The Blue Jackets look to start the season 3-0-0 with a hungry Dallas Stars team coming to town.

Dallas Stars at Columbus Blue Jackets

October 14, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Defending Big D

"We're going to get a hungry team."

So said Jackets' coach Todd Richards after practice on Monday. Richards knows of what he speaks. The Jackets just three years ago entered the season with the highest of expectations, having just had a summer of perceived success by adding Jeff Carter, James Wisniewski, Vinny Prospal, and Radek Martinek amongst others. Richards was an assistant on that coaching staff, and so when that team started 0-7-1, he knew all about desperation.

The Stars are expected to compete in a stacked Central division, after adding Jason Spezza to their core of young, amazing offensive talent. Suffice it to say, then, that when coach Linday Ruff called out his best players, saying in effect that those guys needed to be their best players, it was out of that place of desperation. The Stars just haven't scored through their first two games. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin have no points and are a collective -6, and Spezza has just one assist thus far. The other night, Nashville clogged up the middle and frustrated the speed of the Stars top six.

And, therein lies the plan for the Jackets. At times the Rangers' speed on Saturday was overwhelming. That said, the Jackets did a good job to mitigate that speed, and have been working on breaking out of their own zone with more speed themselves to counter. They spent a good chunk of Monday's practice working on breakouts.

The Stars are at their best when they get time and space to use their speed. The Jackets can't let them have it. They need to stay disciplined and not give the Stars ample Power Play time to get their big guns going offensively. And, frankly, they need to get more shots on Kari Lehtonen. They managed just 24 shots on the Rangers' net the other night, and that may not be good enough against a better goaltender than Cam Talbot.

I'll be in the press box tonight, and am looking forward to seeing the turnout now that it's not opening night and it's a rainy Tuesday. Let's go, 5th Line!

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(2-0-0, 4 Points; 2nd division, 4th conference)

Dallas Stars
(0-1-1, 1 Point; 7th Division, 13th Conference)

Season Series

10/14/14 - Dallas at Columbus
01/06/15 - Columbus at Dallas

Head to Head Stats

In a move straight out of Hollywood central casting, the Bruins have signed their requisite Veteran Guy.

In Bruins news you can use:

• The Bruins are taking steps to leave the scoring slump behind them. Simon Gagne is now officially a Bruin. [NHL]
• In yesterday's matinee battle of the two NHL teams least likely so far to score a goal, the Bruins lost to a last millisecond goal by Daniel Briere. [WorcesterTelegram]
• Loui Eriksson was too effective on the third line with Carl Soderberg and Chris Kelly to move him to his anticipated first line slot, despite the return of David Krejci. [PatriotLedger]
• Got finish? Apparently the Bruins are looking for theirs. [ProvidenceJournal]
• Claude Julien was adamant that Niklas Svedberg had done his job, and had given the Bruins a chance to win. [BostonHerald]
• Here are the three glaring things wrong with the Bruins thus far. [WEEI]
• If you prefer your bad news to be brief, here are 5 takeaways. [ChowderAndChampions]
• One consolation was that Julien considered the addition of Seth Griffith, who played in his NHL debut with his parents in the stands, an upgrade. Brad Marchand was again perhaps targeted for minor penalties. [SouthCoastToday]
• Jarome Iginla was gracious to his former teammates in victory, and was greeted warmly by both them and the TDGarden crowd. [MassLive]
• No worries, Bruins fans, Iginla assures us that the Bruins will be just fine, thank you. [TheScore]

Elsewhere around the rink:

• Don't Panic! It is far too soon to clutch your handkerchiefs. Not to rub it in, but Johnny Boychuk be lightin' em up for the Islanders and Alex Ovechkin 's plus/minus is a miraculous zero. [Grantland]
• Don't be surprised when the next force in Olympic hockey is the Mexican women. [SportsVice]
• Chris Pronger is the perfect man for the NHL Player Safety job. [YahooSports]
• Give thanks! Here is a reason for each NHL team to be grateful. [TheHockeyNews]
• Buffalo can be thankful that they're hosting the 2016 NHL Draft. [Sportsnet]
• Olympian Anne Schleper joined the Tampa Bay Lightning for morning skate as Girls Play Hockey Weekend continued. [PuckDaddy]
• Old friend Michael Ryder 's younger brother, Daniel, had a brief career as a promising sniper (and a tryout with the Providence Bruins) but then suddenly spiraled into mental illness. [NJDevils]
• Take a seat, Trevor Gillies , we'll see you (or not) after 12 games. [TheScore]
• Sometimes the letter "C" on your chest is a heavy burden. [Grantland]
• There is a very good reason behind a hockey player raising his stick after a goal. Who knew? [GreatestHockeyLegends]
• It can't be unseen, but have a gander at Dancing Kevin- he's one enthusiastic Blue Jackets fan! (Video, 0:45) [120Sports]
• You may cleanse your eyes with this- a shot of a bunch of hockey playing kids in Levis, Quebec in 1941. [Imgur,Reddit]

The Blue Jackets look to start the season 3-0-0 with a hungry Dallas Stars team coming to town.

Dallas Stars at Columbus Blue Jackets

October 14, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Defending Big D

"We're going to get a hungry team."

So said Jackets' coach Todd Richards after practice on Monday. Richards knows of what he speaks. The Jackets just three years ago entered the season with the highest of expectations, having just had a summer of perceived success by adding Jeff Carter, James Wisniewski, Vinny Prospal, and Radek Martinek amongst others. Richards was an assistant on that coaching staff, and so when that team started 0-7-1, he knew all about desperation.

The Stars are expected to compete in a stacked Central division, after adding Jason Spezza to their core of young, amazing offensive talent. Suffice it to say, then, that when coach Linday Ruff called out his best players, saying in effect that those guys needed to be their best players, it was out of that place of desperation. The Stars just haven't scored through their first two games. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin have no points and are a collective -6, and Spezza has just one assist thus far. The other night, Nashville clogged up the middle and frustrated the speed of the Stars top six.

And, therein lies the plan for the Jackets. At times the Rangers' speed on Saturday was overwhelming. That said, the Jackets did a good job to mitigate that speed, and have been working on breaking out of their own zone with more speed themselves to counter. They spent a good chunk of Monday's practice working on breakouts.

The Stars are at their best when they get time and space to use their speed. The Jackets can't let them have it. They need to stay disciplined and not give the Stars ample Power Play time to get their big guns going offensively. And, frankly, they need to get more shots on Kari Lehtonen. They managed just 24 shots on the Rangers' net the other night, and that may not be good enough against a better goaltender than Cam Talbot.

I'll be in the press box tonight, and am looking forward to seeing the turnout now that it's not opening night and it's a rainy Tuesday. Let's go, 5th Line!

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(2-0-0, 4 Points; 2nd division, 4th conference)

Dallas Stars
(0-1-1, 1 Point; 7th Division, 13th Conference)

Season Series

10/14/14 - Dallas at Columbus
01/06/15 - Columbus at Dallas

Head to Head Stats

Score

Stars 2, Blue Jackets 0

Goals

Dallas - Seguin (1st) at 3:36; Benn (1st) at 6:20
Columbus - none

Penalties

Dallas
Cole - Hooking at 18:50

Columbus
none

Shots

Dallas - 14
Columbus - 8

Hits

Dallas - 9
Columbus - 9

Blocked Shots

Dallas - 4
Columbus - 4

Faceoffs

Dallas - 9-for-22 (40.9%)
Columbus - 13-for-22 (59.1%)

Score

Blue Jackets 2, Stars 2

Goals

Dallas - none
Columbus - Johansen (1st and 2nd) at 6:17 and14:22

Penalties

Dallas
Lehtonent - Delay of Game at 0:33
Garbutt - Slashing at 9:03
Daley - Tripping at 13:15

Columbus
Hartnell - Interference at 16:55

Shots

Dallas - 9 (23)
Columbus - 16 (24)

Hits

Dallas - 6 (15)
Columbus - 9 (18)

Blocked Shots

Dallas - 4 (8)
Columbus - 4 (8)

Faceoffs

Dallas - 10-for-26, 38.5% (19-for-48, 39.6%)
Columbus - 16-for-26, 61.5% (29-for-48 60.4%)

The Stars came in hungry. The Jackets looked a little too appetizing.

After a big win on Saturday night, the Blue Jackets needed to avoid a let-down as a hungry Stars team came calling. It didn't look good early, and though the Jackets battled back in the second period, their bad start ultimately buried them.

1st Period

For a team that has an identity of outworking and outskating their opponents, the Jackets knew they would have a tough test tonight with the Stars. Unfortunately, the Jackets came out flat, and the Stars did not. The Jackets looked incredibly sloppy early on, making bad passes in their own zone to go along with turnovers a-plenty. It wouldn't take long for the Stars to capitalize, and it was their top line that did all the damage.

After the Jackets failed to clear for what felt like the 50th time, the puck found its way to Jamie Benn in the high slot to the left of Sergei Bobrovsky. He had time and space, and wound up for a shot... that would become a pass to Tyler Seguin who was set up on the doorstep to Bobrovsky's right. Seguin got the redirect to make it 1-0 before many fans found their seats.

1-0 Stars - Tyler Seguin (1st) at 3:36, from Jamie Benn and Colton Sceviour - EV

If fans were hoping for that goal to be a wake up call for Columbus, they would need to keep waiting. Benn was again a man among boys as he managed to hold the puck in the Jackets zone while fending off Scott Hartnell as well as Artem Anisimov up high. He skated around them into the high slot, and unleashed a wrister that smoked past Bobrovsky into the high glove corner. Just like that.

2-0 Stars - Jamie Benn (1st) at 6:20, unassisted - EV

"It happened," coach Todd Richards said. "They were hungry. They came out and put us on our heels. And then, it came down to battles and playing with speed, and they won most of the battles in the first period."

