularly if you're into seeing a high scoring game. Buffalo and Ottawa led the league in goals per game with 3.63 and 3.49, respectively. The drama from the brawl earlier this season will probably come back and make for some pugilism too.

My prediction: Call it bold, but I see Ottawa tightening the screws where it counts and wrapping this one up in 5.

Fun Fact: The Blue Jackets have played and beaten all four remaining teams at least once this season.

Photo Credit: Me. Went to the Hockey Hall of Fame last summer. (awesome.)

The End of the Road

I elected to stay in last night. It came down to the money, mostly. But I did watch some great hockey on TV though- the Toronto-Montreal game was one of the best hockey games I've seen in a long time. I could try to give you a run down on this post, but I couldn't do it justice. The final was 6-5 Toronto, and one of the Canadiens had a natural hat trick within 6 minutes. Alas, the effort went for naught. Despite the Leafs' big win, the Isles' shootout victory over the Devils today kept Toronto out of the playoffs and granted New York the 8th seed.

The Jackets didn't fare so well. Even a late rally couldn't put them past Selanne and his cronies. Despite this, it sounds like it was a fun evening iniside the arena, and if the cards were stacked differently, I would have been there.

Norrena solidified his place as the first CBJ goaltender to amass a greater than .500 record. For that, he deserves congratulations. After all, he's the only Blue Jacket to do so, aside from maybe a call-up or two that only played a couple of games in Columbus. It really shows a lot about Norrena though, that he can have a winning record, yet the team as a whole is just 33-42-7. Leclaire really struggled early, and Conklin and Boucher... well, there's a reason why they didn't play any more than they had to.

It's one more season in the history books for the Jackets, and it 's bittersweet. It's always tough to see my favorite sports team end their season, knowing it will be nearly 6 months before I see them take the ice again. But it's chance to say good riddance to a season that has effectively been over for months. But I digress. We Jacket Fans need a week or so to cool off and reflect on the past 82 games. There were a lot of changes, a few surprises, and another disappointing ending. But I'll make an effort to keep a positive (all be it realistic) attitude toward the offseason and next year. ...right after I get the 06-07 season out of my system.

Two Games Left with Nowhere to Go

We're down to two. After being dealt yet another shut out last night at the hands of the Red Wings, the Jackets have just two games left to put this season out of its misery.

Both remaining games are at home in Nationwide Arena, and both are against playoff teams. Dallas (Thursday) has clinched a spot and sits as the six-seed and Anaheim (Saturday)  is in second place in the Western Conference. The playoff seed positions are all pretty tight and a key win or two in this last week of the regular season could mean a home/away change or a different opponent in the opening round. Anaheim and Dallas will both be at their best these last games, making sure their squads are ready to enter Lord Stanley's Tournament.

Columbus players have probably already set up their tee-times for next week (pending weather, of course) and should be out taking advantage of early season golf club sales. Those not heading out to the links probably have plane tickets to the Czech Republic, Finland, or the Bahamas. As the commercial goes, maybe the Blue Jackets are due for a 'Bahamavention'.

In other news, there was a strange coaching change this week. New Jersey Devil's Coach Claude Julien was fired. Not that notale, until you recognize the fact that the Devils are in second place in the Eastern Conference. It's a whole different hockey game when you can fire coaches that have already made the playoffs. Here in Columbus, you have to keep your team below .500 for years to get the boot. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello will be behind the bench as they cruise into the post-season. I'll have a good laugh if they don't get past the first round.

2 for 2 with Anaheim

In a deal that flew right under my radar, Columbus and Anaheim made a trade a little over a week ago.

The Jackets picked up: Zenon Konopka and Curtis Glencross in exchange for Mark Hartigan and Joe Motzko.

Of course, this isn't really big news. None of these players are frequent starters in the NHL, but they will all get plenty of ice time in the minors. Motzko and Hartigan have played in a handful of games for Columbus, and Konopka already had some ice time against Edmonton last week. Pending injuries and hot/cold streaks, who knows how much we may be seeing these guys at Nationwide.

Video Highlights from Blue Jackets vs. Anaheim Ducks 1/5/07

As promised, I found the video highlights for the Jackets game at Anaheim last Friday night. If you missed it live, here's your chance to see one of our beloved franchise's all-time best comebacks. Don't forget that the Jackets are on live tonight at 7 on Fox Sports Net Ohio at home vs. St. Louis. If things go sour tonight, just check out this video clip for hope. As for me, I'm off to the arena. Go Jackets!

"I've Been to Seven World's Fairs and I Thought I'd Seen it all!"

Those were the very words of Jeff Rimer upon Manny Malhotra scoring the game winning fourth goal. While not as catchy as "Do you believe in miracles!", it gets the point across.

If you missed the 3rd period of tonight's Jackets game at Anaheim, and I know many of you did due to the fact it took place after midnight, you really missed out. While writing a previous post during the game, I aired my frustration with the Jackets' lack of scoring on the road. I will now proceed to eat my hat.

It started with a shot from the point by Klesla half way through the period, which seemed to ignite the team. Klesla put up his second of the night seven minutes later. With just three minutes left in the game, the Jackets put up goals from Modin and Malhotra to seize a come from behind victory.

Those last three minutes were absolutely amazing. Anaheim, crowd and players alike, seemed stunned that their first place team could be caught off guard 4 successive times in a matter of minutes. And as if those minutes couldn't get more intense, Teemu Selanne was granted a penalty shot following some foul play around the net by the Jackets. Norrena put up the wall and kept the game on lockdown.

Look for the game details in the Dispatch tomorrow. The game coverage is already up in Anaheim.

For those who missed it, I'm gonna keep an eye on YouTube this week and if the highlights from that game make an appearance, I'll be sure to bring it to you here.

Jackets win 4-3 over Anaheim! (Which, according to Rimer, is more unusual than the Sunsphere.)
Box Score