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Your Columbus Blue Jackets All-Stars and how they got here

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A brief glimpse back at how they got here.

Sergei Bobrovsky, Nick Foligno, and Ryan Johansen all have something in common, and it's not just that they'll be repping Union Blue in the NHL All-Star Game next weekend. No, what those three have in common is at some point in the recent past, someone didn't believe in them.

These aren't your prototypical top draft picks that are expected to have success. Even Ryan Johansen, drafted fourth overall, was met largely with a curious optimism - hopeful that he wasn't the next Gilbert Brule, rather than expecting him to be anything close to the next Jonathan Toews.

Nick Foligno, certainly loved in Ottawa, but not valued enough to be seen as more than a 3rd line grinder. Traded for solid if unspectacular defenseman Marc Methot. Foligno stepped into a similar role in Columbus to start and no one would've blamed him if he stayed there comfortably. Whether by pure force as he's come into his prime, or by a bit of dumb luck due to all this years injuries, he's now having an MVP (for Columbus) caliber season.

And Sergei Bobrovsky. What hasn't been said about Bobrovsky? He's clearly one of the top goalies in the league and don't forget - he's still young, at just 26 years old. What he's done so far, winning a Vezina trophy, keeping the Blue Jackets in too many games where the players don't all show up in front of him... at a certain point it's hard to find ways to describe his play and his work ethic without drifting into hyperbole.

All potential cast offs - had they not had anything to say about it. Think about where this team would be if reality looked like this: Bob buried on the bench in Philadelphia. Johansen toiling away on the fourth line, never stepping up and accepting responsibility. Foligno being happy with being a tweener, or grinder, or whatever other slightly condescending adjective used to describe a hockey player that means, "Good, not great."

But that wouldn't have been good enough for them. No, these guys want more. These three, specifically, did their darnedest to keep this team out of the pits when everyone else was knocked down, injured, playing uninspired hockey.

These guys are Blue Jackets hockey. Not always perfect, not always pretty, but they have a heart that bursts out of their chest. They make the players around them better, and they always support their teammates before all else.

Halfway through the season, leading into the last few games before the All-Star break, they've separated themselves from the pack. No longer will they fade into the shadows. Not Nick Foligno, with his 18 goals, 23 assists, and 41 points in 40 games. (A career best in goals, already.) Not Ryan Johansen, with his 16 goals, 24 assists, and 40 points in 41 games. (After a lengthy contract dispute, he's poised to crush his career bests when it's all said and done.) And certainly not Sergei Bobrovsky, whose stats only slightly lag this year due to the struggles and injuries of the rest of the roster, yet he still boasts a resume that speaks for itself.

No, those guys won't blend in with the crowd anymore.

Those guys are your All-Stars.


Game Preview #42 - Harrison Bergeron?

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In my favorite short story by my favorite author, the handicapped Harrison Bergeron shakes off his shackles and rises above... only to be ceremoniously gunned down. Sound familiar?

New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets

January 16, 2015 - 7:00 pm EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Blueshirt Banter

I know I've gone to the Harrison Bergeron well before, recently even. That said, it really does feel appropriate. The Jackets shook off their handicaps in December, and danced higher and higher, leaping closer and closer to the ceiling. Just when they felt like they might break through...

BOOM.

Shotgun blast.

Three straight losses, to the tune of a 13-6 score and a gross, GROSS shot margin. Wednesday night's groin kick? Three straight PPGs given up in the span of three and a half minutes, to one of the worst PP units in the league.

In roster news, the Jackets formally placed Jack Skille onto IR, and recalled Josh Anderson to the big club. No word at the moment in time whether Anderson draws in and makes his NHL debut, but he can't be worse than the Collins/Tropp/Boll triumvirate, right? I'm curious to see what the kid can do. The lineup below is basically a copy of Wednesday's lineup, and we'll update after morning skate. [edit] Shawn Mitchell gives us some insight; lines updated. A lot. Prout is back in on defense, Matt Calvert may be out (not surprising given the shot he blocked off his foot/leg the other night), and the lines... wow. Just, wow.