"They came out a little fast, give them credit," said Ryan Johansen. "They were flying. Through the neutral zone and our zone, they were moving their legs. I think the first period cost us."

The Stars zoomed out to an 8-0 shots advantage, but the Jackets seemed to finally find their legs and started countering. They still had their struggles in their own zone, but they finally started to generate some chances, outshooting the Stars 8-6 the rest of the way.

They had some gorgeous near-misses along the way, but whereas they got some bounces on Saturday night they just couldn't buy any in the first period. Alexander Wennberg almost scored his first NHL goal after a nice wrap-around attempt got through the legs of Kari Lehtonen, only to die in the crease before crossing the line (and before anyone could tap it home).

Likewise, Jack Skille grabbed a clearing attempt on the half wall, skated in on the right, and got the puck to Michael Chaput, who sent it on net. Jared Boll was camped out, grabbed a rebound, and had a chance to roof it over Lehtonen's pad. But, true to form, it deflected straight up in the air instead.

The Jackets got a late Power Play after an Erik Cole hook of Jack Johnson, but looked sloppy on the Power Play and went into the dressing room down by two.

End of 1st - 2-0 Stars

2nd Period

The second period didn't start much better for Columbus, as the Stars had more jump early. This time, however, Columbus would weather the storm, and used some Power Play time later in the period to get the Stars out of rhythm. Columbus finally got their game going, and it was the man they call Joey getting the job done.

After an initial lull in the first five minutes, the Jackets' top line got them on the board and got the mostly restless crowd back into the game. After a nice stretch pass from Johnson to Cam Atkinson got the puck to Cam inside the Stars' blue line right by the Jackets' bench, he tapped it to a streaking Johansen who carried it to the faceoff dot and unleashed a wrister that beat Lehtonen cleanly to get Columbus on the board.

2-1 Stars - Ryan Johansen (1st) at 6:17, from Cam Atkinson and Jack Johnson - EV

The Jackets weren't done, as they outworked the Stars and forced some penalties. Marko Dano did some great work behind the Stars' net on the forecheck, and forced Trevor Daley to trip him. It was a silly penalty from Daley, and the Jackets' PP unit--which had largely struggled on the night up to this point--would make Dallas pay.

It was again Johnson getting it started, creeping in off the right point to the half wall. He lasered a pass to Nick Foligno on the doorstep, who stuffed a shot into Lehtonen's pads. The puck trickled back out on the other side of the crease, where Johansen was there to slam the rebound home.

2-2 tie - Ryan Johansen (2nd, 2nd of game) at 14:22, from Nick Foligno and Jack Johnson - PPG

Johansen may not have his "game legs" back 100% yet, but man, he looks as sharp as ever otherwise. He connected with Atkinson on a gorgeous pass later in the period that almost netted another goal, and he has an other-worldly chemistry going with Atkinson and Foligno already despite not having played or practiced with them AT ALL through training camp.

"Every day I'm feeling more comfortable," Johansen said. "That's the goal for me, and my job is to get to the level I want to be at. I just keep trying to improve every day."

After an odd Foligno/Jamie Benn fight to end the period, the Jackets' fans saluted them as they went to the dressing room all square, a far cry from the end of the first period.

End of 2nd - 2-2 Tie

3rd Period

The third period had a feel of "next goal wins," and as it turns out that was the case. Atkinson almost did it in the first minute, as he blocked a shot at the blue line which gave him a full-ice break-away. He deked, and put the puck into Lehtonen's pads, but then immediately dropped his stick in disgust.

"My stick was broken the entire break-away," Atkinson said. "As soon as I went forehand to backhand, I could tell. I just tried to go five-hole, to get the puck on net. As soon as I blocked the shot, it just snapped."

That would loom large, as the Stars--again--had the jump early in the period. Both teams had their chances, as they finished the game tied with 35 shots apiece. But, it was the Stars' top line--again--that had the answer. Jamie Benn was again afforded too much time and space, and he gathered the puck high near the left point. He ripped a slapshot that Seguin was able to redirect as he was being taken down in front of the goal. Bob never had a chance.

3-2 Stars - Tyler Seguin (2nd, 2nd of game) at 12:16, from Jamie Benn and Alex Goligoski - EV

When I asked Bobrovsky if he had a chance to even see the puck change direction, he said that he didn't. "It was too close."

"Not much you can do about a guy falling and tipping the puck in," said Johansen.

The Jackets certainly had their chances to tie it back up, including multiple looks from Matt Calvert and Wennberg. In the final minute with Bobrovsky pulled, they had three faceoffs in the Stars' zone, with their best look coming with about 30 seconds left as Atkinson ripped a shot from the blue line through traffic and with Hartnell camped out in front, but in the end they just couldn't solve Lehtonen.

"We weren't ready," Foligno said. "We weren't ready for the start of the game, and I don't know what the reason for that is. We looked like we were flat, we didn't have a lot of jump in our game. They were a hungry team, and we knew that. We just didn't match their intensity. It cost us tonight. We battled back, but they find a way to get another one and we just couldn't find the equalizer. But, that's what happens when you start games late."

Benn would feed Cody Eakin, who hit Seguin for the empty net tap in with 1 second on the clock to give Seguin a hat trick.

4-2 Stars - Tyler Seguin (3rd, 3rd of game) at 19:59, from Cody Eakin and Jamie Benn - EV/EN

Final Score - 4-2 Stars

Standard Bearers

• Ryan Johansen - Two goals, three assists, five points in three games. Without playing in training camp. If they can all stay healthy, that line is going to be scary good.
• Jamie Benn - That dude is a destroyer. I know Seguin got the hat trick, but Benn did most of the heavy lifting. Good Lord, if the Stars ever get another winger to play with those two, look out. I mean, for real.
• Goaltending - I thought both goalies were great tonight. Kari Lehtonen was just a little bit better, and despite a shaky second period I thought he won this game for Dallas. "He played really well," Foligno said. "We thought after the two we could keep pushing, but he closed the door pretty well."

Bottom of the Barrel

• Early Period Effort - Obviously, the first was costly. But, I felt like the Stars drove the play in the early parts of all three periods. For the Jackets to have ignored their coach's pleas for a fast start hurts, especially since they fell behind 2-0 so quickly.
• Matt Calvert - I don't know if he's snake-bit, or what, but he looks like he's the one that missed all of training camp. I know once he gets that first one, it will all settle down. But man, he can't buy a goal right now, and he had some prime chances.
• 40's line - Hartnell finished -4 on the night and had just two hits. Wennberg is almost as snake-bit as Calvert, but you can see the hockey IQ. Anisimov was invisible for a lot of the night. I feel like that line's going to break out again soon, especially once Wennberg breaks the seal, but tonight they were a combined -10.
• Marko Dano - Tough night for the kid, as he got bumped down to the fourth line (deservedly so). That said, he did draw the tripping penalty from which the Jackets got their PP goal that tied it up in the second.

This one stings a bit, but the Jackets get a chance to get back in the win column Friday night when a pretty bad Calgary team visits Nationwide.

Though there's a lot of good in the Blue Jackets' start so far, there's still some issues that should be looked at before bad habits set in.

Last night's loss to the Dallas Stars was painful for several reasons - being the first of the year is never fun, but in particular seeing the team battle back on the strength of Ryan Johansen's two goals and then fail to pull themselves ahead was a frustrating time.

It's pretty obvious that the team was struggling with the Stars speed early, and had issues adjusting their forecheck. But even once they began to get their feet under them, other problems began to rear their head - and in some cases, they've been showing up since game one in Buffalo.

One and Dones

If you look at a lot of the goals scored so far this year, you see some great individual efforts. Jack Skille's hard charge up the wing against Enroth. Nick Foligno going above and beyond against the Rangers. Ryan Johansen's snipe off the dot last night.

But they also have something in common - they are the result of one guy either getting space and making it happen, or bursting through the neutral zone and turning that momentum into a clear shot.

Watching last night's game in particular, the amount of one and done shots or dumps into the zone was noticeable - and that lack of offensive pressure makes life a lot easier for any defender.

By contrast, you have the Jackets' power play goal last night, or Cam Atkinson's first goal against New York - the product of concerted pressure, keeping the zone, and putting guys at the net where they will be able to do damage.

The overreliance on single efforts has a distinct whiff of the Bad Old Days, and has to be coached against. There will always be times to take advantage of miscues or to find the lane, but this team has been at their best when they work as a group, and they need to follow that. Keep the puck moving, hold possession in the offensive zone, and good things happen.

Speaking of which:

Get To The Net

If there was a theme last night, it had to be missed opportunities. Too many times the Jackets put a puck through the crease or off the end boards looking for a redirect or tap-in, and nobody was home. Some credit should be given to defenders for this, but in almost every game (the win against New York perhaps being the exception), players were more likely to be on the perimeter.

It's particularly confusing in the case of a guy like Scott Hartnell, who has previously made his bones by getting up close and personal around the crease.

Which brings up one last thing I've been noticing:

Do The Work.

Please don't get me wrong - I am glad that Ryan Johansen is making an impact so quickly after his hold out, and that guys like Foligno and Cam are benefiting from it, but even at three games in, there's a marked drop in players on the scoreboard - or, if you're looking at things like the scoring chances and zone entries over at BS Hockey, the guys who are generating opportunities.

There's a marked shift from the "top line" to the rest of the roster in terms of generating offense and carrying play into the offensive zone, and that's dangerous. This roster was assembled to be a four line team - relying on your top players to generate the offense while others try to (ineffectively) stop the bleeding elsewhere is a recipe for major trouble.

It's early, and three games is a VERY small sample size to look at, but the team has two days of practices and video before they meet Calgary on Friday, and that means it's a chance to stop the bad habits before they start.

