Victor Rask and Elias Lindholm key a third-period comeback to lead the Canes to a home-and-home sweep over the Blue Jackets.

What a difference a week makes for the Carolina Hurricanes.

It was just six days ago that the Canes were winless, entering November with hope for the first draft pick but little else. Following Friday night's come from behind 3-2 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in front of 11,540 at PNC Arena, the Canes are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NHL.

The Canes and Jackets played a scoreless first period, although most in the arena felt that Alexander Semin should have put the Canes on top halfway through on a power play. Semin's deflection off a Nathan Gerbe centering pass was initially ruled a goal on the ice, but following a conference the officials decided that he had interfered with Jackets goaltender Curtis McIlhinney and waved the goal off.

However, early in the second the Canes struck when Jeff Skinner took advantage of some careless Columbus puck-handling and backhanded a shot past McIlhinney at 2:43. "I was just trying to poke it off [the defender's] stick, and it got lost in my skates. I kicked it up and tried to get it over his pad."

The Jackets, though, fought back and took the lead into the second intermission following two Scott Hartnell goals, one taking advantage of lackadaisical defending at the end of a long shift at 11:15 and the go-ahead goal at 18:44 when Boone Jenner and Hartnell outfought Jay McClement and Brett Bellemore to the front of the net.

Canes coach Bill Peters mixed the lines up in the third period, and the spark he was looking for was there, as the Canes threw everything at McIlhinney. They were up to 60 shot attempts by the time Victor Rask tied the game at 2, with a laser shot from 40 feet that beat the Columbus goaltender high to the near side. "I didn't like our emotional involvement in the game" in the first two periods, Peters said. "We cranked it up a little in the third and found a way."

From there, Rask's fellow Swede Elias Lindholm took over. Sent off for repairs after taking an uncalled high stick early in the game, Lindholm nearly ended it with seven seconds remaining in regulation with a wrister off a clean faceoff win by Rask. That didn't make it in, but when Eric Staal drew a penalty late in overtime, the table was set for Lindholm to net his third game-winner of the season.

"He's a real smart player," Peters said of Lindholm. "If you continue to work and work through your troubles, you'll get rewarded. He's a great example of that."

Game Notes

• Justin Faulk is the only other player to score a game-winner for the Canes this season. Lindholm finishes the week with four goals, three of them game-winners, and six points during a four-game point streak. Stealing a line from erstwhile CC scribe @HMof2: so, how was your week?
• It's early, but the Canes are undefeated in their black third jerseys. And, of course, #UndefeatedChantel is still a thing.
• Peters said after the game that Anton Khudobin will start tomorrow night against the Capitals. The plan is to revert to the original lines tomorrow night after they were mixed up in the third period tonight, but the coaching staff was planning to discuss on the plane to Washington.
• The Canes' power play goal to end the game ended an 0-for-12 skid against the Jackets over the home-and-home series. The power play has been on a slow downward slide since the start of the season, not scoring more than one PPG since the second game of the season, and now sitting in 17th overall at 18.4%.

Canes Country Three Stars

(3) Scott Hartnell: Really clicked with Boone Jenner on what passes for the Jackets' top line given all of their injuries. Hartnell makes a living scoring dirty goals, and he was right there to do so tonight while generally being his usual annoying self.
(2) Elias Lindholm: What else needs to be said? Lindholm is as hot as any player in the NHL right now. His early season struggles are a distant memory, and despite needing stitches to close the cut across the bridge of his nose (and being rather timid on the puck immediately after coming back), he was probably the Canes' most dangerous offensive presence in the third period and overtime.
(1) Victor Rask: Lindholm was dangerous, but Rask was as consistent as they come tonight. His clean faceoff win (one of six out of nine faceoffs he took tonight) at the end of regulation recalled Rod Brind'Amour in his prime, and only a perfect save from McIlhinney kept Lindholm from winning the game right there. It probably helps to be a rookie and not give the opposition goaltender much to work with in terms of knowing what to expect, but Rask's game-tying goal was a thing of beauty after he did the hard work to create his own shot.

Open Thread Three Snarks

(3) Winter is Coming: "Another thing you definitely don't want on your resume: 'looked like Gerbe was all over McIlhinney'." http://www.canescountry.com/2014/11/7/7175813/blue-jackets-at-hurricanes-open-game-thread#269906532
(2) CoastalCane: "Wisniewski just displayed some CoastalCane-esque hockey skills with that whiff." http://www.canescountry.com/2014/11/7/7175813/blue-jackets-at-hurricanes-open-game-thread#269909050
(1) Kid CHUD: (After a Ward high glove save) "He’s been doing that a lot lately...someone needs to talk w/ him about that." http://www.canescountry.com/2014/11/7/7175813/blue-jackets-at-hurricanes-open-game-thread#269876978

Three Snarks Standings:

Winter is Coming - 9
Flyingv2112 - 6
CanesHockeyFan - 6
JustListenen - 5
StickCheck - 5
Bgallen - 4
MinJaBen - 4
Kid CHUD - 3
caniac233 - 3
brass bonanza - 3
Adrian Havill - 3
CoastalCane - 2
Bob - 2
Will_S13 - 2
sittler27 - 1
zambone - 1
Crashcup - 1

Next up: Canes at Capitals, Saturday, November 8 at 8:00 p.m. (note the different time!) on FS Carolinas and 99.9 The Fan.

The Lightning (9-3-1) open a back-to-back weekend series firstly with the wounded Union Army Hockey Club better known as the Columbus Blue Jackets (4-8-1), whose promising season has been tarnished by injuries and who also played last night against Carolina. They have one thing going for them, though: Tampa Bay has tended to suck when playing at Nationwide Arena, carrying a .389 win percentage after 18 games in franchise history.


Follow @RawCharge

A promising season has taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque for Columbus, but don't let the standings or schedule fool you, the Union Army Hockey Club is better than circumstances show.

Where:  Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
When: 7 PM EST | Tickets: Check availability
Media: Sun Sports (cable) | 970 AM (radio) | Twitter Live Stream
Opponent Coverage:The Cannon, The Dark Blue Jacket

Before the season started, despite the drama invoked by the Ryan Johansen contract dispute, expectations were high for the Columbus Blue Jackets club. The organization is generally headed in the right direction after years of mediocrity. There's promise. It's arguable that Union Army HC is the franchise that has benefitted the most from NHL realignment, as they have more potential natural rivals in the Eastern Conference than they did in the Western Conference (that's an discussion to have at another time).

Columbus, it looked like, was poised to be the Metro Divisions version of the Lightning - an afterthought that could turn heads... And it's done that in the first month of the season, but it's for the wrong reasons. After last night's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus sites in 29^th place in the NHL after 13 games played. They stand a solitary point in front of the Buffalo Sabres in the standings.

