COMING OUT PARTY!

This year's crop of rookies in the National Hockey League is impressive. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner, Bryan Little and Tyler Kennedy have made significant contributions to not only their respective teams, but also the fanbases.

Often overlooked (due to the market) is Blue Jackets defenseman Kris Russell. With the Medicine Hat Tigers, he was considered one of the most exciting players in the Western Hockey League and now is steadily coming around and playing increasingly well of late.

At 5'10", 170 pounds, Russell is a far cry from the prototypical size of an NHL blueliner. Does he care? Nope, and his play suggests even more minutes are coming.

Regarded as a future power play quarterback and puck-mover, Russell is being slowly worked into all facets of play by head coach Ken Hitchcock. Many were skeptical as to how Russell (being so offensively gifted) would fit into Hitchcock's defensively responsible, checking system.

So far, he is doing just fine. He is averaging just under 16:00 TOI per game, nearly equal to that of veterans Jason Chimera, Duvie Westcott and Manny Malhotra. He earns 3:46 of power play time per game- more than David Vyborny, Michael Peca, Jiri Novotny and Rostislav Klesla.

Russell is gaining experience in 5-on-5 situations, playing most nights against the opposing team's second and third lines. His glaring strength is his positioning. The stick is almost always in the passing lanes, and he uses his body as if he were 200 pounds. With each game under his belt, he is getting more confidence to jump into the rush, something that the coaches and fans are clamoring for. When Kris Russell gets in on the rush, it's electric stuff.

Granted, he's yet to score a goal. But the kid has had numerous chances to get #1. Most have the feeling that once the first one goes in, it'll break the seal. Thus far, he is 3rd among the defense corps in shots on goal with 48.

However, when you watch this kid play, you can't help but marvel at his ability to recover. Like many young players, he has his fumbles and turnovers. Yet it's his remarkable speed coming back that makes him the first stick in the passing zones. He's been learning from Michael Peca the art of backchecking, and it seems to be growing on him. He has committed the 3rd least number of penalties on the team, with a stingy 4 PIM in 29 games.

Some fans have plead for management to let Russell play in Syracuse for a while, but it just won't happen. He is simply too skilled to keep out of the lineup. The Jackets are a faster, more intelligent transition team when he's on the ice. You can't say that for many 20-year olds in the NHL.

Kris Russell will eventually score his first goal, get his first multi-point game and his first star of the game award.

All that is speculative talk, because right now, this little guy is making big strides toward a fantastic career in the National Hockey League.

NEW PLAN, NEW RESULTS

Six years of losing and embarrassment can do a number on the confidence of young players, let alone the fans.

Having never been charged with being consistent or organized, the Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Gerard Gallant on November 13, 2006. The old cliche "it's easier to fire one coach than the whole team" didn't even need applied- the fans knew what was wrong, and so did the ownership.

Former president and general manager Doug MacLean stuck by his childhood friend (Gallant), insisting that "we're close," "the effort is there, but the results aren't coming," and the punch line to the joke: "I know we have the proper staff in place here to win."

Call a rose a rose, but Gerard Gallant is not an NHL head coach. Never will be. As for MacLean, that's a different barrel of monkeys.

Much was written in the media about how it pained MacLean to fire Gallant, saying he blamed himself for the way things panned out and even went as far to as to say that Gary Agnew is the next big thing in NHL coachng.

Call a tulip a tulip, but Gary Agnew is not an NHL head coach. Great guy, yes. But he can barely boost his power play above 14 percent.

The ultimatum was put on MacLean to hire a winner, and although in his mind Gary Agnew was a winner, the McConnells weren't buying anything from that taco stand. During the brief reign of Agnew, the Jackets were 0-4.

Under Gallant, the Blue Jackets exhibited no structure, and confidence as frail as a toothpick. One loss amounted to a five-game losing streak by the time they even knew what hit them. Winning streaks (as seldom as they came) lasted until Rick Nash convinced himself he could break the Minnesota trap by himself. Many nights, the players didn't even know why they had lost.

For years, the Blue Jackets chased the game. They had no intention of developing flow-- they took what was offered. As much fun was taken from watching Nikolai Zherdev blitz around the rink nightly, he did it alone. No one wanted to share the puck, no one wanted to use their linemates effectively and cerainly no one thought of checking to create offense.