This team can roll their opponents over when they put the work in, and make sure that all four lines (and the defense) are pushing play up the ice. The coaching staff is aware of this, and they've been pushing that philosophy among the calls to "play fast."

Will getting players like Dubi and Jenner back help? Absolutely. But the guys on the ice can't wait for them - these games matter, and we've seen what a difference a good start can make.

The players have been on board with this, and I don't think there's a conscious decision otherwise. But when it's clear there are problems, you can't just hope they'll go away.

The stuttering start to Dallas' season has given fans much to consider. Here, we take a look at lists of three, and try and make sense of it all.

Three games. That's all the Dallas Stars have actually played, but it almost feels like an entire season, doesn't it? Those three games could not possibly have been any more different, nor could they be any more instructive. Sample size means we should probably stay away from the serious #fancystats, but there are a handful of numbers I found interesting. In honor of where we are in the season, I'll keep to groups of three. Each group explains, a little bit, what we've seen so far, and what we should keep our eyes on as we move forward.

1-1-1 / 3 pts / 8th

They'll matter more in a month, but those three numbers are the most important. Dallas' record, number of points, and position in the NHL's Western Conference. To me, they're good gut-check numbers. One good game, one terrible game, one game that bounced a bit between the two extremes. The takeaway here? Things could be much, much worse.

17 / 12 / -5

The number of penalties Dallas has taken, the number of penalties Dallas' opponents have taken, and their overall differential. On opening night, Dallas enjoyed more power play opportunities than the Chicago Blackhawks, but since then the pendulum has swung wildly in the other direction. The efforts of Dallas' penalty kill have been admirable, but every minute they have to do their job is a minute of severely enhanced risk for the Stars. More importantly, it's time on the bench for the strength of the Stars' team: it's offense.

4 / 3 / 1

The number of times Dallas has taken a lead this season, given up a lead this season, and reclaimed a lead this season. The first number is actually quite encouraging. Leads are good, that's how you win (analysis like that is why they pay me the big bucks!), and by that measure Dallas has been in position to win every time they've played. Unfortunately, those same Stars have gone on to surrender a lead in every single game they've played, and only once - during last night's tilt in Columbus - have they been able to make a comeback that has resulted in victory.

+9 / -6 / -10

Which brings us to Dallas' shot differential in the first, second, and third period, respectively. After opening the season with two dominant periods of hockey against the Blackhawks, the Stars failed to outshoot Nashville, and fought Columbus to a draw. What's particularly galling, to me, is the way Dallas has seemed to fade as games wore on, especially against Nashville and Chicago. Is the drop off a lingering effect of the illness issues Dallas carried through the preseason, is it a conditioning issue, or is the reality of Lindy Ruff's pace-based attack that the team simply will not be able to press for a full 60 minutes? Whatever the reason, it needs to get fixed for Dallas to make any noise in a hyper-competitive conference.

0:00 / 11:10 / 12:10

Okay, the first one is admittedly mean, but those numbers are Erik Cole's total time on ice so far this season. Cole, if you remember, received glowing reviews coming out of the preseason, and was expected to help power Dallas' new two-headed monster of offense. Things have not gone according to plan. Instead, Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky have spent just as much time with Patrick Eaves along for the ride. Not by coincidence, the unit has yet to score at even strength.

10:53 / 14:32 / 0:00

Sticking with the theme, those are Valeri Nichushkin's minutes. Blame illness and injury this time. The young Russian has been ravaged by both, and clearly not himself thus far this season. His ineffectiveness has deprived Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin of their expected wingman, and forced Coach Ruff to juggle both of his scoring lines. The fact his hip complaint has yet to be officially diagnosed is of serious concern to Stars fans, and makes it absolutely critical someone else step up offensively. We spent all summer talking about Dallas' dangerous over-reliance on their first line, and GM Jim Nill went out into the market aggressively to try and fix the problem. Early returns have been long on promise, but so far woefully short of results.

3 / 8 / 10

Combined shot totals, by game, for Seguin and Benn. A.K.A. the "just relax" statistic. Thankfully, the duo dropped the hammer on poor Columbus, which makes this point a bit easier to get across. Dallas' dynamic duo is getting theirs, and as last night proved, the goals will inevitably follow. Now if the rest of the team could just follow along, we'd be in business.

Jonas Hiller saw Chicago put 50 shots on goal. He stopped 49 of them for an overtime win in Chicago on Wednesday night.

First Period

The Blackhawks and Flames started out at 6:13 PM (Patrick) sharp and I was immediately impressed by just how much faster the Blackhawks seem than the Flames. Still the first good scoring chance went to the Flames when Devin Setoguchi broke in on the right wing and just missed a centering pass to Sean Monahan at the two minute mark.

The Blackhawks got their first power play with less than four minutes gone when Ladislav Smid flipped the puck into the crowd for a delay of game penalty. Chicago got three good chances to score, but the Flames managed to clear it out of the zone three times to match them. Mikael Backlund even managed to get a shorthanded shot on the net (which I couldn't later find in the shot count, hmmmm...).

At the six minute mark, Ben Smith and Daniel Carcillo broke into Calgary’s zone for a two-on-one break which looked like a sure thing. Jonas Hiller made an impressive lunging save to his right to save the puck at the last possible microsecond to keep the scoreboard untainted.

At the 8:18 mark, Ladislav Smid earned another two minute minor when he tripped Brandon Saad breaking toward the Calgary net. Chicago again got some really good chances, but didn’t manage to break the seal as the Flames repeatedly cleared the puck out of the zone. As the penalty expired, Paul Byron had a breakaway chance, beating Corey Crawford but getting foiled by the left crossbar.

With 12 minutes gone, the Flames committed their third penalty of the period when Brandon Bollig hooked David Rundblad. The Flames looked even better on their third chance to kill, clearing the puck three more times and not allowing Chicago a single shot on the net. Even so, the Flames were not generating any offense at all, managing just two shots through the entire period.

Stray thoughts & simple stats

Chicago is clearly the better team - but the Flames are playing hard enough to match them on the scoreboard. Calgary was all defense, going three-for-three on the penalty kill. Jonas Hiller saved all 18 of Chicago’s shot attempts.

The bottom line after period one is that no matter how obviously the Flames were outclassed on the offensive end of the ice, they are going to butter their bread this season with their defense. The penalty kill climbed from 61% to 69% in one period, and lets face it, it couldn’t have gotten much worse.

Shots-on-Goal: Let me reiterate. 18-to-2, Blackhawks. Niklas Hjalmarsson had four, Dan Carcillo and Brad Richards had three each. Mark Giordano and Brian McGrattan led the Flames with one shot each.

Faceoffs: Blackhawks, 13-to-7. Mikael Backlund has won five-of-12 to lead the Flames. Jonathan Toews is best on the Hawks with a 6-for-8 success rate.

Hits: Flames 7-to-3. Kris Russell has two, five Flames and three Hawks are tied for second with one each.

Blocked Shots: Flames 6-to-3. Raphael Diaz leads all players with two. Four Flames and three other Blackhawks are tied with one.

Everyone on Twitter should follow @BoringMonahan.

Curtis Glencross just sent a text saying he was having toast for breakfast. I asked what toaster setting he uses and he said 4.

— Boring Sean Monahan (@boringmonahan) October 8, 2014

Second Period

Chicago didn’t take much time to get on their fourth man advantage of the evening, when TJ Brodie held Marian Hossa just 40 seconds into the period. The assault on Hiller, meanwhile, just kept picking up steam, with eight more shots on goal in just the first five minutes. At that pace, he’ll finish the game with a 62-save shutout. Calgary didn’t have any until the 5:02 mark - amazingly, by Brian McGrattan, his second and the Flames third.

Johnny Gaudreau nearly put the puck on the net halfway through the period, but pulled it just wide left, and did not get a shot on goal.

At the 11-minute mark, the Flames broke out of the zone after a Travis Bickell whiff on the puck. After bouncing it around the zone for a bit, the play was whistled dead. Off the ensuing faceoff, Dennis Wideman wired one home from the blue line to finally open the scoring at the 11:55 mark. Joe Colborne earned his fifth assist of the season just for winning the faceoff. Hey, whatever it takes, man!

Patrick Sharp almost got one past Hiller with 13 minutes gone, but just almost. Matt Stajan hit Jonathan Toews but good against the board a minute later, followed by a well timed block by a perfectly placed Wideman.

Speaking of Wideman being in position, he was again in the right place at the right time when Marcus Kruger interfered with him right next to the Flames’ goal for the first man advantage of the evening for Calgary just two minutes later. The Flames allowed as many scoring chances as they took, allowing Chicago a shorthanded odd-man rush and showing an inability to set up in the offensive zone.

With one minute remaining, Kris Russell ran over Crawford, earning Calgary’s fifth penalty of the night. Chicago was unable to cash in, and the third will open with an abbreviated power play.

Stray thoughts & simple stats

Holy endorphins, Batman! Jonas Hiller may be a superhero, and is definitely my latest man-crush. Chicago is a great team, as anyone with eyes can see. It has to be demoralizing to not be able to get one past this guy.

Wideman takes a lot of flak for being, and I quote, "horrible," but I have always thought he was a cut above. He always plays better when he gets a ton of minutes, as he has so far tonight.

So the penalty kill looks better tonight, but the power play looked dreadful.

Shots-on-Goal: Blackhawks 32-10, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Patrick Kane, and Patrick Sharp are tied with a game high four. TJ Brodie and McGrattan have two apiece for the Flames. Chicago has taken 75% of all shots through this game through the second. I'd say that Calgary would qualify as an "outlier" in the Corsi and Fenwick ratings.

Faceoffs: Blackhawks 23-17, Mikael Backlund is 11-for-21, Matt Stajan brings up the rear, going 0-for-5. Jonathan Toews has won 11-of-17 for Chicago.