You want to know why? Injuries hobbling the club's forward progress. In a way, it's like what Lightning fans envisioned last season after Steven Stamkos went down in Boston - the wheels falling off and everything going to crap (of course that didn't happen). In the case of Union Army, it isn't a single player going down but multiple players going to injured reserve. Artem Ansimov, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Murray and others at forward and on the blue line are shelved. Sergei Bobrosvsky, #1 netminder for Columbus, is there with them while Jack Johnson is sitting out with a suspension for the moment.

That being said, injuries won't last. This club will heal up in time and compete again. And while this season is too early to be written off as a lost-cause for Union Army, it intimidates me to think of this club winning the draft lottery. This isn't a tank job by an impotent franchise; this is a series of unfortunate events that put a competitive team near the bottom at the moment.

It's also a potential trap for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning swept their homestand and are tied for 3^rd overall in the NHL standings (while at the top of the Atlantic Division). They're facing a Columbus team that played last night while their own eyes might be wandering to Sunday's divisional match at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The Red Wings are 5-2-3 in their past 10 games and a point being the Lightning in the Atlantic- Hold it! See what I mean? Columbus may have played last night, and the Bolts might have a big game tomorrow, but that doesn't mean tonight doesn't have to be played (preferably with the team seriously competing instead of just going through the motions).

It's not just circumstances that make this a trap game, but also the fact the Lightning have a ten dance to travel to Columbus and play a listless game; the Bolts have only played 8 games in Ohio and have lost 5 of them while playing to a tie once (the stat site I am using does not differentiate overtime or shootout losses from loses, while it does separate home form away games). This stresses the fact this is a more dangerous game than it should be; if the team has the wrong mentality, another humiliation game could happen like it did in Edmonton almost three weeks ago.

Ryan Johansen leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) with Nick Foligno and Scott Hartnell trailing him with 13 and 12 points respectively. Also, despite the injuries straddling the club, they stand at 16^th in the league on the power play with a 18.9% efficiency while also standing at 18^th in the league on the penalty kill with a 79.6% kill-rate.

Tyler Johnson seems to have assumed a role comparable to what Marty St. Louis used to do with the

They'll be charged with stopping and overcoming the Bolts formidable play on special teams; the Lightning are 4^th overall in the NHL on the power play with a 24.4% efficiency. The penalty kill unit is formidable on its own, though not as potent - the 83.8% kill-rate is 11^th in the NHL, just a tenth of a point ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Alex Killorn, who is day-to-day with an upper body injury, is said to be getting closer to a return but you shouldn't expect him back tonight against Columbus. Also, top defenseman Anton Stralman, who left the bench during game play Thursday due to injury, is expected to be in the lineup tonight for the Lightning.

Other Game Coverage:

• Tampa Bay Lightning official team preview
• Full coverage on SB Nation
• Live stream of Tampa Bay Lightning coverage on Twitter

The Jackets have no time to stew over their OT loss in Carolina last night. The Lightning are waiting.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue Jackets

November 8, 2014 - 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio Carolina
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Raw Charge

Ugh. There's just not much to like about this game. The Jackets are tired. The Lightning had a day off. The Jackets have lost seven in a row. The Lightning have won four in a row. The Jackets can't score. The Lightning score all too often.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably noticed some negativity from me after last night's OT loss in Raleigh. I feel I should clarify. I still think this team--once it's healthy, if ever--is as good as almost any in the Eastern Conference. The problem that I see--and thus, the frustration--is that they're just not capable of beating anyone right now, and that by the time they get everyone back healthy and perhaps get into a groove, they may be so far behind in their division and playoff races that it may not matter.

I know it's early, and that the Jackets could win just one of these next two games and STILL be in better position than last year's club.

I also know, however, that we're currently just one point ahead of Buffalo for last in the Conference, and unlike last season, game #16 isn't going to ice a full roster that can start to climb like last year's club. They may be more than a quarter of the way through the season before everyone is healthy. Can we honestly just brush it off and say, "Oh, they'll be fine?"

They need to start winning games, or at least getting more points in losses.

Suffice it to say, I'm not optimistic tonight. The Lightning are loaded offensively, and though their defense is middle of the pack, the Jackets' offense is putting the fear of God into ANYone right now. It will be a battle of backup goalies, but the Jackets are going to have to play their most complete 60-minute game from top to bottom tonight to get a win, in my estimation. Having a stretch in a period where a team out-shoots you 14-1 (like last night's third period) is a good way to get embarrassed by this Lightning squad.

The Jackets made a roster move today in recalling Dana Tyrell from Springfield and sending Marko Dano back down. I think it's the right move. As the games have ramped up in intensity, it was clear that Dano just wasn't strong enough to compete at this level, and he needs "everyday minutes" in the AHL to develop. He'll be back someday, though, I'm fairly confident.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(4-8-1, 9 Points; 8th division, 15th conference)

Tampa Bay Lightning
(9-3-1, 19 Points; 1st Division, 2nd Conference)

Season Series

11/08/14 - Tampa Bay at Columbus
12/06/14 - Columbus at Tampa Bay
01/31/15 - Columbus at Tampa Bay

Head to Head Stats

The Jackets have no time to stew over their OT loss in Carolina last night. The Lightning are waiting.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue Jackets

November 8, 2014 - 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio Carolina
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Raw Charge

Ugh. There's just not much to like about this game. The Jackets are tired. The Lightning had a day off. The Jackets have lost seven in a row. The Lightning have won four in a row. The Jackets can't score. The Lightning score all too often.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably noticed some negativity from me after last night's OT loss in Raleigh. I feel I should clarify. I still think this team--once it's healthy, if ever--is as good as almost any in the Eastern Conference. The problem that I see--and thus, the frustration--is that they're just not capable of beating anyone right now, and that by the time they get everyone back healthy and perhaps get into a groove, they may be so far behind in their division and playoff races that it may not matter.

I know it's early, and that the Jackets could win just one of these next two games and STILL be in better position than last year's club.

I also know, however, that we're currently just one point ahead of Buffalo for last in the Conference, and unlike last season, game #16 isn't going to ice a full roster that can start to climb like last year's club. They may be more than a quarter of the way through the season before everyone is healthy. Can we honestly just brush it off and say, "Oh, they'll be fine?"

They need to start winning games, or at least getting more points in losses.

Suffice it to say, I'm not optimistic tonight. The Lightning are loaded offensively, and though their defense is middle of the pack, the Jackets' offense is putting the fear of God into ANYone right now. It will be a battle of backup goalies, but the Jackets are going to have to play their most complete 60-minute game from top to bottom tonight to get a win, in my estimation. Having a stretch in a period where a team out-shoots you 14-1 (like last night's third period) is a good way to get embarrassed by this Lightning squad.