Enter Ken Hitchcock. Proven winner (see the ring on his hand), well-respected, and master of structure. Blue Jackets' fans saw the ire on MacLean's face as he announced the hiring of Hitchcock, even stating "we lost a good man in Gerard."

Hitchcock's first goal was to build a team, a system that preaches accountability and working together. Learning Hitchcock's system must have been like reading a Japanese cookbook to the players, but they managed to adapt.

That's the beauty of organization-- it's contagious.

This year's Columbus Blue Jackets are finally starting to form an identity. Repeatedly, we hear the coach state that "this team isn't good enough to win on skill alone." How true that is.

Aside from Nash and Zherdev, the Jackets are loaded with career grinders. Not only are they grinders, but lifelong underachievers. New GM Scott Howson has certainly continued on that building path, signing C Jiri Novotny (former first-round pick of the Sabres) and D Jan Hejda (29-year old who has bounced from Europe to the NHL) this offseason.

While many fans groaned at the lack of spending, these two players have been significant additions and contributors to the team. Hejda is playing major minutes with Adam Foote, relied on to shut down the opposition's best players. Novotny has been a fixture on the penalty kill, and played on the top line occasionally before being sidelined with a concussion.

Their style of play won't bring you out of the chair every night. But the results have been encouraging. They work hard on a nightly basis, win or lose.

Getting pucks behind the defense and digging in the corners has been the trademark of the Blue Jackets so far. They owned the league's top-ranked penalty kill for most of the season, now sitting at #3. No denying that it's a defensive-minded system, but the solid play of the defense has led to less pressure on the other end.

The forwards are living off turnovers. "Checking the puck back," one of Hitchcock's favorite phrases, is the gameplan. Check the puck carrier, force a bad decision and get the puck to your forwards.

In his system, everyone checks. When they do it consistently, they win.

LONG HIATUS...SAME OLD STORY

The past couple of weeks have been sort of like a revolving door to the Blue Jackets: what goes around eventually comes right back at you, and, well.....yeah.

A disappointing loss at home to the struggling Florida Panthers set the panic signal off, and fans clenched the armchair praying for an immediate return of Michael Peca. Pascal Leclaire had his most uninspiring outing to date, and the offense managed two goals against one of the league's worst defensive clubs. The penalty killing suffered against the Panthers, and on the flip side, the power play has been abismal of late as well.

The after-Thanksgiving matinee took place in St. Paul, with the Jackets looking for a little redemption on a deflating loss to the Wild in the season's second game. It also marked the return of Michael Peca, and his presence was felt throughout the lineup. He tallied an early power play goal and set up Rick Nash for a third-period goal that put the dagger in the Wild, sealing up a 4-0 victory and shutout number six for Leclaire, who was also impressive in the win.

Saturday night brought perhaps the season's most exciting game, the second showdown with the Detroit Red Wings in six days. The Jackers were dejected after the Wings skated off with a 5-4 shootout win on Sunday in Nationwide, and coach Ken Hitchcock made adjustments in practice to slow down the Detroit transition game. He made sure that the Jackets forwards got the puck deep on the forecheck, making the Wings defenders turn and make quick plays. Doing so created turnovers and a marked change in the scoring chances department.

After a quick 2-0 start by the Jackets on goals from Manny Malhotra (4) and Nikolai Zherdev (7), the Red Wings awoke from their first period slumber. Careless penalties taken by Columbus produced repeated power plays, and eventually Tomas Holmstrom poked in a loose puck at 10:44. Then, it was a brand new game.

So new that five seconds later, Pavel Datsyuk stripped Zherdev cleaner than a mother whose child just soiled his Pampers. At 10:49, we had a tie game.

The third period traded scoring chances after the Jackets whiffed on a late 5-on-3 in the second period. Detroit got their own two-man advantage late in the third, but Leclaire and the penalty killers stymied any chances produced by the Wings. It was off to the OT.

Aside from a sick point-blank save by Leclaire on Datsyuk, the overtime was largely in favor of the Jackets. A man-advantage with just over three minutes remaining went for nought, and only two of eight shots from the point (looking at you, Ron Hainsey) hit the net.

Peca, Nash and Zherdev scored for the Jackets in the shootout. No, this is not a recording.