Hits: Flames 11-to-7, Mikael Backlund, Curtis Glencross, and Kris Russell each have two, as does Andrew Shaw for Chicago.

Blocked Shots: Flames 20-8, Raphael Diaz leads the way with a Russell-like six, while Russell has three.

Third Period

So the period started with the Flames a man short, but Chicago again couldn’t get anything going. Saad tried to stuff one home just inside post just after the end of the power play, but Hiller had position.

Mikael Backlund took a dish from Brodie and lace a good looking one-timer on Crawford at the three minute mark, which was stopped with relative ease.

The Blackhawks started skating with a little, dare I say, desperation at around the six minute mark. Although you wouldn’t know it by the shot count, by this point just three-to-three in the third. A panicked Chicago team is a scary thing to contemplate. It was at this point, with 12 and a half minutes remaining, that Devon Setoguchi was called for holding Brad Richards’ stick, giving the Blackhawks a sixth chance with the extra skater.

Calgary won the draw in their own zone, and skated it all the way down the ice. After Chicago regained the offensive side of the ice, they got nice and set up, but couldn’t even reach Hiller before the Flames cleared it out, then they did it again. When the bad guys got back to the zone with 30 seconds left, an offsides call derailed them. Calgary won the ensuing face-off, then Mark Giordano held Patrick Kane’s stick behind the net. Not sure why he wasn’t called for a penalty, but I’m not complaining.

At this point, Calgary was trying really hard to slow the pace down, and they were pretty successful at playing keep away for a largish swath of three minutes or so after the penalty expired. Gaudreau dished a nice pass out to a centered Paul Byron with eight minutes left in regulation, but nothing came of it.

Hossa and Kane caught an apparently out of position Hiller flailing on the ice a second later, but somehow he managed toturn the puck away. Russell foiled a Kane breakaway with six minutes left, but was called for hooking in the attempt. Chicago power play, chapter VII.

Shaw redirected a shot by Sharp off less than 10 seconds into the man advantage. Shutout over. So, for those counting (and I know you all were), that was one goal versus 37 saves for Hiller. I mean, whaddaya want? He’s just one guy, not a superhero (after all).

The teams skated up and down the ice for the next few minutes, interrupted by a near-death experience for the Flames as Hossa redirected not one but two shots on a clearly up-for-redemption Hiller.

After a commercial break, I stopped taking notes for a moment as the two minute mark passed. I did this so that I could watch the game while standing up, hands on head, bouncing on my heels with every ebb and flow of the game. Each team had some last minute chances. Hossa put one in Hiller’s glove with less than a second remaining. Points for everyone!

Stray thoughts and simple stats

It took seven power plays and 38 shots for the Blackhawks to solve Hiller. The guy went on the road with his new team to play against probably the best offense in the NHL and played shorthanded for nearly a quarter of the game. I’d say he’s earned a little respect.

TJ Brodie’s a pretty sharp skater. I saw him make two guys miss really badly with 40 seconds left in regulation. He stopped short to fool the first and made the second fall down with a second move.

Shots-on-Goal: Blackhawks 46-16. Kane and Sharp with six, Carcillo with five for Chicago. McGrattan led the Flames with three, one in each period.

Faceoffs: Blackhawks 33-26, Monahan is six-for-eight, Backlund is 16-for-30. Chicago was paced by Toews, with 13-for-24 and Shaw, who was eight-for-13.

Hits: Flames 16-12, Shaw led both teams with three, five Flames and two other Hawks had two each.

Blocked Shots: Flames 30-11. Russell and Diaz tied with six. No Blackhawks with more than two. So yeah, that’s 47 shots on goal and 30 more that were blocked.

OVERTIME

Calgary won the draw and collected themselves in their own zone before the Hawks stole it and got set up in Calgary’s zone. Byron got a breakaway in all alone on Crawford 45 seconds into it, his second such chance of the night, but easily turned aside.

Chicago got set up again pretty fast afterward, and I have to say I loved the sound of the soft "thud" on Hiller’s pads as he made his 50th save of the night. The Hawks played a little tic-tac-toe and got a quality shot on Hiller with two minutes left but Hossa pulled it just wide. This was followed immediately by Byron with yet another breakaway and yet another puck in Crawford’s glove.

With 30 seconds left in the game, Brodie slid the puck across to Mikael Backlund at center ice. Backlund whipped it past Crawford just under his glove side with 24 seconds left. With his 50 saves, Hiller took the first star. Backlund earned the second with his game winner, and Andrew Shaw took home the consolation prize with the third.

For those counting, the Flames are now 3-1 on this road trip and 3-2 overall. It's the first win streak of the season!

The Flames will conclude their road trip with contests against the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Friday and against the Jets in Winnipeg on Sunday. Keep it locked down here at Matchsticks and Gasoline for all of your Flames news.

Kevin Schroeder got his job dancing at Columbus Blue Jackets games more or less by accident. He's kept it by refusing to turn down, ever. That and some strategic shirtlessness.

It's strange, maybe, that this was the first place my mind went upon watching the video, but I imagined Kevin Schroeder conferring, maybe even rehearsing, with the man who was wearing the full-body bear costume. Nothing too complicated, just "I will grind on you at this point in the song, get real low at this other point," that sort of thing.

Dancing Kevin assured me that this is not how it happened.

You've seen the video, and so you've seen Schroeder. He is almost instantly shirtless, and there is a message exhorting the Columbus Blue Jackets written on his pale and pendulous belly. He is dancing, and dancing extremely hard at that, and then Schroeder is pouring not one but two tall boys of Labatt's Blue not so much into as onto his mouth. And after that -- it does not make sense, but remember that this is happening on the Jumbotron at a NHL game, and so it sort of does -- Schroeder is dancing with and then very quickly dancing all up on the man in the bear costume.

This roughly times up with the moment when the bass drops in DJ Snake's "Turn Down For What," and it is the sort of thing that -- just given the sudden physical intimacy between beefy gyrating shirtless man and the man wearing a bear costume on behalf of Labatt beer -- seems like it must've been worked out in advance. But there was no blocking or strategizing with the man in the bear costume, Schroeder told me.

To the extent he remembers any of it, that is. Schroeder -- who works a day job with 17th Star Distributing, a craft beer distributor in Columbus, Ohio, dabbles in stand-up comedy and is best known on the internet and at Blue Jackets games as Dancing Kevin -- does not generally remember what happens in the moments when he starts dancing in front of tens of thousands of people.

"First off, I'm totally terrified," Schroeder told me. "Absolutely and totally terrified. I get up, I start swaying back and forth, and then I black out and just start flailing around. I don't really see anything, everything's blurry. I must hear the song, I guess, because I dance to it. But I don't comprehend it."

This is how dancing is supposed to work, mostly, and it is more or less how it has worked for Schroeder at Blue Jackets games for over a decade. It is planned, and it is part of the game, right up until the moment when it's not. This is when it gets weird, and when it gets good.

After a moment, Schroeder goes back to clarify a point regarding what he does and doesn't think about while dancing, shirtless, in front of thousands of strangers.

"I used to do a lot of nipple-rubbing, which I was told not to do anymore. Which, I completely understand. I think they're totally right. But I have to make a conscious effort not to do that. That's about the only thing I'm thinking about."

★★★

What Dancing Kevin does at Blue Jackets games is not a new thing, really. Something has to go on the Jumbotron during commercial breaks and lulls in the action. Teams long ago figured out that putting someone on a gigantic screen, at the bull's eye of thousands of points of peer pressure, is enough to get otherwise reasonable civilians to hit the Shmoney Dance harder than would seem possible, or to kiss the person next to them, or do whatever other request is spelled out in big, bright letters on the screen.

Sometimes this is done better than others. You never notice that Todd Rundgren's "Bang On A Drum All Day" is actually 22 minutes long until you see the fans at a Professional Bull Riding event attempt to dance for that song's entire duration. But this sort of thing is, at this point, done more or less everywhere.

And for as long as teams have put people on those gigantic screens, people have understood the rules of getting on the Jumbotron. At a meaningless Sunday afternoon Blue Jackets game -- he recalls that there "really wasn't anyone at the arena that day" -- Schroeder leveraged this knowledge.

"There was a guy standing on the Zamboni with a camera getting pictures of people dancing," he says. "And my girlfriend really, really wanted to be on the Jumbotron. And by the third period, I said, 'Do you really want to get on?' and she said yeah and I said, 'fat guy dancing, that'll get you on.'"

It did. And when Schroeder playfully pushed his girlfriend away and danced even harder during his moment on the Jumbotron, the crowd erupted. Later in the period, the Blue Jackets replayed the footage, to something like the same response. The most important thing to know about this particular performance is that it happened in 2002.

The other thing to know is that, for some time, it kept happening without Schroeder -- who at the time lived in Manitou Springs, Colo. -- even knowing about it. "People from home kept asking me, 'are you in town, are you at the game?' And I was just like, 'um, no.'" One day, at a Subway in his Colorado town, a family struck up a conversation with Schroeder after noticing his Blue Jackets hat.

They talked about the team, until the moment that the father figured out why Schroeder seemed so familiar. "You're the guy from the JumboTron," he said.

Schroeder did not strictly know that he was the guy from the Jumbotron, but quickly figured out that the Blue Jackets had been re-running his improvised dance routine for some time. He emailed an address on the team's home page and offered to reprise the performance whenever the team would have him; he worked for an airline, then, and the Ohio native was back in Columbus fairly often.

Schroeder says he was surprised when he heard back. The team would be happy to have him whenever he was in town, he was told. The Blue Jackets brought Schroeder out for the team's opener after the 2004 lockout, and he decided to add a new dimension to his performance.

"I told my girlfriend, 'paint CBJ on my belly. Also, I'm going to be taking my shirt off.' She was like, 'whatever, okay.'"