The Jackets made a roster move today in recalling Dana Tyrell from Springfield and sending Marko Dano back down. I think it's the right move. As the games have ramped up in intensity, it was clear that Dano just wasn't strong enough to compete at this level, and he needs "everyday minutes" in the AHL to develop. He'll be back someday, though, I'm fairly confident.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(4-8-1, 9 Points; 8th division, 15th conference)

Tampa Bay Lightning
(9-3-1, 19 Points; 1st Division, 2nd Conference)

Season Series

11/08/14 - Tampa Bay at Columbus
12/06/14 - Columbus at Tampa Bay
01/31/15 - Columbus at Tampa Bay

Head to Head Stats

The Tampa Bay Lightning blitz the undermanned Columbus Blue Jackets early, but had to fight to hold on for a 7-4 final on night one of a road back-to-back.

The Blue Jackets looked every bit the tired and depleted team early, as the Lightning set up camp in the Columbus end early and kept the puck there for long stretches, taking 9 of the first 10 shots in the game.

J.T. Brown finally broke through and onto the scoresheet with this first goal of the season off a rebound of his own deflection in the slot, beating Anton Forsberg for a 1-0 Tampa Bay Lead. Cedric Paquette followed that up with his third NHL goal (and third in the past two games) with an assist to Jonathan Drouin for a 2-0 lead.

That led Columbus head coach Todd Richards to use his timeout with 13:53 still remaining in the first period.

The first power play of the night went to the Lightning with 8:37 left in the 1st as Dalton Prout went off for a trip giving the Bolts an opportunity to bury the Blue Jackets early. Anton Stralman converted on the rebound of a Steven Stamkos one-timer to put the Lightning ahead 3-0 with over 6 minutes remaining in the opening frame.

The rout was on when Brian Boyle buried a feet in the slot from Brenden Morrow behind the net after J.T. Brown beat the Columbus defense wide and carried the puck in deep, spilling into the boards.

Nikita Kucherov missed a penalty shot attempt with the 'Forsberg move' which he uses perhaps a bit too often, or else the game would have been 5-0 in the first period.

The Blue Jackets came out in the second period a bit more assertively and went on the power play just three minutes in after an offensive-zone holding penalty on Vlad Namestnikov. Scott Hartnell converted on a deflection of a John Wisniewski shot for his third goal in the last two games, drawing Columbus within 3 goals as the puck trickled past Nabokov.

The Lightning would snuff out any hope for a comeback, though, with an answer goal off the stick of Valtteri Filppula. Callahan got credit for the goal after the puck appeared to get lost in his equipment as he fell down in the crease. That put the Bolts back in front by four goals at 5-1.

Another power play to the Blue Jackets -- this one after an Anton Stralman trip -- saw the Jackets convert again after a regrettable sequence from Evgeni Nabokov, who appeared to lose track of the puck more than once, eventually resulting in another power play tally for Hartnell and a 5-2 score. Again, though, the Lightning answered quickly this time with a man advantage marker of their own from Tyler Johnson to bring the score to 6-2 midway through the second, and in spite of a few more good scoring chances that's where the score remained heading into the final 20 minutes.

Ryan Johansen made the Lightning sweat a bit with what seemed like a routine wrist shot from the left wing that beat Nabokov somehow to make things interesting at 6-3. Then they made things really interesting with a Nick Foligno power play goal -- the third man advantage tally of the game for Columbus -- to make the score 6-4. The Blue Jackets continued to press during a furious third period trying to complete they rally and pulled their goalie with 2:36 left but failed to convert and ceded an empty net goal to Tyler Johnson for a 7-4 final in a game that ended up way closer than it should have.

Game Notes

• The Columbus Blue Jackets held their military appreciation night ahead of Veteran's Day on November 11. Ryan Callahan and Nick Foligno took part in a ceremonial puck drop prior to the game.
• Entering play tonight, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have faced fairly significant injury problems, have lost 32 man-games to injury. Columbus had lost 85.
• After scoring his empty-net goal, Tyler Johnson took an unnecessary slash on the hands which resulted in a needless scrum behind the net instigated by Scott Hartnell. That resulted in a Tampa Bay power play to close out regulation.
• The victory marks the fifth straight for the Bolts, who are in Detroit tomorrow looking to keep things rolling.
• For a guy likely looking to redeem himself after a dreadful performance his last outing vs. Minnesota, Evgeni Nabokov did not look sharp. He struggled to track the puck and was flopping around in his crease with alarming regularity. While Tampa Bay's defensive play and penalty kill are still areas that need to be addressed, an .875 save percentage isn't going to cut it. Nabokov needs to be better. If not for the early offensive outburst Jon Cooper might have needed to put Bishop in for a back-to-back situation yet again.
• Former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Dana Tyrell was called up for this match and skated 6:34. He didn't record a point.

After an encouraging, if not ideal, result in Carolina, the Jackets looked to finally get a win as they returned home to face Tampa Bay.

They're still looking.

I have to admit, part of me just wanted to write "Touchdown Buccaneers" and leave it at that.

The Blue Jackets did a lot of things better in their OT loss to Carolina on Friday, and many fans hoped that might translate into a win, finally, when they faced Tampa Bay - particularly when the news came out that the Lightning would start Evgeni Nabokov in net, rather than Ben Bishop.

This morning, the team held a semi-public pre-game skate, where season ticket holders were invited to watch, then attend a Q&A with head coach Todd RIchards.

The coach repeatedly stated that injuries were no excuse, and that the players who were on the ice had to play a certain way no matter who is or is not healthy.

Perhaps the rest of the team should have listened in, because there wasn't much of that in evidence for the first period.

I'm not going to break down every goal Anton Forsberg allowed, because there are certain limits for your sanity, but I will note that players watching the puck or leaving their defensive assignments unattended was a rather common theme, and after four goals on 15 shots, while his own club had only generated a paltry four shots on goal in that time, I don't blame Richards for making a goalie change.

I do feel terrible for Forsberg, who was hung out to dry by his defense. But the fact remains that when the second period began, this team was down 4-0.

Remarkably, they actually started to play at that point.

Scott Hartnell got his third goal in two nights by redirecting a Wisniewski point shot early in the middle frame (on the power play, no less!), and even though Ryan Callahan broke the seal on Curtis McElhinney not long after, Hartnell would answer the bell again for his second of the night, this time taking a behind the net feed from Nick Foligno and firing it into the open net before Nabokov could come over to seal it off.

Unfortunately, the brief rally stalled again when Dalton Prout was called for a slash a minute later, and Tyler Johnson converted on the man advantage to restore the four goal lead going into the third period.

