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.
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