Peca, Nash and Zherdev scored in the shootout. Surprisingly, the only source of offense lately for Columbus. Leclaire should've conceded the goal tot Datsyuk, who's virtually unstoppable, but he held his ground on Henrik Zetterberg's attempt, setting the stage for Zherdev to close the deal. And he did.

Monday's game in Edmonton was a loud fart heard throughout Albera. And it was let off by the Jackets offense yet again. Ron Hainsey's power play goal was the only tally of the game, and the Jackets wasted a penalty shot by Rick Nash as well as a late 5-on-3 to tie the game. No dice.

On to Vancouver and the Roberto Luongo circus....and the Jackets came away as the cheap sideshow. Adam Foote scored for Columbus (not a typo) and poor defensive zone play ended up in the clinching goal by Lukas Krajicek, a defenseman who was somehow allowed deep in the zone and eventually in the face of Freddy Norrena. Another stinker, another loss. Moving on.

Saturday's game in Calgary afforded the Jackets a chance to salvage the three-game Western Canadian trip that so often has been their achilles heel. They jumped out to a quick 2-0 start on the back of goals by Nik Zherdev and Curtis Glencross, and the Flames were booed off the ice. You had to know they would respond, and they did.

A power play goal by Daymond Langkow and a late tally by Jarome Iginla knotted the game at 2-2, and though the Jackets never trailed, they were reeling going into the break.

Kris Beech got an assist from Calgary forward Alex Tanguay in the third, a power play goal that gave Columbus a 3-2 lead. Neverthless, Adam Foote kindly assisted Calgary right back the other way, deflecting a shot from Robyn Regehr past Norrena for another tie.

In overtime, the unlikely hero was Curtis Glencross, who came straight off the bench and into the offensive zone off a dump-in from Kris Russell. Kris Beech, a late addition to the lineup due to Malhotra's knee injury, tossed the puck in the slot and Glencross chipped it by Miikka Kiprusoff to send the Jackets home with a little something to build on.

THE REVOLVING DOOR RETURNS

After a little added shootout confidence against Detroit, Monday's national broadcast on Versus turned out to be a balloon-buster.

Any flow or feel to the game was eradicated by sloppy play and tired legs, and the Jackets pulled out all stops to maintain a 1-0 lead for most of the game.

Pascal Leclaire was heroic in his first game back from a hamstring tweak, and his 33 saves should have been more than enough to lock up two points for the locals. The 25-year old could've been arrested multiple times on absolute larceny (just ask Mike Ribiero, Steve Ott and Brenden Morrow).

Same old story, as mentioned above. The top line provided the initial spark, and those required to step up just had a seat.

Nash-Peca-Zherdev, the only spark to a scoring fire of late, registered 12 shots on goal and two points. The rest of the team?

14 shots on goal.....0 points. Wonderful, eh?

The Stars, completing a six-game roadie, must have been salivating when the horn sounded the end overtime. These guys love shootouts more than Kirstie Alley loves the next diet craze.

Peca missed on the stick side, and Sergei Zubov lost control to end the first round. Zherdev flicked his magic shootout wand, beating Marty Turco for the second time in the game right through the stuffings.

Shootout wizard Jussi Jokinen must be running out of moves to use, because I'm pretty sure you can't come to a stop during the shootout. Moot point...he hit the pipe and all Rick Nash has to do is deke Turco's pads off and it's over.

Nash deked, all right. He deked himself out and lost control, opening the door for Mike Modano to keep the Stars breathing. Cool as an Iced Capp, he skated in and went top-shelf on Leclaire, and we move on.

Curtis Glencross, ladies and gentlemen. He pulls out the Jason Chimera head-fake and roofs it over Turco, and the home side is back in front. Enter Mike Ribeiro.

A couple dekes and a head-first barrage into Leclaire's crease and it's tied again. Gilbert Brule up for Columbus, and Turco gave the kid a little "hello" as he charged out and dove in front of any attempt Brule would make to shelf another.

So, all of a sudden, the Stars have the Jackets pinned with the death grip applied. Niklas Hagman, the definition of "overachiever" has a chance to end the game. He skates in deliberately, pulls up and shifts to the backhand and puts it through Leclaire's legs with ease.

Game. Set. Match.

One point that could've been two with any help from the other three units. Nada. Zilch. Nein.