The top line tried like hell to push Columbus back into it, opening the final period in regulation with a beauty of a give-and-go rush between Brian Gibbons and Ryan Johansen that ended with a shot dribbling through Nabokov's five hole and into the net.

Then, Nick Foligno would draw a tripping call against former Blue Jacket Anton Stralman, and finished a tic-tac-toe sequence from Erixon and Wiz on the power play much like Hartnell did, getting the rebound from Wisniewski's attack and tapping it home.

Even though they (incredibly!) closed the gap to a two goal deficit, the Jackets couldn't find a way to bring it home, though it would be their turn to hammer the opposing goaltender, outshooting the Lightning 17-5 in the third.

With time winding down, Columbus emptied their net in that oh-so-familiar last gasp of desperation, but it ended the way you might expect an empty net against one of (if not the) best offenses in the NHL this season to go. Tyler Johnson would have his second of the game, the Bucs made their point after attempt, and yet another loss goes into the books.

Final Score - Lighting 7, Blue Jackets 4

I don't even know how to highlight performers here, or how to call out those below their potential. When you spot the other guys four goals before you even seem to show up, I'm not sure anyone deserves to be praised, though I do respect what Hartnell, Johansen, Wiz, and Foligno did today. (In fact. I'm willing to say that Wiz was probably our best D-man tonight, with Erixon finally finding his feet a bit as his partner.) But...does it matter, at this point?

I have no idea what it is in this team's dharma that they follow successful seasons with a unbelievable collapse, but we seem to be well on our way, again. We thought that the game against Carolina on Tuesday was rock bottom. It seems the club still feels they have more room to dig.

Lots of guys on this team have been talking the talk. I see them on my TV all the time.  We hear them in the press conferences, they give the properly chastened or stoic quotes to the media after practices.

But this weekend - heck, this entire week - continues to show that there's a difference between talking the talk, and walking the walk.

We're still waiting for this team to live up to their sound bytes.

A feature on Vlady Namestnikov, Columbus reacts to last night, the Syracuse Crunch’are involved in a thriller, and more in our Quick Strikes.

• Vladislav Namestnikov has come a long way since being drafted by the Lightning in 2011. [Tampa Bay Times]
• Tampa Bay may have defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4, but they definitely could have put forth a better effort says our counterparts. [The Cannon]
• Tyler Johnson scored two goals in the win last night, including an empty netter in the waning moments. His line with Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat has been another fine example of the Bolts depth. [The Hockey Writers]
• We were talking goal songs for players in the recent past. Jonathan Drouin?  He'd like "Fix You" by Coldplay. [Tampa Bay Times]
• Who was in the Amalie Thursday night or the LOightning vs. Flames match? Commissioner Gary Bettman, who had high praise for owner Jeff Vinik as well as some kid named Steven Stamkos. [Tampa Tribune]
• The Syracuse Crunch rallied last night, defeating the rival Norfolk Admirals 5-4 in a thriller at War Memorial in Syracuse. [Syracuse.com]
• Junior-A hockey player Riley Dunda suffered a stroke earlier this year, leading to the hockey community to come out in full support and raising thousands of dollars for stroke intervention research. [The Hockey News]
• It is uncertain still whether or not the NHL will send its players to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, but Bob Nicholson, former head of Hockey Canada, believes it will happen. [Yahoo! Sports]
• Dan Girardi was the victim of a skate blade cut across his neck, the most dangerous place to be cut. [SB Nation]
• Can a loss be proof that a team is hot? The Carolina Hurricanes started the season dismally, but went on a four-game sinning streak that was snapped last night. It ws the flip-side of back-to-back games for the Canes, but the Washington Capitals needed overtime to eke out the win.[Canes Country]

This is a series looking at the passing and shot generation statistics for the New Jersey Devils and their opponents. Read on for the details.

In this series, I’ll show you how many there were, from where on the ice they were created, and who was involved in each of the offensive chances created from the passing of the New Jersey Devils and their opponents. If unfamiliar with passing statistics, please refer to my primer.

Like last week, I'm trying something different and want to look at which Devils are combining with each other most often. What you see below are two charts (defense and forwards) for how many shot attempts players combine on. These totals are from the Devils last week or so of games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues (home and away), and Detroit Red Wings. Recaps for said matchups are here, here, here, and here. I'll work in shots and efficiency as I go, but it was a busy week. I attended the War-On-IceHockey Analytics Conference at Carnegie Mellon University this past weekend. You can watch my presentation here (I start around the 20:00 mark). Let's get to it.

Defensemen

Marek Zidlicky was involved in twenty-eight passing events, an even split between those he generated and those he was the recipient of. His primary targets were Damien Brunner, generating four attempts for the winger, and Eric Gelinas, generating three attempts for the young defenseman. On the flip side, Bryce Salvador and Jacob Josefson each generated a pair of attempts for Zidlicky. What does this tell us? Well, it shows that Zidlicky can get involved with anyone on the ice as he can get into space and play provider or target-man for his teammates. He’s not dependent on one line or group to be effective.

The rest of the defensemen are a mixed bag. Jon Merrill only played in one of these games, I believe, so excuse his lower totals. Adam Larsson was the next highest defensemen in terms of shot attempts (10) via passes, though Gelinas and Damon Severson were right behind him with nine each. Last season, Gelinas and Larsson were most involved in the passing game when paired with each other and we’re seeing some of that play out this season as well. Gelinas was the blue line’s second-best provider in terms of volume.

It is somewhat alarming to see Andy Greene’s production below Salvador’s, but I’m wondering if Greene will be more defensive-minded with Severson as a regular partner. Severson is significantly more offensive-minded than Mark Fayne was, so I’m expecting more conservative totals this season for Greene if these pairings stay together.

Forwards

Michael Ryder and Tuomo Ruutu were most involved in passing combinations over this stretch of games—seventeen each. Both were more shooters than providers, with Ruutu leading the group with twelve attempts and Ryder just behind with ten. Five of Ruutu’s generated attempts came from Stephen Gionta and Mike Sislo, so this would suggest the fourths are doing a good job in the passing game.

Travis Zajac (11), Jaromir Jagr, and Adam Henrique (both 10) generated the most attempts among forwards. Henrique generated three for Patrik Elias and two for Larsson as his most common targets. Zajac and Jagr combined on five attempts (three for Jagr, two for Zajac). Jagr also generated multiple attempts for Brunner and Greene.

Elias (8 events as shooter, 6 as passer), struck a good balance, but it was quite evident that the Henrique-Elias-Ryder line was looking great before Henrique’s injury. With Martin Havlat and Mike Cammalleri on the verge of returning, I’d really like to see Henrique with Havlat and Elias for a few games. Think that line has strong potential.

