After two games, the Columbus Blue Jackets have earned three out of a possible four points and find themselves atop the weak Central division.
That’s the good news, especially for a team notoriously known for disastrous October flops. To have a realistic shot of making the playoffs, a quality October start is crucial (in six seasons, the Jackets own an unsettling 14-34-5-2 October record). The bad news is the team has many of the same flaws as past Jacket squads: the Jackets are being out-shot by an average of 10 per game (ranking 29th out of 30 in shots against averaged per game and 22nd in shots forced averaged per game) and the team demonstrates poor penalty killing abilities (ranked 28th killing 72.7% of the penalties).
Friday versus Vancouver:
After scoring early in the first period of Friday night’s home opener against the Vancouver Canucks by center Mark Hartigan, the CBJs found themselves committing costly mistakes: poor fore-checking, inability to clear their zone, and poor pass and shot selection.
The Canucks did everything in their power to hand the Jackets a win. After dominating the second-half of the first period and the first half of the second period, the Canucks momentarily lost their minds, committing back-to-back-to-back penalties. Right winger Dave Vrborny benefited from the 5-3 man advantage, giving the Jackets a 2-0 lead. The Jackets failed to extend the lead during the remainder of their 5-3 and 5-4 man advantage. That would prove to be costly.
The Canucks continued to dominate throughout the third period before finally breaking through defenseless Jacket’s goalie Pascal Leclaire. Canucks center Brendan Morrison cut the deficit to one on a power play goal 11:48 into the third period. The crowd’s energy level instantaneously deflated.
Every single person in the stadium and watching at home knew what was coming next. With less than two-and-a-half minutes remaining, the Canucks netted the game at two on left winger Daniel Sedin’s goal. Now, the fans were as comatose the CBJs.
The Canucks finally put the Jackets’ players and fans out of their misery, scoring 30 seconds into the overtime frame. Daniel Sedin was credited with the game winner, and he was awarded the game’s first star.
A fine game by Pascal Leclaire was wasted (41 saves on 44 chances).
Saturday at Chicago:
The CBJs overcame great obstacles Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks to come away with the win and two points: the Jackets rose above the two-to- nil hole they dug for themselves in the first period; the team overcame quite possibly the worst television announcing tandem ever assembled in Fox Sports Ohio’s Jeff Rimer and Danny Gore; and the CBJs fought off a two-goal Blackhawk third period avalanche to escape with a 5-4 win.
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