★★★

It is easier now that Schroeder has moved back to Ohio -- "I moved back last spring," he says, "after we beat Nashville" -- just in terms of logistics. He no longer has to rush from the airport to Nationwide Arena; the job of writing messages on his belly is no longer the sole duty of his friend Alex Wong, who was also generally his ride from the airport. ("The poor guy," Schroeder says.)

A rotating crew of Schroeder's friends does the honors, now, with Schroeder serving as a sort of art director. "If a player's doing well -- I think about this for like a week, by the way -- I'll give him some belly love. Or I'll have some sort of message there. Usually my back I save for jabs at the other team. That's 'crack love,' because unfortunately my crack shows."

Schroeder has, over the years, made a sort of cottage industry out of his shirtless, shimmying, shameless self. Someone made him a Facebook fan page; he's busy with work, but is fairly active on Twitter and Instagram.

"Eventually," he says, "sponsors [at Blue Jackets games] started asking, like, 'hey, can the fat guy be there?'" Jay Leno used footage of Schroeder dancing as punchlines in two different bits; once he was Rush Limbaugh, and in another he was Chris Christie. He was noticed further and appeared in television ads in Omaha and Detroit and Edmonton and Halifax.

"They mostly paint their logo on my belly, set up a green screen, and I just dance in front of it," he says. In an ad for a Milwaukee classic rock station that was modeled on the video for Robert Palmer's "Addicted To Love," Schroeder played both Palmer and every member of his backing band. He especially likes that one.

This is not something that is going to make Schroeder rich, or afford him much more than the goofy sort of fame that it already has. It is not, and you do not need me to tell you this, high art. It's a large man, who happens to be very good at dancing, doing his darnedest to keep his hands off his own nipples during the couple of minutes that he spends being watched by thousands of strangers. He is unique in how he does this, but there are people like Schroeder in other arenas and stadiums, and other sports.

All true enough, but none of that takes away from what Dancing Kevin does, or how he does it. Most work is pretty insignificant at bottom, and investing even a small portion of our emotional well-being in the ups and downs of a team of athletic strangers is not really the smartest decision, either. In both cases, we redeem and elevate what are mostly silly pursuits by what we bring to them; whatever nobility or importance there is in most of the work we do or the things we care about is stuff we carry there ourselves.

Of course, this is mostly just what it is. A man danced with another man in a bear costume, and he'll do some similar dance at some other home game; people laughed and cheered, and they'll do it again whenever he does it next. There is no reason to be too serious about something so silly; Schroeder himself isn't. But there's no sense in pretending that it doesn't mean anything, either.

For Blue Jackets' forward Nick Foligno, that last 365 days have been quite a roller coaster.

Fatherhood isn't easy.

Pretty much all new dads know this, but we try to prepare for it as best we can. But, there's no real way to be prepared. It can, often-times, feel like one is at the mercy of a tiny human who depends on you for literally everything. When you're a professional athlete, with a demanding travel schedule and the need for sleep, that can be compounded. Throw in an unexpected health issue, and your whole world can be turned upside down.

But, as they always do, the games go on. And sometimes, we forget that the people playing these games are actual human beings with lives and families. We look at their size, strength, speed, and amazing athletic abilities and forget that they, too, are just people who have to deal with health concerns and worries.

For Blue Jackets winger Nick Foligno, it all came together in this way last October. And, the journey from then to now was one full of ups and downs--thankfully more ups than downs in the long run--that ultimately led to one of the biggest moments in franchise history. And finally, this October, to being in the best situation of his life and career. I sat down with him after practice on Thursday, and he graciously discussed the last year of his life--both at home and at the rink--with me.

Nick came to training camp in 2013 knowing that his wife Janelle was due to give birth to their first child almost any day. As anyone who has gone through those final days of waiting for the birth of their first child knows, sometimes the uncertainty can be the toughest part. Combine that uncertainty with the start of a pro sports training camp full of expectations, and things can get ever trickier. "It's always in the back of your mind," Nick said. "You don't know what to expect. I actually had some other teammates going through it, so you're hearing stories from them, and that's making you think about it. But, my focus was on hockey and making sure I was ready to play. It was an exciting time. The birth was amazing. It was really special to be able to be there, and to be a part of that with my wife and share that with her... we can't say enough about how great that experience was. I'm so happy to have a beautiful daughter."

Nick and Janelle welcomed their daughter Milana on October 14 of last year. He missed a three game road trip to be with his family, which as we know is not always the choice that athletes choose--or are able to choose--to make. And, as most new parents find out, "sleep" isn't really something you can dictate anymore, either. Hockey players need to keep their bodies in peak condition throughout the season to be at the top of their games. How does one stay rested as a new parent in the very early stages of a new hockey season?

"Well, you have to have a good wife, that's for sure," he said. "She was pretty important in making sure I was sleeping. You want to be there for them, and it's exciting too. Your first time waking up for a cry is pretty interesting. It was awesome to come home and have a daughter. You can easily put up with the crying and the changing of diapers. You just kind of adapt. You realize it's not about you anymore. That was a big eye-opener, but a great one. Obviously, we didn't have a normal start to childhood and parenthood with being in the hospital, but I think [with the hockey] you just have to find a way. It's your job. You have to be professional about it and find a way to get ready for every game. I think I did that."

Unfortunately, the Folignos found out within the first couple of days that Milana had a congenital heart defect that required a heart valve transplant. Originally, they had hoped to put the surgery off to give Milana a chance to grow and get stronger. However, it was quickly apparent that she would need to have the surgery sooner so that she could really thrive. The surgery was done in Boston on November 8, and Nick missed three additional games around that time to be with his family.

But, as this team has shown time and time again, their mental character and makeup is in many ways what defines them and what makes them such a formidable team. "I think that made it that much easier [to be away from the team], knowing the guys were OK, and were very concerned," Nick told me. "It meant a lot to my wife and I, the support we got from teammates and the organization, friends, family. It allowed us to stay strong for Milana and make sure she pushed through. I couldn't believe the support I got from these guys."

Nick was back on the ice on November 14, and was with the team full time again from that point on. But, as the season wore on and the team started to climb out of their early season hole, Nick worked to find the balance between hockey and home life. One of the most under-quantified skills a professional athlete needs to have is the ability to focus, and to put outside distractions to the side while they're playing. For Foligno, though, he carried his daughter in his mind the entire way through the grind of the regular season.

When I asked him if there was ever a point that he was able to focus only on hockey, he paused briefly. "Probably in the playoffs," he said. "That was about it. Obviously when I came to the rink, my job was to play hockey, and that was my release from everything else that was going on. She's always in the back of your mind, but you have a job to do. But she was never far from my mind. I think it wasn't until the playoffs that I realized, 'OK, everything 's OK at home right now,' and I could focus more of my attention on hockey."

As if all of this turmoil wasn't enough for Foligno, as the team rounded into form and pushed for a playoff spot in the spring, Nick was forced to miss the final six games of the regular season and the first two games of the Jackets' first round playoff series in Pittsburgh as he battled a lower body injury. While he obviously wanted to be out there playing with his team as they finished their season, there was a small silver lining with being injured: it meant that he had more time at home with his family.

"I think the biggest thing was it allowed me to help my wife out," he told me. "Unfortunately, not being with the team I probably drove her nuts a little bit, but I was able to help her with getting up at night when our daughter still wasn't sleeping well from being in the hospital. [It helped to have] things like that where you're able to lend a hand, whereas when you're with the team you're always traveling and have to be at the rink all day. [The injury] allowed me to help out at home and maybe give my wife a bit of a break."

Lost in all of this? Despite missing 12 games during the regular season while also dealing with the ongoing health issues his daughter faced, Foligno notched the highest goal total of his six NHL seasons with 18, and his points-per-game (.56) was the second highest of his career and well above his previous career-average of .42 ppg. Also, of course, the pinnacle, despite all of the off-ice trials, was that he made it back for the Jackets' final four playoff games of the year, and scored arguably the most memorable goal in the history of the franchise in netting the overtime game-winner in Game 4 against Pittsburgh at home... a goal he predicted to his teammates that he'd score during the intermission with his now-famous speech: "I’m going to go out and score the OT goal. I haven’t done a whole lot until now. But I’m going to find a way to score. I hope you don’t mind."

Now that he's had some time to digest that moment, he still smiles but is more pensive about what could have been in that series, as well as the longer-term big picture. "I'm happy I was able to get back into games, and get back to play for [Milana]. It felt really good, with everything that went on, to be able to help the team and score a goal like that in the playoffs, but I would have liked a playoff series win more than anything. I think the way we were coming together at the right time, it made it exciting and hockey was a lot of fun for everybody. It was a nice feather in the cap for me, but I think, more importantly, I like the way our team is headed and, for the first time in a long time, people in Columbus are excited about coming to the rink and watching us play. The guys are excited about what we're doing. I think it translated off the ice as well for me: things were getting back to normal in my house and I think it allowed me to play a little better."

There has been a buzz about this team since that playoff series, and for Nick the season couldn't start soon enough. Coming into camp this season without so many distractions, it has allowed him to simplify his life and, by extension, his game. When asked if the start of training camp was different for him this year, he thought for a moment. "I think so," he said. "Maybe not even just family-wise. I'm more comfortable with the team and what my role is, and how we're playing. I'm finding that I can fit in really well here. Also, someone always said: as long as your family life is in a good place, usually everything else in life is good. So, that was a big part. I finally realized that we're in a good spot as a family. There's still some things to come down the road, but right now we're in a really good place, and Milana is doing really well. So, my focus is on being a good dad, being a good person, and being a good hockey player. When you simplify it that way, it helps."