Your Thoughts

What'd you think? As I do more of this, we'll be able to look at which players are most efficient, who is most involved with each other in transition, in scoring chances, etc. What are some areas you'd like to see presented differently? Sound off below!

Times are dark. Can the Jackets find any shred of light in the forest of injuries and general crappiness?

Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals

November 11, 2014 - 7:00 PM EST
Verizon Center - Washington, DC
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Japers' Rink

Things don't get any easier. The Capitals are a solid offensive club, and much like Tampa Bay the other night, are capable of pouncing on a wounded team early. Columbus has officially fallen to LAST in the league in terms of goals-allowed per game. Not good times.

Jack Skille participated in part of the morning skate, but did not complete it. Looks like he's a game-time decision. Fedor Tyutin, however, announced himself fit to play tonight. There was much rejoicing.

Special Teams will be huge tonight, as it's two clubs with solid Power Play units against two clubs with pretty lackluster PK units. Who takes the most penalties will be a big factor in this game.

Otherwise, there's not much reason to think the Jackets can win unless they come out and play 60 whole minutes without letting up and without taking stupid penalties.

Just please, oh please, let nobody get hurt. For once.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(4-9-1, 9 Points; 8th division, 15th conference)

Washington Capitals
(6-5-3, 15 Points; 4th Division, 10th Conference)

Season Series

11/11/14 - Columbus at Washington
12/11/14 - Columbus at Washington
12/18/14 - Washington at Columbus
01/27/15 - Washington at Columbus
03/03/15 - Washington at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

Times are dark. Can the Jackets find any shred of light in the forest of injuries and general crappiness?

Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals

November 11, 2014 - 7:00 PM EST
Verizon Center - Washington, DC
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Japers' Rink

Things don't get any easier. The Capitals are a solid offensive club, and much like Tampa Bay the other night, are capable of pouncing on a wounded team early. Columbus has officially fallen to LAST in the league in terms of goals-allowed per game. Not good times.

Jack Skille participated in part of the morning skate, but did not complete it. Looks like he's a game-time decision. Fedor Tyutin, however, announced himself fit to play tonight. There was much rejoicing.

Special Teams will be huge tonight, as it's two clubs with solid Power Play units against two clubs with pretty lackluster PK units. Who takes the most penalties will be a big factor in this game.

Otherwise, there's not much reason to think the Jackets can win unless they come out and play 60 whole minutes without letting up and without taking stupid penalties.

Just please, oh please, let nobody get hurt. For once.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(4-9-1, 9 Points; 8th division, 15th conference)

Washington Capitals
(6-5-3, 15 Points; 4th Division, 10th Conference)

Season Series

11/11/14 - Columbus at Washington
12/11/14 - Columbus at Washington
12/18/14 - Washington at Columbus
01/27/15 - Washington at Columbus
03/03/15 - Washington at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

The Capitals extend their winning streak to three games with a 4 to 2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on home ice.

Tonight's probable netminders:

Keep up with the latest Caps-related Tweets right here:

Tweets from @JapersRink/tweet-tweeters

Look for updates in this story stream throughout the evening, including tonight's lines, new open threads for each period, and more.

And of course... have at it, people.

The Capitals extend their winning streak to three games with a 4 to 2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on home ice. Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson each scored two goals in the win - they now share the team lead with eight apiece.

[GameCenter - Ice Tracker - Game Summary - Event Summary - Shot Report - Faceoff Summary - Play-by-Play - Home TOI - Visitor TOI - Advanced Stats at: war-on-ice, hockeystats, Natural Stat Trick and more via Nice Time On Ice

Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson each had two goals in the Capitals' 4 to 2 victory over the visiting Blue Jackets and earned Washington another two points - their third straight win. Despite a third period that made Washington look like they were doomed Johansson's late goal sealed it for the home team and sent Columbus packing.

Look for our full recap later tonight, but first, Tuesday night's Plus/Minus:

Plus/Minus:

• Plus: Johansson is playing some of the best hockey of his career and it is so exciting to see the good play ocurring away from Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. His eighth goal in this young season ties his total output from last year. Exciting things are brewing here.
• Minus: Trotz's club came out and allowed the Blue Jackets to walk all over them, Scott Hartnell taking the puck in against Holtby on a 2 on 0 courtesy of an egregious Jay Beagle turnover. While Johansson's late goal allowed everyone to breathe easier, Washington was trending the wrong way in the game's final twenty minutes.

And now, this...

GIF: @ovi8 with his 2nd of the night...with a little help from a beautiful drop pass from Beagle. #CapsJacketshttp://t.co/c1whyCU5um

— Washington Capitals (@washcaps) November 12, 2014

Game Highlights:

Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson each scored their 7th and 8th goals of the year to leads the Capitals over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 4 to 2. The victory is Washington's third straight, their season high.

[GameCenter - Ice Tracker - Game Summary - Event Summary - Shot Report - Faceoff Summary - Play-by-Play - Home TOI - Visitor TOI - Advanced Stats at: war-on-ice, hockeystats, Natural Stat Trick]

Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson had eight shots and two goals apiece in Washington's 4 to 2 victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. A 24 save performance from Braden Holtby was all the Capitals needed on the back end as they notched their third straight win in front of the home crowd.

With a one goal lead to protect going into the third period the Capitals, once again, came out too passively and nearly allowed the Blue Jackets to tie the game. Scott Hartnell's early two against zero was their best opportunity, Holtby and the Capitals benefitting from a shot that deflected harmlessly off the crossbar. Johansson's second goal at the 55 minute mark would ice it for Washington and secure the much needed two points.

Ten more notes on the game:

• Johansson got the scoring started 96 seconds into the game by walking the puck around Curtis McElhinney's right foot from the slot. A couple of Verizon Center bounces off of Columbus defensemen Dalton Prout and James Wisniewski caught McElhinney snoozing and allowed Johansson to tuck the puck into the net after kicking it to his stick blade.

• Ovechkin's first was next for the Capitals, Alex cashing in on a five on three man advantage after Washington possessed the puck for seventy seconds of offensive zone time. Good puck movement by the five man unit allowed Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green to funnel the puck to Ovechkin for the Russian's accurate one-timer past McElhinney's right shoulder.

• Columbus would bounce right back, however, as Cam Atkinson fired a wrist shot off of a face off win through Holtby's body. Backstrom was bested on the draw by Boone Jenner and Atkinson floated a shot through the traffic and into the crease, the puck bouncing off of Holtby and trickling under him and into the net.

• Ovechkin would score again before the first period was over thanks to some deft backhanded touches in the neutral zone and a confident drop pass from recently added line mate Jay Beagle. Ovechkin picked the puck up in stride and fired a wrist shot over McElhinney's glove hand from the slot - the goalkeeper didn't have a chance react.