For the Rangers, they've cooled off a touch, losing two straight including a shutout loss last night in Boston. In fact, they haven't scored a goal in two games. Perhaps this is just what the Jackets need: a team physically incapable of scoring a goal at all!

The Jackets should have the energy edge tonight, so maybe for once they won't get circles skated around them. That said, I wouldn't count on it. I would, however, expect to see Cam Talbot in net once again for the Rangers. Again, lineups will be updated as we know more.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(18-20-3, 39 Points; 7th division, 14th conference)

Scott HartnellRyan JohansenNick Foligno
Jeremy MorinAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Sean CollinsMark LetestuJosh Anderson
Corey TroppBrandon DubinskyJared Boll
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

New York Rangers
(24-13-4, 52 Points; 4th Division, 8th Conference)

Rick NashDerick BrassardMats Zuccarello
Chris KreiderJ.T. MillerMartin St. Louis
Carl HagelinDominic MooreLee Stempniak
Tanner GlassKevin HayesJesper Fast
Ryan McDonaghDan Girardi
Marc StaalDan Boyle
Kevin KleinJohn Moore
Cam Talbot
Henrik Lundqvist

Season Series

10/11/14 - Rangers 2 at Columbus 5
01/16/15 - Rangers at Columbus
02/22/15 - Columbus at New York
04/06/15 - Columbus at New York

Head to Head Stats

NY RangersColumbus
2.98 (9)GPG2.49 (24)
2.37 (6)GAPG3.24 (26)
20.0% (11)PP%25.0% (2)
82.8% (11)PK%78.8% (24)
Rick Nash, 26G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Derick Brassard, 22A leaderRyan Johansen, 24
Rick Nash, 41Pts leaderNick Foligno, 41
Chris Kreider, 69PIM leaderJared Boll, 58
11-7-1Road/Home9-11-2
7-3-0Last 105-5-0
1/15 @ Boston, L 3-0Last Game1/14 vs. Montreal, L 3-2

Game Day #42 - Blue Jackets vs. Rangers

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In my favorite short story by my favorite author, the handicapped Harrison Bergeron shakes off his shackles and rises above... only to be ceremoniously gunned down. Sound familiar?

New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets

January 16, 2015 - 7:00 pm EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Blueshirt Banter

I know I've gone to the Harrison Bergeron well before, recently even. That said, it really does feel appropriate. The Jackets shook off their handicaps in December, and danced higher and higher, leaping closer and closer to the ceiling. Just when they felt like they might break through...

BOOM.

Shotgun blast.

Three straight losses, to the tune of a 13-6 score and a gross, GROSS shot margin. Wednesday night's groin kick? Three straight PPGs given up in the span of three and a half minutes, to one of the worst PP units in the league.

In roster news, the Jackets formally placed Jack Skille onto IR, and recalled Josh Anderson to the big club. No word at the moment in time whether Anderson draws in and makes his NHL debut, but he can't be worse than the Collins/Tropp/Boll triumvirate, right? I'm curious to see what the kid can do. The lineup below is basically a copy of Wednesday's lineup, and we'll update after morning skate.

For the Rangers, they've cooled off a touch, losing two straight including a shutout loss last night in Boston. The Jackets should have the energy edge tonight, so maybe for once they won't get circles skated around them. That said, I wouldn't count on it. I would, however, expect to see Cam Talbot in net once again for the Rangers. Again, lineups will be updated as we know more.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(18-20-3, 39 Points; 7th division, 14th conference)

Scott HartnellRyan JohansenNick Foligno
Matt CalvertBrandon DubinskyCam Atkinson
Sean CollinsAlexander WennbergJeremy Morin
Corey TroppMark LetestuJared Boll
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinCody Goloubef
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

New York Rangers
(24-13-4, 52 Points; 4th Division, 8th Conference)