All of which brings us back to the present. Milana just had her first birthday on Tuesday, and as someone with a child of my own I can tell you that there's nothing quite like that experience of seeing your child celebrate his or her first birthday. For Foligno, it's symbolic of a life more normal, and free of many of the distractions that last year presented. "It's just normal days, now. It's been awesome. She's developing so well. It's just fun to see her do all of her 'firsts', you know, first steps, her first word is 'mama'... everything's 'mama' right now. She's doing great, and it's really nice to see. As a parent, it's so enjoyable to come home and have a family. My wife and I are really enjoying it."

And that's as it should be. They've certainly earned it.

Throughout my conversation with Foligno, I was left with the impression that, first and foremost, he's just a good person. And, the more you talk to the players in the dressing room for the Blue Jackets, the more you can see that the room is full of good people, and that they all genuinely care for each other. When he talked of how the team supported him during his absence for Milana's surgery, he noted something else that stuck with me: "I think that's why I care about this group so much. I want to make sure they know that I appreciate everything they did for me, and I want to work that much harder for them."

And that is something that doesn't show up in box scores, and can't be tracked in a Corsi rating. When guys truly care about each other and are compelled to go the extra mile for each other, the sum is almost always going to be greater than the parts.

Nick Foligno will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. When he talks about this team and how he feels being a part of it, though, one gets the impression that he won't be leaving when that contract time rolls around. With everything that's happened, I asked him if this is the most fun he's ever had playing hockey. He didn't hesitate to answer. "By far, yeah, by far," he said. "We really genuinely get along, and everyone enjoys each other's company. We're so happy for each other when a guy has individual success. I think that's what allows us to have team success. I think if you ask any guy in here, it's probably the most fun they've had in hockey in a long time, and we want that to continue."

A lot can change in a year. I'm sure every one of us knows that, and has lived it to some degree in our lives. The ability to work through adversity, and to put forth your best in the worst of times is what defines character. One need look no further than Nick Foligno and his family. For the near future of this team, one is left with a sense that the dressing room could not be in better hands than it is right now.

***************************

Author's Note: Information from the Boston Children's Hospital Pediatric Health Blog was also used to write this article.

It wasn't long ago the Blue Jackets were in a similar situation as the Flames. In lieu of tonight's matchup we spoke to Andy Newman of our Jackets sister blog, The Cannon, about how hockey in Columbus has progressed since then.

1. It's no secret the Blue Jackets were at the bottom of the barrel a few years ago, but now, it looks like they're building a contender. What would you say has been the greatest factor in the turnaround?

If you had to pin the Blue Jackets turn-around on one guy, it’s no doubt because of Sergei Bobrovsky. But beyond looking at his great play and impressive stats is a philosophy that was put in place by President of Hockey Operations John Davidson, and further practiced by GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Head Coach Todd Richards. Before, this team was top heavy. All about one or two star players (who often were either too young or too far past their prime to really be stars). Now it’s about having a third-line center like Artem Anisimov who scored 22 goals last year. Or Mark Letestu, who’s practically a chameleon, and plays in all situations and excels wherever he’s needed, whether it’s the fourth line or the power play. It’s not just about Ryan Johansen and Bobrovsky. It’s about the team, and that’s what this team was missing for so long.

2. There are a lot of young players on the roster, including a couple of rookies in Alexander Wennberg and Marko Dano. How are they all faring? Who are you most excited about?

Wennberg and Dano have had some early ups and downs, as all rookies do, but overall they’ve been great in the first 3 games. These are guys that are clearly intelligent, and seeing how they seamlessly blend into the roster has maybe been the most impressive thing. Wennberg’s already had some dazzling plays and it’s only a matter of time before he’s a star in the league, whether this year or next.

3. Lineup-wise, how have the Jackets handled Nathan Horton's injuries? Is his loss definitely felt, or have they been able to work around it?

It’s sad to say, but this team hasn’t seen Nathan Horton in the lineup enough to miss him not being in the lineup. This team could challenge the best in the East with a healthy Horton, but the truth is, they’re still doing pretty well without him. Last year, Boone Jenner stepped up. This year, Cam Atkinson looks ready to become a 30-goal scorer. Hopefully we’ll see Horton back on the ice, because by all accounts he’s a great guy and we love having him as part of the Blue Jackets, but it remains to be seen if he’ll ever have an impact, and that’s really unfortunate.

Thanks, Andy! Things don't sound too bad in Columbus now. For more on the Jackets, be sure to check out The Cannon, as well as my answers to Andy's questions here. For more on tonight's game, be sure to take a look at our game preview!

Isn't it nice to know that it is still all about the Bruins for the Habs...

The Bruins scored four freekin' goals last night! Next, the Sabres will host the Bruins Saturday evening at 7 PM.

• Give and take? The Bruins offense improved as their defense stumbled. Oh, and the torch ceremony was "loud and cheesy." [BostonHerald]
• Three takeaway points, looking ahead. [Boston.com]
• Mental mistakes are the biggest obstacle so far, in Andy Brickley's analysis. (With video, 1:36) [NESN]
• Nope, the Bruins are still not in panic mode. [WinnpegFreePress]
• There were shenanigans: Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand were among the miscreants. On the bright side, for stretches, the Bruins' "aggressive forechecking and diagonal, against-the-grain attacking passes" stymied the Habs. [TheGlobeAndMail]
• Tuukka Rask was targeted by a laser pointer coming from the stands. [NESN]
• Soooo... when WILL the Bruins dump this funk they're in? [WEEI]

Elsewhere around the rink:

• Cautionary tale: What happens when an OHL team owner has overblown hockey ambitions for his own son? "Carnage." [TheHockeyNews]
• Lack of progress in training points to Daniel Alfredsson approaching retirement. [DetroitFreePress]
• Are the knives sharpening for Dallas Eakins after another slow start for the Oilers? [Sportsnet]
• Sorry, Rogers, HNIC as we knew it is dead. Here's an obituary. [VanCityBuzz]
• There has not yet been a single payment made on Nationwide Arena, the home of the Blue Jackets. [ColumbusDispatch]
• Alumnus Jimmy Howard spoke about USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. (Video, 2:27) [YouTube]

We chatted with Ari Yanover of SB Nation's Matchsticks and Gasoline before tonight's game against the Calgary Flames.

Ari Yanover is co-manager of SB Nation's Calgary Flames site, Matchsticks and Gasoline. I had a chance to do a brief Q&A with her to get to know the Flames a little better before tonight's game in Columbus. Here's what she had to say.

Andy Newman: Starting off 3-2 has to instill some confidence, but what's it like looking at the Pacific Division and seeing so many possible Stanley Cup contenders? That's a feeling we're familiar with after years in the Central and trying to overcome Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Nashville each season. Can Calgary make a mark this year?

Ari Yanover (Matchsticks & Gasoline): This year? Probably not. Of the Flames' three wins, two have come solely on the back of our goaltenders. You may have heard about Hiller having a 49-save night the other day, and we're definitely not anticipating winning many games that way. That said, I don't think the Flames are going to be in a bad position within their division when they're ready to compete. The Kings could remain scary for a long time, but you never know; the Flames actually beat them in the season series last year. The Ducks are one of those teams that, for whatever reason, just haven't been able to get over the hump, and while players like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are still amazing, they probably won't be in their primes when the Flames (hopefully) enter their window. Then there are teams like the Sharks, who just had an all around bizarre off-season, and the Canucks, who look to be on the decline (maybe not this year, but soon). That just leaves the Coyotes and the Oilers, who the Flames can probably compete with.

So this isn't really going to be the season for the Flames, but when they're ready, the Pacific Division might look a whole lot friendlier to them.

AN: This isn't your father's Flames roster. Who are you expecting to really lead the charge this year?

AY: The Flames probably aren't going to score that many goals this year, so on the offensive side of things, it looks a little bleak. That said, our current leading scorers are pretty much the guys I would be expecting: our top defence pairing, Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie. Both had career seasons last year, and look to only be building on that (Brodie especially - watch out for him). There are a handful of guys coming into their own, like Mikael Backlund and Sean Monahan, that I expect to start going as the season picks up (though I wouldn't be surprised if Monahan can't match his rookie totals).

As for veterans, Jiri Hudler was great for us last year, and it doesn't look like a lot has changed in that department. Mason Raymond also looks like he was a great off-season addition. And fingers crossed for Curtis Glencross, who's in a contract year, and Johnny Gaudreau, who hasn't gotten it going yet, but hopefully that's just a matter of time.

AN: Is Jonas Hiller legit? He had some good years with the Ducks, but not enough to stick around. Is he your goalie of the future, or at 32-years-old, is he just an above average stopgap until someone else comes along?

AY: I can't see Hiller being the goalie of the future. He's great for us right now, and is a massive upgrade on our goaltending last year, but without a crystal ball, he looks like an above average stopgap currently splitting time with Karri Ramo (neither has established themselves as a #1 yet, because both have been putting out great performances).

The Flames look like they're prepping for their prospects. Circumstances are pointing towards Joni Ortio, the AHL's top rookie goalie last season, being in the NHL next season. Jon Gillies has put together a few great years at Providence College, and with him now in his junior season, he could be turning pro soon. In the meantime, the Flames have added Hiller to their goalies in order to create competition with Ramo, and give the Flames a legitimate chance to be in a game every single night.

Of course, since Hiller is the most veteran goalie in Calgary now, he could play himself into an extension, but by the time the Flames are ready to compete, he'll probably be entering his late 30s, and likely won't be much of a force then.

See what I had to say about the Jackets over at Matchsticks and Gasoline!

The Blue Jackets look to get back into the win column as they welcome the Flames to town.

Calgary Flames at Columbus Blue Jackets

October 17, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Matchsticks and Gasoline

Well, the Jackets have had a couple of days to stew about Tuesday's loss and the slow start that defined it. Meanwhile, the Flames are defying expectations (well, mine, anyway) in getting off to a hot start with a three game winning streak. They're not exactly setting the world on fire [rim shot], but they're doing what they have to do to win.