The shootout loss marks five shootout losses for Columbus this season, and time will tell how valuable those five lost points will prove to be.

Peca Set to Return?

According to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, center Michael Peca will resume practicing with the team this morning. If cleared by team doctors, he could return in time for Wednesday's home game against Florida.

This is great news for the Blue Jackets. The forward lines have been thrown out of whack the past couple of weeks, and vacant spots have been plugged by Jody Shelley and Curtis Glencross- not exactly offensive dynamos, but both have played respectably.

Hopefully, if Peca is cleared to play, he will resume his duty on the top line with Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev. However, the most likely scenario is that Ken Hitchcock will ease him back into game speed, limiting his minutes. Also, Jiri Novotny played very well with Nash and Zherdev against Detroit on Sunday. The line accounted for seven points in the Jackets' 5-4 shootout loss.

Portzline adds that Fredrik Modin's return is farther off, hoping to resume skating by the weekend. Defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen has been out with the flu, but is feeling better and will practice. His playing time is still undetermined, as Duvie Westcott has reasserted himself in Tollefsen's absence.

Jackets Make Changes...For the Better

A lot has been said about the constant changing of lines by head coach Ken Hitchcock so far this season. Players have shuffled from top line to fourth line, and vice versa. The problem is, the Blue Jackets don't have enough talent to roll four lines (this should be no mystery).

Following a four-game losing streak last week, Hitchcock spent many of his practice sessions experimenting with different combinations, mostly focusing on pairs. Instead of trying to find compatible trios, he based his decisions on which pairs of players worked well together. The pairs were primarily wingers, and the centers were plugged in accordingly.

The Jackets' first trip to Detroit was less than thrilling, and the offense was non-existent save a lengthy two-man advantage. Jiri Novotny struggled between the pair of Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev, whereas Curtis Glencross fit in nicely with crafty vets Sergei Fedorov and David Vyborny. The speed line stayed intact, but was ineffective. The troubling trend here is that Gilbert Brule has again found himself on the fourth line, at the bottom of the depth chart. Hitchcock stated in offseason meetings with season-ticket holders that it was "top six or AHL" for Brule, but so far, that statement has been voided.

However, the bottom of the lineup has surprisingly played fairly well in the limited action seen. Brule has played well recently with Jody Shelley (finally earning some playing time) and rookie firecracker Jared Boll. However, this can't continue for much longer, no matter how much Brule produces or plays in this setting. Playing in the AHL is not a demotion, per se; it will allow him to play top-six minutes and play a very important role on a team that needs a spark. Entering this past weekend, the Crunch are again last in their division and struggling to score.

Michael Peca and Fredrik Modin can't return to the lineup soon enough. The Jackets have been uncharacteristically sloppy in their own zone of late, giving up sustained d-zone pressure in Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis. It will only help to get two of your most responsible players back in action, and that moment may come as early as this weekend.

The balance of scoring has also suffered with their absence. Players are being pushed to different places in the lineup, and some have prospered, others not. One would've thought that the absence of Peca and Modin would open a spot for Brule, but it hasn't materialized. Peca's presence on the top line has been sorely missed, but Novotny did impress against Detroit on Sunday. Hitchcock's obsession with a Modin-Nash pairing will never cease, but right now it seems impossible and unthinkable to separate the "Rick and Nik" duo.

The Blue Jackets top-ranked penalty kill has taken a slight hit in the previous weeks. The unit surrendered two power-play goals in each game against the Red Wings, and the forward rotation has been skewed with Peca's injury. Nikolai Zherdev has filled in with Novotny on the kill in recent games and has been effective--but let's not keep this going for too much longer.

THE WEEK AHEAD:

Wednesday vs. Florida

Florida, one of the NHL's worst road teams, visits Nationwide Arena for the first time. This is the first of five home games for the Jackets against the Southeast this year. They travel to the Northeast for five, as well. The Panthers (9-12-1) won their third road game of the year in Washington, holding off a late rally by the Caps. Tomas Vokoun, an old buddy of the Jackets, is expected to start.

Friday at Minnesota

The Jackets travel to the Xcel Energy Center for the second time this season. Minnesota edged Columbus, 3-2, with two third-period goals on Oct. 6 for the comeback win. This is the second straight year the Jackets have participated in a post-Thanksgiving matinee, with game time set for 2 pm ET. Columbus lost to the Flyers, 3-2, in Ken Hitchcock's coaching debut last season.