• Washington would outshoot the Blue Jackets by three in the middle frame but Holtby would yield the only goal to David Savard. A point shot from Savard on the wall travelled through traffic and caught Holtby high on his left chest. The puck bounced above him before dropping into the blue paint and getting kicked in off the right post by an oblivious goal skate - an unfortunate Verizon Center bounce.

• Johansson would score his second with less than six minutes to play to ice the victory for Washington by taking the puck around the net on his strong side and tucking a wraparound behind McElhinney. For a team that allowed Columbus to walk all over them in the third period Johansson's goal was a huge relief.

• Holtby's .923 save percentage was his second straight outing with a S% north of .900, and it's exactly what this Washington team needed tonight and going forward - as Holtby goes, so will this team. Hopefully Barry Trotz can help the Capitals to button up their defensive game and allow Holtby some more breathing room but right now he isn't afforded it. Tonight, he was sharp.

• Nate Schmidt tallied his first point of the year with a secondary assist on Johansson's clincher. For a guy who has been playing strong alongside Green it is nice to see the defensemen notch his first on the campaign. It has gotta feel good.

• Beagle didn't look totally out of place on the top line with Ovechkin and Backstrom tonight, serving up a perfect drop pass for Alex on his first goal and making a couple other nice passes in the offensive zone. His third period give away to Hartnell, however, is something that can not come from a guy who can't score at will - he's gotta be better there.

• The Capitals benefitted from a Blue Jackets team that was missing Jack Johnson - the Jackets' #1 was serving the final game of a three game suspension. It looked like the Capitals were going to pour it on against their opponents early but Columbus got composed and made the contest a game after the opening twenty minutes. With Johnson back there, this game might've been a bit closer.

This team needs to collect standings points in bunches and they've done so successfully over the past three game. It is a trend that they will need to continue in order to work their way back into playoff position but more play like tonight's from Ovechkin, Johansson, and Holtby has Washington heading in the right direction. The Capitals will host the New Jersey Devils next at 7PM on Friday.

Game Highlights:

Daily Washington Capitals news and notes: Recaps of last night's win over Columbus, exploring the evolution of Marcus Johansson and more.

Your savory breakfast links:

• Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's win from us (QuickCap, Recap), Vogs, Monumental video (Trotz, Ovechkin, Johansson, Holtby, Alzner, Beagle, NHL.com (recap, highlights), AP, The Score, Frankovic, WaPo, CSNW (and again), Blue Jackets, Columbus Dispatch (and again and again), Peerless, GM on a Couch, DSP, RMNB, BrookslaichYear, Union Blue, The Cannon
  • Boy, Jay Beagle sure looked comfortable on the top line during this insanely pretty passing play. Maybe he should stay there for the foreseeab-um no. [Monumental video]
  • It's usually pretty silly to say that a goalie will want a goal back, because he wants them all back... but yeah, Braden Holtby will definitely want this one back. [The Score]
  • Marcus Johansson scored two goals last night, which not only means he's playing really well but also that he likes to make us look smart. [Rink]
  • Speaking of Johansson, per Elias: "Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson each scored two goals for the Capitals in their 4-2 win against the Blue Jackets in Washington. It was the first time this season that the Capitals had two multiple-goal scorers in one game, and the first time they had more than one individual multi-goal performance in a home game since Oct. 22, 2011, when Mike Green and Mathieu Perreault each scored twice in a 7-1 victory over the Red Wings."
  • The boys on the ice were victorious, but they made sure to take time out to honor the real heroes on Veteran's Day in our nation's capital. [Monumental video (Hero's Welcome, Caps Thank You, USA Warriors)]
• The truth about "track meet" teams, and why it's better to generate scoring chances while suppressing chances from the other team. [Puck Daddy (Momalytics)]
• Because Nicklas Backstrom's Olympic saga didn't drag on long enough, now the World Anti-Doping Agency is appealing his silver medal. Poor guy. [THN, WaPo, SI.com, CSNW
• News and notes from yesterday's pre-victory skate:
  • In general. [Monumental video (Trotz, Rinkside Update/Ward)]
  • Bad news: Tom Wilson and Brooks Laich are still injured. Good news: They should hopefully be back by Friday. Key word: hopefully.[WaPo, NBC4]
  • With Wilson on the sidelines, Barry Trotz kept Beagle on the top line, and explained the thinking behind the move. [WaPo]
  • "Sometimes we've just got to paint the barn... sometimes we want to paint a Picasso." What a great line. [CSNW]
  • The second line of Johansson, Andre Burakovsky and Troy Brouwer has been a very successful one for the Caps so far. [WaPo]
  • Heading into last night's game, the Blue Jackets were on an eight-game losing streak - and the Caps knew that made them extra dangerous. [CSNW]
• Burakovsky, Liam O'Brien and Caps legend Rod Langway got to spend the afternoon on the former presidential yacht, the USS Sequoia, with some lucky veterans. [Monumental video]
• The Hershey Bears met Santa Claus and sat on his lap and there are pictures. And yes, they are as magical as you would imagine. [Patriot-News]
• Finally, happy 52nd birthday to Mark Hunter.

With apologies to Sergei Bobrovsky, these three injuries are the ones that are completely killing Columbus right now.

The Blue Jackets are a mess.

This is not shocking. When you set your franchise mark for games in a row without a win, something is clearly not right. And, as frustrating as that is, the bigger problem is that we really don't *know* what this team is capable of, because it's fighting with at least one hand tied behind it collective back.

The Jackets could probably survive three players being injured. But, to have three of your top four centers out? For this team, it's almost impossible to expect them to have any success. Here's why.

Quite literally, everything starts with your centers. It's why every team is always looking for center depth, and the elusive "number one center" for their club. Frankly, it's why the Ryan Johansen contract negotiation was so big, and so tenuous at times. Every time there's a faceoff, the center touches the puck. The center has the biggest responsibility in terms of offense AND defense. And, with these people specifically, they play in all three phases of the game.

Faceoffs

This is where it all starts for Columbus. The three centers out are all pretty decent in the faceoff circle. To wit, their 2013-14 numbers:

Brandon Dubinsky - 586-for-1107, 52.9%
Mark Letestu - 374-for-730, 51.2%
Artem Anisimov - 476-for-965, 49.3%
TOTAL - 1436-for-2802, 51.2%

As a team last season, the Jackets finished 9th in the league in the faceoff circle with a 51.6% success rate. So far this season, they are 25th with a 48.0% success rate. Letestu has been great this season, with a 58.8% rate, though Ansimov has struggled a bit with a 46.8% rate. That said, Alexander Wennberg is currently struggling with a 39.1% success rate in 110 draws. Boone Jenner is at 41.4% in 87 draws. Michael Chaput is at 46.2% in 143 draws. Shoot, even Adam Cracknell of all people has taken 32 faceoffs, though he's won just over 40% of them. If you add all of that up... to think the club isn't missing these three guys in the circle would be crazy.