Jonas Hiller's incredible 49-save effort the other night highlights their strength thus far: they have allowed the most shots in the league (183), are second-worst in the league in shots-allowed per game (36.6). But, their goaltenders are saving 93.4% of the shots they've faced, having allowed just 12 (non empty-net) goals on a total of 182 shots.

Hiller isn't playing tonight, but Karri Ramo hasn't exactly been a slouch, either.

For the Jackets, not many changes, other than Marko Dano not being in after missing the last two days of practice with an undisclosed injury.

It's going to come down to Columbus coming out and playing hard early, establishing their speed and forecheck, and not letting Calgary get comfortable. The Flames aren't a high scoring team to this point, but their goaltending has kept them in games and allowed them to hang around and capitalize. The Jackets can't let them do this.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(2-1-0, 4 Points; 5th division, 8th conference)

Calgary Flames
(3-2-0, 6 Points; 4th Division, 4th Conference)

Season Series

10/17/14 - Calgary at Columbus
03/21/15 - Columbus at Calgary

Head to Head Stats

The Blue Jackets look to get back into the win column as they welcome the Flames to town.

Calgary Flames at Columbus Blue Jackets

October 17, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Matchsticks and Gasoline

Well, the Jackets have had a couple of days to stew about Tuesday's loss and the slow start that defined it. Meanwhile, the Flames are defying expectations (well, mine, anyway) in getting off to a hot start with a three game winning streak. They're not exactly setting the world on fire [rim shot], but they're doing what they have to do to win.

Jonas Hiller's incredible 49-save effort the other night highlights their strength thus far: they have allowed the most shots in the league (183), are second-worst in the league in shots-allowed per game (36.6). But, their goaltenders are saving 93.4% of the shots they've faced, having allowed just 12 (non empty-net) goals on a total of 182 shots.

Hiller isn't playing tonight, but Karri Ramo hasn't exactly been a slouch, either.

For the Jackets, not many changes, other than Marko Dano not being in after missing the last two days of practice with an undisclosed injury.

It's going to come down to Columbus coming out and playing hard early, establishing their speed and forecheck, and not letting Calgary get comfortable. The Flames aren't a high scoring team to this point, but their goaltending has kept them in games and allowed them to hang around and capitalize. The Jackets can't let them do this.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(2-1-0, 4 Points; 5th division, 8th conference)

Calgary Flames
(3-2-0, 6 Points; 4th Division, 4th Conference)

Season Series

10/17/14 - Calgary at Columbus
03/21/15 - Columbus at Calgary

Head to Head Stats

It certainly wasn't a banner game for the Flames, but the highlight of this one was a great performance by a former college kid in his first NHL game.

The Calgary Flames' road trip is nearing its end, and thank goodness for that, because signs of exhaustion are really starting to show. It took the Flames a while to get going, but they once again showed us their never give up style of play as they fought the Columbus Blue Jackets to the final buzzer.

First period

It didn't take long for the Jackets to get on the board. After pretty much dominating the first three minutes of the game, something rare happened: Mark Letestu caught Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie, and dished the puck to Jack Skille in front of the net, who quickly tipped it past Karri Ramo.

Already up 1-0, that dominance continued as Giordano took a delay of game penalty. Despite a great initial killing effort from Mikael Backlund, once he was off the ice and the puck was back in the Flames' zone, David Savard, Cam Atkinson, and Nick Foligno were too much for the remaining penalty killers to handle, and Ryan Johansen finished the play with a goal, putting Columbus up 2-0.

And on it went. Brian McGrattan was called for interference, putting the Jackets back on the powerplay early in the game. The Flames avoided getting burned again, but it was all Jackets. Frustrated after even more offensive pressure against, Ladislav Smid ended up tussling with Corey Tropp behind the Flames' net.

Maybe it did something, because finally, after 10 minutes had passed, the Flames got their first shot on net.

Then again, it probably didn't, because the Jackets continued to press while the Flames couldn't get anything going until Skille ran Kris Russell over. That gave the Flames their first powerplay, and finally, some pressure of their own. With fewer than 30 seconds left in it, Calgary finally got into the game, all kicked off by a hard Russell shot. Despite four shots on net, Sergei Bobrovsky foiled the Flames' efforts, and the penalty was killed with the Jackets safely retaining their 2-0 lead.

Josh Jooris made his first strong impression when a bad Blue Jackets change gave him a two on one with Jiri Hudler, but his pass failed to connect, and the Flames were unable to capitalize on a wide open net.

Despite having a better finish to the period, the Flames left it down 2-0. They were actually lucky to, as in the period's dying seconds, the Jackets nearly scored again, but the puck went just wide as the horn blew to spare them.

Second period

The Flames opened the second looking much better. Russell continued to spark the Flames, as he drew his second penalty of the game when Artem Anisimov attempted to hook him. Unfortunately, this powerplay was nowhere near as good as the first, as the Flames managed just one shot on net and were mostly in disarray.

The Jackets quickly took back over. They would have soon been up 3-0 had it not been for Ramo. The fourth line and top D pairing got caught, and some tough bounces nearly had Skille scoring yet again, but Ramo was sharp and able to freeze the puck to limit the damage. He had to do it again soon after, as lackadaisical effort from the Flames resulted in a Johansen pass from behind the net right to Foligno. Ramo held strong to keep it out, and the puck didn't cross the line until after the whistle had gone, keeping them down by just 2.

It didn't matter for long, though. James Wisniewski had a nice cross-ice pass to Letestu, who was standing at the side of the net, behind Ramo. Letestu corralled the puck, and Ramo was unable to beat Matt Calvert, who knocked the puck in to make it 3-0 Columbus.

Jooris' line was sent out after, and the rookie nearly broke Bobrovsky's shutout with a nice move in front of the net, but was unable to corral the puck completely, and it got away from him. Still, he was creating the Flames' best scoring chances of the game about halfway through it.

The Flames continued to press to get on board, with shots by Smid, some good puck control by Matt Stajan until it was promptly ruined by lacklustre linemates, and a backhanded attempt by Sean Monahan, but Bobrovsky wasn't having any of it.

A horrific Brodie giveaway forced by Atkinson led to a flurry of Jackets chances, including Lance Bouma taking a tripping penalty to give Columbus their third powerplay of the game. The Flames generated a scoring chance of their own with Brodie, Giordano, and Colborne all rushing up the ice, but it wasn't meant to be, and the game returned to even strength with Columbus still up 3-0.

Calvert nearly got a breakaway, but a nice hip check courtesy of Rapha Diaz stopped him in his tracks. The Flames then got another chance to get something going, as Michael Chaput was called for a faceoff violation he probably didn't actually commit, but whatever. Calgary got off to a good start, as Giordano made himself open and some nice stick handling gave him a good shot attempt. He was the star of the powerplay, as it seemed to die once he was off the ice.

The penalty was killed, and without many more chances to score, the Flames left the period still down 3-0.

Third period

Diaz, who hadn't been getting much ice time, opened the period and drew a powerplay for the Flames, as Calvert charged him (and left his feet). Brodie kicked off the powerplay with two excellent chances, but just as he had been through the first two periods, Bobrovsky was perfectly composed and stopped them.

Diaz and Russell replaced Giordano and Brodie on the powerplay, and it paid dividends. As the man advantage was coming to an end, the two defencemen controlled the puck, and Diaz's shot ended up going off the forwards on the ice until Curtis Glencross tapped it to Mason Raymond. With the penalty just expired, Raymond had no problem tapping the puck past Bobrovsky to make it a two-goal game, 3-1.

The goal seemed to give the Flames life, and both teams generated good back-and-forth chances throughout the early stages of the third. Jooris was once again part of the rush, as he joined Stajan and Glencross in driving the puck to the net. Stajan got the shot off, but it went high. The Jackets responded with a Chaput shot going right off the crossbar, but fortunately out, to keep the game 3-1.

Jooris came back out, and started generating chances again, this time with a pass back to Backlund. He stayed out on the ice with Stajan, but couldn't get anything going, and was soon off as Stajan was called for high sticking on Wisniewski. The Flames had an aggressive penalty kill, with both Joe Colborne and Backlund getting shots, but while they kept the Jackets from scoring, they were still down by two.

And the Jackets weren't sitting back on their lead. Atkinson (former short Boston College star) and Johansen (former skilled Portland Winterhawks star) (sound familiar?) in particular were pressing. The Flames weren't sitting back, though...

~*~FIRST NHL GOAL ALERT~*~

Giordano, from behind the net, sprung Jooris with a great stretch pass. The rookie, beating out a Jacket on the way, drew it in and roofed it over Bobrovsky's glove with a great wrist shot. Jooris' first NHL goal was an absolute beauty, and gave the Flames new life. Hudler and Dennis Wideman got shots off in quick succession, and were especially pressing until Raymond tripped Calvert.

It was an eventful penalty kill: what should have quickly become a 4-2 game on an Atkinson attempt was somehow denied with an incredibly slick, last millisecond Ramo toe save. And then, absolutely riding it, Jooris got a shorthanded shot off. The penalty was killed with fewer than five minutes to go, and the Flames continuing to press, down by just one.

Jooris was out there in the final two minutes to try to tie it up, and had a good chance in that time. He, Brodie, and Giordano in particular were pressing hard, and Giordano just rang a shot off the goalpost, but it wasn't meant to be. Absolutely gassed, the Flames left it too late to press back, and fell 3-2 to Columbus.

Flame of the game

This one has to go to the rookie in his NHL debut: Josh Jooris. He was sheltered, but after generating a couple of good scoring chances in the first two periods, really broke out in the third. He scored his first NHL goal, generated chances, had three shots in all, two hits, a blocked shot, and led the Flames with an 89% CF rating (albeit with an 88% offensive zone start ratio, third on the team). He did all this in 15:29 of ice time, including powerplay and penalty kill time. What a start.