Saturday vs. Detroit

The border rivals will meet again for the third time in two weeks, and the second time in Nationwide Arena this week. The Red Wings scored the game-tying goal with four minutes remaining, and won in the shootout on Sunday. Rick Nash, Nikolai Zherdev, Duvie Westcott and Sergei Fedorov scored for the Jackets, who fell to 0-4 in shootouts this year. Fredrik Norrena is expected to start, with the Jackets playing their only back-to-back until the new year.

Why the Changes?

I have no problem with Ken Hitchcock changing the lines up following a disappointing loss in Chicago on Wednesday. What does bother me, however, is trying to fix what isn't broken.

Michael Peca was removed from the top line of Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev following the 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks. Why? I don't know. That line, with the exception of the "speed line" was the only unit to produce with any consistency. The two centers that are having trouble finding a home are Jiri Novotny and Sergei Fedorov.

Hitchcock plead after the game in Chicago that despite a lack of production recently, the line of Brule-Fedorov-Vyborny was beginning to show signs of life. Apparently, the patience he exerted then didn't last long. Vyborny, who has struggled mightily in the early stages of the season, was removed from Fedorov's line and placed on the right side of Peca and Jason Chimera.

Again, why the change? The problem isn't the chemistry. The problem with this team is commitment. When they don't commit to play the way they've been taught to play, they lose. And more often than not, it's an ugly loss. See: 10/17 in Denver, 11/7 in Chicago, 11/9 in Detroit.

Placing Jiri Novotny between Nash and Zherdev proved to be disastrous. The trio looked to be skating in quicksand for the entire game in Detroit, and Novotny was handled every time he had the puck. The top line played like the fourth line, and the best line for the duration of the night was unfortunately the power play unit. Although they were 1-for-7, they found a way to score a goal.

No time for a letdown, however. The Jackets travel to Nashville to face the Predators Saturday night. Nashville has really picked up their game of late, winning 3 of 4 and earning a tough point in Joe Louis Arena. They're back to .500, and considering the way they began the year, it's rather impressive. The Preds are back, and behind the added emotion of the new deal to keep them in Nashville, are on some kind of high right now. The Blue Jackets better be ready to play their brand of hockey. If not, they'll be left searching for answers yet again.

Jared Boll for first-line center, anyone? Just kidding, but it's a pipe dream.

JACKETS CAP OFF STRONG WEEK

The Columbus Blue Jackets are getting better every day, and people are starting to take notice.

BLUE JACKETS 7, BLACKHAWKS 4

On Tuesday, Fredrik Norrena started his third game of the season in Chicago and faced a talented Blackhawks team. The Jackets got on the board early and often, taking a 2-0 lead not even three minutes into the game. Rick Nash and Jiri Novotny scored the first period goals to get the Jackets going.

It was taxing for the Blue Jackets to contain both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews all night, but Columbus answered every punch thrown by the duo. Kane scored at 15:21 of the first off a costly turnover inside the Jackets blueline, cutting the lead to 2-1.

Early in the second, Columbus continued on the scoring binge they began in the first. Jiri Novotny scored his second of the game and third overall at 4:34 on a goal-mouth pass from Gilbert Brule, and the lead was back to two goals.

The second period took a dangerous turn as the Jackets got lazy in their own zone, giving the 'Hawks too many opportunities to get back in the game- and they did just that. Toews scored on a weak wrister from the right circle at 6:47, somehow squeezing it through Norrena's pads. Kane scored with just under two minutes remaining in the second on a scrum in the crease, and all of a sudden, the game was tied.

Former Jacket Kevyn Adams flipped the puck over the glass on the very next play, putting the Jackets on the powerplay late in the period, and they capitalized. Following another mess in front of the net, the puck carromed to Sergei Fedorov, and he quickly gave the Jackets the lead again with 22 seconds remaining.

From there, the Jackets never looked back, and added goals from Nash, Nikolai Zherdev and an empty-net goal from Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, winning 7-4.


BLUE JACKETS 3, BLUES 0

Head coach Ken Hitchcock stated earlier in the week that the Central division games were not only four-point games, but games that the Jackets could assert themselves among the conference's best teams.