Rick NashDerick BrassardMats Zuccarello
Chris KreiderJ.T. MillerMartin St. Louis
Carl HagelinDominic MooreLee Stempniak
Tanner GlassKevin HayesJesper Fast
Ryan McDonaghDan Girardi
Marc StaalDan Boyle
Kevin KleinJohn Moore
Cam Talbot
Henrik Lundqvist

Season Series

10/11/14 - Rangers 2 at Columbus 5
01/16/15 - Rangers at Columbus
02/22/15 - Columbus at New York
04/06/15 - Columbus at New York

Head to Head Stats

NY RangersColumbus
2.98 (9)GPG2.49 (24)
2.37 (6)GAPG3.24 (26)
20.0% (11)PP%25.0% (2)
82.8% (11)PK%78.8% (24)
Rick Nash, 26G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Derick Brassard, 22A leaderRyan Johansen, 24
Rick Nash, 41Pts leaderNick Foligno, 41
Chris Kreider, 69PIM leaderJared Boll, 58
11-7-1Road/Home9-11-2
7-3-0Last 105-5-0
1/15 @ Boston, L 3-0Last Game1/14 vs. Montreal, L 3-2

Bruins vs Blue Jackets 1/17 Preview: No Everlasting Shootouts

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Bruins will have to clinch sixth consecutive win without Brad Marchand.

Just the Facts:

Game Time: 7:00 PM, TD Garden.

TV Broadcast: NESN, FSOH.

Radio Broadcast: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SB Nation Site: The Cannon

Season Record: Bruins: 24-15-6, 4th in Atlantic Division | Blue Jackets 18-20-3, 7th in Metropolitan Division

Blue Jackets Lines:

Scott Hartnell - Ryan Johansen - Nick Foligno

Jeremy Morin - Alexander Wennberg - Cam Atkinson

Sean Collins - Mark Letestu - Josh Anderson

Corey Tropp - Brandon Dubinsky - Jared Boll

Defensive Pairings:

Jack Johnson - David Savard

Kevin Connauton - James Wisniewski

Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prout

Goalies: Sergei Bobrovsky, Curtis McElhinney

IR: Nathan Horton, Ryan Murray, Boone Jenner, Artem Anisimov, Brian Gibbons, Jack Skille

Bruins Lines:

Milan Lucic - David Krejci - David Pastrnak

probably Daniel Paille (dammit, Brad Marchand) - Patrice Bergeron - Reilly Smith

Chris Kelly - Carl Soderberg - Loui Eriksson

? - Gregory Campbell - Craig Cunningham

Defensive Pairings:

Zdeno Chara - Dougie Hamilton

Dennis Seidenberg - Adam McQuaid

Torey Krug - Kevan Miller

Goalies:Tuukka Rask, Niklas Svedberg

Game Notes:

  • With Brad Marchand out, Daniel Paille is likely to take his spot. Paille practiced in gold with Patrice Bergeron and Reilly Smith on Friday.
  • In this five-game winning streak, the Bruins have had the best defense in the NHL. They've managed to reduce chances and have allowed only six goals in five games. The Bruins vs Rangers chart below is really fun.
  • The Blue Jackets are on a four-game losing streak, including a 2-1 loss to the Rangers. The Bruins just had a shutout win against the Rangers. I'm not a scientist…but science.
  • Goaltender Curtis McElhinney will likely start. He was in goal for the infamous seven-round shootout earlier this season.
  • The Bruins haven't had a six-game winning streak since last season's glory. It's time.

NEVER FORGET:

Hopefully this game doesn't turn into a seven-round shootout.

Last Game in Fancy Stats

Taylor Swift voice: *Oh my God, look at these stats*

Game Preview #43 - The Important Thing Is: We'll Know

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"Now... in the morning, you'll be good as new! Or dead! The important thing is: we'll know."
--Dr. Nick Riviera

Columbus Blue Jackets at Boston Bruins

January 17, 2015 - 7:00 pm EST
TD Garden - Boston, Massachusetts
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Stanley Cup of Chowder

Regarding my intro quote, for the longest time as the roller coaster of this season went up and down, I kept to my mantra that we'd know one way or the other by the All Star Break whether this team could be a playoff contender or not. They'd either be good as new, or dead. The important thing is: we'd know.