Stray observations

• Take Stajan away from McGrattan and Brandon Bollig and there is INSTANT. IMPROVEMENT. Who could have seen that coming, other than everybody? He was second in CF on the team at 62%, albeit with 67% offensive zone starts. Still, hey: McGrattan and Bollig started 75% of their shifts in the offensive zone, and yet finished at 38%. Come onnnn.
• Your best, non-sheltered possession forward? Glencross: 60% CF, 33% offensive zone starts. He had a much greater jump to his game.
• Looks like Paul Byron is human after all. He and Backlund started only 17% of their shifts in the offensive zone, and had 33% and 40% CF rates, respectively. They were the most buried of the Flames, but did a respectable job with it. Also - love these two on the penalty kill together. They really have chemistry.
• Brodie led the Flames in ice time, with 25:44. He's also riding a five-game point streak. This year is really going to be his coming out party.
• Though it didn't seem like it at first, this game ended up being rather even overall. The Flames outshot the Jackets 31-26, but both teams finished with 51 corsis apiece. I wouldn't blame this one on Ramo, either; the Flames came out sluggish and waited too long to really get back in the game. Then again, they've played the most games in the NHL, and have been on quite the road trip, so all things considered, they're doing relatively well.

Next game wishes

Unrealistic: #FreeMattStajan. Actually, he might be free now! With the Flames pressing to tie the game, McGrattan and Bollig completely disappeared. So hey, how about scratching both Tweedles Dee and Dum? They weren't even given six minutes of ice time. That's two dead weight roster spots. Johnny Gaudreau and Devin Setoguchi have to be better alternatives, and now Gaudreau's gotten his "watch and learn from above" game in, so...

Realistic: More Diaz! He finally wasn't the least played D, outplaying Smid by nearly two minutes, and he even got almost a minute of powerplay time. It's time to stop sitting him so much, and we may be on the right track here.

THE ROAD TRIP IS ALMOST OVER, HALLELUJAH. On Sunday, Oct. 19, the Flames will be in Winnipeg to play the Jets before getting to fly back home and hopefully get some real good rest for a change. Puck drop will be at 5 p.m. MT on City. See you then!

Here are your daily links, including Manny Malhotra speaking up in the dressing room, Habs supporting the charity Centraide, an interview of Zach Fucale by Roberto Luongo, P.K Subban's relationship with the refs, and more

Montreal Canadiens news

• Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais, Brendan Gallagher and Jarred Tinordi hopped on stationary bikes to fundraise for "Spin-o-don", which goes to Centraide. In case you didn't know, Centraide is a Montreal-based organisation that helps those in poverty. [Canadiens]
• Zach Fucale, as interviewed by Roberto Luongo. Both are Quebec born goalies from Italian families, and they have a lot to talk about. [The Hockey News]
• Manny Malhotra is becoming the team's most vocal leader, according to Carey Price. [ESPN]
• Milan Lucic fined $5,000 for his "obscene gesture". For a sport that loses its mind after P.K. Subban celebrates "too flamboyantly" after a goal, it's an interestingly minimal punishment. [EOTP]
• (French) Jiri Sekac is going to give the puck of his first NHL goal to his uncle, but he would like to dedicate it to his grandfather, who celebrated his 70th birthday that day. (Also, if you haven't seen Sekac's father lose it as his son's goal, please immediately do so). How many male Sekac relatives can one goal benefit? [RDS]
  
• P.K. Subban thinks he has a pretty good relationship with the refs, claiming that he usually takes the positive approach. [La Presse]
• If you're wondering what is this whole Club 1909 thing that Jay Baruchel is selling you, here's a rundown. Cool detail: if you become a member now, you will have your name embedded in the Bell Centre ice the next time it is remade in 2015. [Canada]
• Some joker brought a laser pointer to the game vs. Boston. I'm rolling my eyes right now.

Around the League and Elsewhere

• Nashville Predators will host the 2016 All-Star game. [NHL]
• And how much is this young team worth? $485 million, if you're Charles Wang. Put this into context: Vincent Viola acquired the Florida Panthers for only $160 million.[Forbes]
• Remember the fat, shirtless man dancing at Columbus Blue Jackets games? (YOU SHOULD) His name is Kevin Schroeder, and he has turned dancing shirtless into a part-time career. [SB Nation]
• A core principle from the hockey analytics bible: If you're playing back to back games, play your backup goalie on one of those nights. [NHL]
• Absolutely incredible: non-hockey fans guess what Phil Kessel does for a living based off his photo. [Winging it in Motown]
• The reverse of power rankings - the Connor McDavid rankings. As in, what teams this week look the most like they're about to land the McJesus? A few bad games put the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers in the front of the running. [SB Nation]
• Defensemen are hard to evaluate, but way to do it is looking at their neutral zone scores. Corey Sznajder has been tracking neutral zone play since last year, and he discovered that you can get an idea of puck possession. Get a full rundown here. [Jasper's Rink]

Luongo blanks Buffalo again as Cats post first win of the Gerard Gallant era.

Goals still might be hard to come by for the 2014-15 edition of the Florida Panthers, but Roberto Luongo's 26-save shutout made a second period Sean Bergenheim tally stand up for the Cats' first win under new head coach Gerard Gallant.

Bergenheim scored his first of the season 3:14 into the middle frame, from Brad Boyes and Dmitry Kulikov, to provide all the scoring, as Florida escaped Buffalo a with 1-0 decision. The assists were the first points for Boyes and Kulikov.

After outplaying Ottawa for much of their last game, the Panthers came into Buffalo determined to get the road trip off on the right foot. The Cats outshot the Sabres 16-3 in the first period, but couldn't beat Jhonas Enroth. The Sabres' netminder absolutely stoned Tomas Fleischmann after a Buffalo giveaway.

Bergy finally ended Florida's five-period scoring drought in the second, when he snapped a quick wrist shot through a screened Enroth's pads.

Luongo made two nice stops on Matt Moulson in the second period and was huge in helping the Panthers kill off a 5-on-3 Buffalo advantage in the third on his way to the 67th shutout of his career.

The Panthers killed off all five of Buffalo's man-advantages opportunities, but the Cats' power play woes continued as they also went 0 for 5.

Florida was desperate for a victory and the lowly Sabres were the perfect tonic. The Panthers have now won four-straight against Buffalo. The shots and power-play chances were there for more goals, so it's a little disappointing they only managed one, but that lone one goal equalled a much-needed two points, so I'm sure we'll all take it. The Cats face the 2-0-2 Washington Capitals tonight. Look for goaltender Al Montoya to make his first start of the season.

Odds & Ends

• Last night's game was the first of what should be many meetings between the top picks in the draft, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart.
• Roberto Luongo whitewashed the Sabres for the third-straight time. The first of the trio was when he still with Vancouver in 2013, and the second was on March 7th, a 2-0 Panthers win in his Florida return.
• Jimmy Hayes followed up his impressive season debut with 4 more shots on goal.
• Nick Bjugstad played his best game of the season so far, firing six shots on goals and finishing with 4 hits.
• The loss dropped the Sabres' record to 0-3 at First Niagara Center.
• Matt Moulson led all Buffalo shooters with 5 shots.
• The win was the first for Gerard Gallant in the NHL since his Columbus Blue Jackets beat St. Louis on November 9, 2006.
• Center Dave Bolland suffered a lower-body injury late in the game. Could we finally see Brandon Pirri tonight against the Capitals?
• Shuffe off to Die By The Blade for more on last night's action.

Two-game home stand this week

	Blue Jackets @ Senators Game 5, Saturday, October 18th, 7:00pmSportsnet One
	Previous game Flames, Friday, October 17th	Next game @Sharks, Thursday, October 23rd
	Hot Ryan Johansen - 6P (3G, 3A)	Cold Fedor Tyutin - 0P

The Blue Jackets are off to a strong start this season, with the same 3-1-0 record as Ottawa.  They've looked pretty good doing it, carrying the play to varying extents in all three wins and only really being outplayed in the loss to Dallas.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been strong in the young season.  He's posted a 0.929 SV% so far, and his .912 against Dallas was his only game below .920 and still a pretty good number for a loss.  This is a back to back, though, so we might be seeing Curtis McElhinney's season debut instead.

Ryan Johansen, Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson all have a full-season point streak going.  In addition to the 3 goals and 3 assists for Johansen, Atkinson has 4 goals and 1 assist, and Foligno has 1 goal and 4 assists.

So far the penalty kill has been perfect, though they've also spent the least amount of time on the PK in the league.  The power play has been entirely average so far - not great, not terrible.

	Maple Leafs @ Senators Game 6, Wednesday, October 22nd, 7:30pmSportsnet
	Previous game @Islanders, Tuesday, October 21st	Next game Bruins, Saturday, October 25th
	Hot Tyler Bozak - 6P (3G, 3A)	Cold Jonathan Bernier - 0.882 SV%

Oh, where to start...

The Leafs are 2-3-0 to start the season, though they only really looked in the win against Colorado.

Bernier laid a pair of stinkers in both of his starts, but looked decent against NYR when James Reimer left due to injury.  Reimer has been the reverse - looked good in two games, but not so hot against Detroit.  It's tough to guess who plays on any given night, and the back to back makes it tougher - but my money is on Reimer, given how he usually plays against Ottawa.

The top line of Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak had a rocky start.  They weren't able to do much against Montreal or Pittsburgh, but they came alive on the score sheet against the Rangers and upped their possession game against Colorado and Detroit.  Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul and Daniel Winnik fell apart against Detroit, but did have a solid few games against New York and Colorado even if they didn't find the back of the net terribly well.

The Toronto power play has scored better than 1 in 4 so far this season.  The penalty kill, however, is doing just a bit better than 80%.