Faceoffs drive possession. How many times during this streak have we seen the Jackets' goalie freeze the puck, only to lose the faceoff and be faced with being pinned into their own zone again? How many times after an icing call does the team lose a faceoff, thus forced to try to regain possession and/or clear the zone with tired legs? It's all cumulative, and it has a way of wearing a team down throughout a game.

Speaking of possession...

Possession

I'll be the first to admit that I don't often delve into the depths of the Fancy Stats, because I think sometimes we can get too bogged down in the minutiae and miss what's actually in front of us. That said, a quick look at the Corsi On numbers (basically the net total of shots attempted while you're on the ice) of these three compared to the centers currently playing this season is a stark contrast. As a bit of a disclaimer, I think it's probably not an apples-to-apples comparison with Letestu, as he sometimes slots in as a wing, which skews his numbers in some ways. That said, let's take a look.

Even Strength Corsi On - 2013-14

Dubinsky: 2.94
Anisimov: 0.06
Letestu: -2.55
TOTAL: 0.45

Those number probably don't blow you away. After all, it's basically a break even in shots generated, right? Well, consider the numbers of two of their replacements this season:

Even Strength Corsi On - 2014-15

Wennberg: -16.88
Chaput: -12.95
TOTAL: -29.83

(In the interest of disclosure, the sample sizes are smaller, of course. Also, Jenner has played just four games, so again the sample size... but he's currently rocking a 25.41 Corsi On, which is pretty darn good. But, Letestu and Anisimov this season are a combined 15.11 as well, so the club is missing them.)

In short summary, the team is getting killed in the faceoff circle right now, and they're getting out-shot by an insane margin across the board, which amplifies the goaltending issues the team is currently facing. They're missing three guys that would mitigate those two problems in a very big way.

Defense

This one is more difficult to quantify in a way, but the fact is that the center is the most defensively responsible forward. And, as we saw in the playoffs, the ability to match up your one defensive stopper at center can completely change the way a game (and a series, in some ways) is played. Brandon Dubinsky had an amazing playoff series matched up with Sidney Crosby, effectively shutting Crosby down.

But it wasn't just that series.

Throughout the entire season last year, Dubinsky was the defensive stopper. Of all forwards that played at least 50 games, at even strength Dubinsky led the team in the Corsi Quality of Competition stat (average Corsi of opposing players, weighted by head-to-head ice time) which is a strong indicator of the role he plays. Buried in that stat are the effects of the faceoff and possession numbers highlighted above: Dubinsky wins more draws, and that in turn drives down the shot totals of the opponents he faces. But, not only is he doing that, he's doing it against consistently the toughest competition on the team.

This simply can NOT be over-stated: the importance of having your true defensive shut-down forward--not to mention a guy that plays and contributes in ALL phases--completely changes the complexion of the team that Todd Richards can ice. It frees up Johansen's line to go against weaker competition, which can unleash some of their offense (though we know that, all things being equal, Johansen is no defensive slouch himself). Speaking of "all phases of the game," what about special teams?

Special Teams

This is another area of concern. While the Power Play has been stable to this point (11th in the league at 21.0%, even with last night's futitlity), it could always be better. Consider that, during last season, of ALL forwards in ANY games-played, Dubinsky, Anisimov, and Letestu ranked first, sixth, and ninth respectively in TOI/60 on the Power Play. In terms of points/60 on the Power Play, these three again rank high: Letestu was 1st (6.59), Dubinsky was 6th (2.50), and Anisimov was 8th (1.53).

For a team struggling to score right now, those three guys would certainly add to a PP unit that is already solid, but could be even better. Remember the playoffs? *Sigh*

On the other side of the coin, the PK is where the team, in my opinion, is missing these three the most. All three play HUGE minutes. From last season, again of ALL forwards in ANY games-played, consider that these three players were literally 1-2-3 in TOI/60 on the PK. Letestu (2.19), Dubinsky (2.07), and Anisimov (2.05) were Todd Richards' MOST TRUSTED FORWARDS on the PK last season... a unit that finished in the top half of the league with an 82.1% success rate.

In addition to that, it's important to note something else: we'd debated Dubinsky's PIM issue early in the season last season, though he improved as the season went on. But, beyond that, again looking at all forwards from last season and filtering guys that played 50 games, these guys were some of the more disciplined. Dubinsky was worst on the team with 1.50 penalties taken/60, but again, that was the tale of two halves of the season. When the team was winning, Dubinsky was much more disciplined. That said, the other two guys were second- and fourth-best at taking penalties. Anisimov took just 0.4 penalties/60, and Letestu just 0.6 penalties/60.

Summary

Obviously, this club's injury list so far has been atrocious. As Kyle Alexander and our friends at Raw Charge noted as Saturday's game started, with injuries there's a big difference between "an excuse" and "a reason" and we are most definitely in the latter category.

Missing Sergei Bobrovsky hurts, of course, as we've seen our backup goaltending flounder in his absence. But, by my estimation, the biggest thing hurting the Jackets right now is that they are missing arguably three of their most important players at their most important position. Missing these three guys--especially Dubinsky--is just flat-out killing this team right now.

The Blue Jackets forward has a degenerative back condition that's ruining his daily life.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nathan Horton has not played in a game this season and now he's facing the question of whether or not he'll ever play again.

Horton has yet to take the ice this season because he's dealing with a degenerative back condition that is making his daily life a living hell, as Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reported.

"I can’t stand up like a normal person; I can’t bend over," Horton said in his first public comments about his condition. "I can’t run. I can’t play with my kids. To get in and out of the car, I’m like a 75-year-old man … so slow and stiff. I can’t sleep at night. I try to lay down and my back seizes up and I can’t move, so sleeping is out. I’m like a zombie in the daytime."

Horton can either hope the pain subsides enough to get back on the ice and potentially play or undergo surgery on his back -- a procedure Portzline says would be a three- or four-level spinal fusion with a titanium rod -- and have his career end at age 29.

Horton says he doesn't want surgery, but he understands that it might be the only way he can be rid of the pain that keeps him living a normally functional life. Horton signed a seven-year, $37.1 million deal with Columbus in July 2013. He won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011.

Horton's short time in Columbus has been difficult. When he signed with the Blue Jackets, he underwent shoulder surgery that put him out until January 2014. He then missed the playoffs dealing with a groin injury. It was while recovering from that injury he discovered how badly his back was hurt.