Pascal Leclaire returned to the net Thursday night, and backstopped the Blue Jackets to another shutout, 3-0 over the upstart St. Louis Blues.

If it weren't for a ridiculous highlight-reel goal by Rick Nash, which saw him play the puck off the end wall and put his stick between his legs and go top-shelf on Hannu Toivonen, the talk would've been mostly about Leclaire. He was again sharp, making 36 saves and turning aside numerous scoring chances for his fourth win of the season.

"It's not that important to me (the shutout)," Leclaire said. "The important thing is getting the win. I would have been as happy if we won 5-4."

Jared Boll, the spark plug who has become an instant rock star among Jackets fans, scored his second goal of the season to get Columbus going at 13:30 of the second period.

For once, a Central division game didn't end up in a parade to the penalty box. Columbus and St. Louis each enjoyed only two power plays on the night, the Jackets scoring the long man-advantage goal.

After two shot attempts from the point by Ron Hainsey, his third found the end boards and ricocheted to Nash, who was handcuffed by the carrom. His only play (for those who thought he had any at all) was to put his stick between his legs and lift the puck. The result was a world-class goal that many of us won't forget. Oh, and it gave the Jackets a 2-0 lead through two periods.

"It was just a perfect situation," said Nash, whose goal was his eighth on the season. "I had to find a way to get the puck up into the net as fast as I could. That was the easiest way to do it.

"You do it a lot during practice but not during the game. I practice it for a while but you never think you'll actually use it in a game."

The Blues looked ragged in the third, and the Jackets kept the foot on the pedal until the final whistle. Jiri Novotny scored an empty-net goal that never went in to put Columbus up 3-0 at 17:38.

Nash won the puck off the faceoff in the Jackets zone, and passed it to a breaking Novotny. He was hooked from behind by Eric Brewer, and the goal was awarded by virtue of St. Louis pulling their goaltender.


BLUE JACKETS 2, SHARKS 1

If Blue Jackets fans have wondered what playoff hockey feels like, they got a good taste Saturday night in Nationwide.

Parma's prodigal son Dan Fritsche scored his first goal of the year, and Sergei Fedorov added the game-winner on the power play and the Jackets beat a deflated Sharks team 2-1 Saturday afternoon.

Pascal Leclaire defied the odds and won his fifth game of the year, albeit not by shutout.

The game was extremely physical on both ends of the ice, and nearly every whistle produced fisticuffs or a heated exchange of words.

Joe Thornton opened the scoring at 7:12 of the first, the beneficiary of a poor clearing attempt by Ole-Kristian Tollefsen. He looked for linemate Jonathan Cheechoo across the goal mouth, but the centering pass deflected off the stick of Columbus captain Adam Foote and behind Leclaire.

The speed line of Columbus (Chimera, Malhotra and Fritsche), criticized and the butt of coach Ken Hitchcock's joke following Thursday's game, finally converted on a scoring opportunity. Fritsche stole the puck inside the Sharks zone and started a give-and-go with Manny Malhotra. Fritsche's wrist shot beat Evgeni Nabokov high to the glove side to tie the game at 8:29.

Following chippy play from both teams throughout the second period, including a pair of high-sticks (one undetected on Columbus winger David Vyborny) that drew blood, the Jackets earned a power play when Nikolai Zherdev took a stick from Doug Murray, resulting in a four-minute power play.

Sergei Fedorov stepped into a quick wrister from 45 feet that beat Nabokov high-glove for the second time, and gave the Jackets a lead they wouldn't relinquish at 18:38.

"We are a difficult team to play against in the middle of the ice," said Fedorov. "And I think we didn't make any turnovers in the neutral zone."

Rick Nash's goal-scoring binge ended against the Sharks, but the encouraging sign was the contribution from his teammates that led to the victory.

The Jackets finished off a hectic stretch, playing six games in eleven days, going 4-1-1.

"The thing that is impressive for us is it was our sixth game in 11 days," said Ken Hitchcock, who has the Blue Jackets off to a franchise-record start in his first full season as head coach. "We are learning to play with the lead by not sitting back, instead going after it."

The win over San Jose gives Columbus 6 wins and 13 points in its first 10 games, by far the best start in franchise history.

Pascal Leclaire is expected to make his eighth start of the year when the Jackets travel to Los Angeles Wednesday night.


-Rob Mixer
rm234405@ohio.edu