Back problems ending a player's career early isn't something new in the NHL. Hockey Hall of Famer and legendary New York Islanders forward Mike Bossy retired at 28. Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Eric Daze retired at 31, and former Edmonton Oilers forward Craig Simpson hung it up at 28.

For now, Horton will take his time and hope something can alleviate his problem, but with the kind of pain he's in, a decision will come sooner than later.

Tyler Johnson is day-to-day after taking a rough cross-check on Tuesday, some developments in the NHL expansion talks, and an injury to top prospect Connor McDavid.

• Tyler Johnson took some pretty heavy abuse on Tuesday during the Chicago Blackhawks game. His status is day-to-day with an upper-body injury after taking a cross-check from Brent Seabrook. [Pro Hockey Talk]
• With less than two weeks until the Frozen Dome Classic on November 22 between the Syracuse Crunch and Utica Comets, the Carrier Dome will soon begin its transformation into an AHL hockey rink. [Syracuse.com]
• Here's a reminder for Syracuse Crunch fans and central New Yorkers: The Crunch and Amtrak have teamed up for a ticket giveaway to the Tampa Bay Lightning / New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden on December 1st. [Raw Charge]
• There's been a big development in the NHL expansion rumors: A report has surfaced that Bill Daly has met with a potential ownership group in Las Vegas. [Puck Daddy]
• A new documentary called "Red Army," about hockey in the Soviet Union during the 1970s and 80s, is set to make a limited release this week and be fully released in January. [New York Times]
• Robert Luongo is the funniest goalie in the world, and he's struck again. [Days of Y'Orr]
• Expected first overall 2015 NHL draft pick Connor McDavid suffered a fractured right hand on Tuesday. His status for the World Junior Championship next month is uncertain. [ESPN]
• Things could be a lot better for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it seems they will be getting help in the form of Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Calvert's return tot eh lineup. [Hooked on Hockey Magazine]
• You may recall us screaming "PLAY THE BACKUP" as Ben Bishop wore down last season, but Arik Parnass makes a compelling case that sometimes going with your tired starter is the right call. [AP Hockey]
• The Los Angeles Kings haven't been dominating play the way they had last season -- what's going wrong? [Jewels from the Crown]
• Some teams in the NHL and NBA are concerned about a widening financial gap between teams in large and small markets if jersey sponsorships become a reality. [TSN]

Bossy's back ailment won the battle that Nathan Horton is fighting right now.

Columbus forward Nathan Horton can't stand up or run or play with his kids, and the Blue Jackets have removed his stall from their locker room. The 29-year old's career is in serious jeopardy thanks to a degenerative back injury that has left him in searing agony and with a life-changing decision to make.

In an interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Horton spelled out his dilemma: various medical procedures haven't worked on his back. He can either wait for his injury to heal and return to the ice or he can have surgery that would relieve him but prevent him from playing ever again.

It's easy to say that Horton, who signed a 7-year, $37 contract with the Blue Jackets in 2013, should just take his money, his Stanley Cup (won with Boston in 2011) and hang up the skates and go home. But for athletes who have spent their lives preparing for, excelling at and living inside the world of professional competition, finally walking away can seem like an impossible decision, especially when the player isn't even 30 years old.

One name that pops up in a lot of the stories about Horton's condition is Mike Bossy, the Islanders legend who retired earlier than expected due to his own back issues. Bossy's resume has been memorized: 573 career goals, nine straight seasons of more than 50 goals, a Calder trophy, a Conn Smythe trophy, four Stanley Cups and a legion of fans at least 118 miles long.

With all due respect to Nathan Horton, he isn't Mike Bossy and he'd probably be the first to say that. But reading stories about Bossy's retirement echoes Horton's quotes and shows two proud men that were helpless when having their livelihood and driving forces taken from them by physical pain.

Best Laid Plans

In 1981, Bossy signed a five-year contract extension with the Islanders (for the whopping sum of $600,000 a season) with one eye already looking towards retirement.

"I have always maintained that I wanted to retire around 31 or 32 and now I can say that I am 99 percent sure that this will be it for me."

Bossy was entering his fifth year in the NHL, had won two championships, led the league with 68 goals the year before and felt secure with his family on Long Island. He most likely wasn't thinking about injuries but about a post-playing career in business or broadcasting, two professions he would take up after retirement.

Seven years later, Bossy would keep his promise and announce his retirement at 31. But the conditions under which he did so were most likely not preferred.

Problems with Bossy's back began flaring up during the 1986-87 season and caused him to miss 17 games. It's the only season of his career in which he didn't score at least 50 goals, but he still finished tied for the team lead with Pat LaFontaine with 38. The following preseason, his condition didn't improve and he sat out for all of 1987-88 after having surgery. But the procedures and the waiting weren't enough to bring him back to where he wanted to be.

Bossy announced his retirement on Oct. 24th, 1988, stating, "My back problems have won the battle. My career is over."

"There was a time last month, in September, when I was going back to Montreal once a week for therapy," he said. "It felt like it was getting better. Until that moment, I certainly hadn't given up hope. Then I got out of bed one morning and it felt the same as it did last year. I actually realized it was no use dragging it on anymore."

Bossy was emotional in thanking Islanders teammates, coaches and management for helping him become what he was.

I thank Bill Torrey and Al Arbour for giving me the chance to prove I could play in the NHL. Bill and Al allowed a skinny kid from Laval, Quebec, who they said couldn't check a suitcase, go out there and prove them wrong."

A tearful Bryan Trottier, Bossy's longtime linemate and close friend, said at the time that, "There has been no person or player or friend who has meant more to me than you."

After retiring, Bossy moved back to his native Quebec to do broadcasting work for the Nordiques until 1990. He's had a smattering of various jobs through the years and currently has a front office position and does occasional on-air analysis for the Islanders.

He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991 and despite not playing in the NHL for four years, the pain was still with him.

He said his back "is probably worse than it is when I stopped playing. There are good days and bad days. I've learned to adapt to my situation and know what I can and cannot do."

No Easy Call

After ten seasons of almost unparalleled and unbelievable success, Mike Bossy was forced to leave the game he was born to play because he is human. After all that hardware and all those accolades, he still found it difficult to make the decision to move on. He may have wanted to walk away from hockey at 31, but he didn't expect to do it under unceasing conditions of physical torment.

Only Nathan Horton can decide what his next step is. He's been a good, hard-nosed and productive player in the NHL for a long time. He's seen the lows of playing for non-playoff teams in Florida, the highs of bringing a Stanley Cup to Boston and the personal satisfaction of signing a massive free agent contract with a club that wanted to build around him in Columbus.

But the pain in his body is only one aspect of what's weighing on him right now.