Welp.

We pretty much know, eh?

The Jackets finally shook off the shackles of being hemmed in their own zone for an entire game, but it wasn't enough as two quick goals by the Rangers in the second period proved to be too much last night. It doesn't get easier, as they travel to Boston where the resurgent Bruins are no doubt looking for payback for the thrashing in Columbus back in December right after the Christmas break. That game seems so, so long ago, no?

I guess we have a scrap between Dalton Prout and Milan Lucic to look forward to, right?

Re: lineups, no morning skate for Columbus after playing last night and traveling, so I'm not going to venture a guess. This is last night's projected lineup. My gut says CMac gets the crease, but we shall see.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(18-21-3, 39 Points; 7th division, 14th conference)

Scott HartnellRyan JohansenNick Foligno
Jeremy MorinAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Sean CollinsMark LetestuJosh Anderson
Corey TroppBrandon DubinskyJared Boll
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

Boston Bruins
(24-15-6, 54 Points; 4th Division, 8th Conference)

Milan LucicDavid KrejciDavid Pastrnak
Daniel PaillePatrice BergeronReilly Smith
Chris KellyCarl SoderbergLoui Eriksson
Jordan CaronGregory CampbellCraig Cunningham
Zdeno CharaDougie Hamilton
Dennis SeidenbergAdam McQuaid
Torey KrugKevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
Niklas Svedberg

Season Series

11/21/14 - Boston 4 at Columbus 3 (SO)
12/27/14 - Boston 2 at Columbus 6
01/17/15 - Columbus at Boston

Head to Head Stats

BostonColumbus
2.62 (20)GPG2.45 (24)
2.44 (9)GAPG3.21 (26)
17.8% (18)PP%24.5% (3)
81.8% (13)PK%79.0% (23)
Brad Marchand, 12G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Patrice Bergeron, 21A leaderRyan Johansen, 25
Patrice Bergeron, 32Pts leaderNick Foligno / Ryan Johansen, 41
Milan Lucic, 69PIM leaderJared Boll, 63
15-6-4Home/Road9-9-1
6-1-3Last 104-6-0
1/15 vs. NY Rangers, W 3-0Last Game1/16 vs. NY Rangers, L 2-1

Game Day #43 - Blue Jackets at Bruins

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"Now... in the morning, you'll be good as new! Or dead! The important thing is: we'll know."
--Dr. Nick Riviera

Columbus Blue Jackets at Boston Bruins

January 17, 2015 - 7:00 pm EST
TD Garden - Boston, Massachusetts
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Stanley Cup of Chowder

Regarding my intro quote, for the longest time as the roller coaster of this season went up and down, I kept to my mantra that we'd know one way or the other by the All Star Break whether this team could be a playoff contender or not. They'd either be good as new, or dead. The important thing is: we'd know.

Welp.

We pretty much know, eh?

The Jackets finally shook off the shackles of being hemmed in their own zone for an entire game, but it wasn't enough as two quick goals by the Rangers in the second period proved to be too much last night. It doesn't get easier, as they travel to Boston where the resurgent Bruins are no doubt looking for payback for the thrashing in Columbus back in December right after the Christmas break. That game seems so, so long ago, no?

I guess we have a scrap between Dalton Prout and Milan Lucic to look forward to, right?

Re: lineups, no morning skate for Columbus after playing last night and traveling, so I'm not going to venture a guess. This is last night's projected lineup. My gut says CMac gets the crease, but we shall see.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(18-21-3, 39 Points; 7th division, 14th conference)

Scott HartnellRyan JohansenNick Foligno
Jeremy MorinAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Sean CollinsMark LetestuJosh Anderson
Corey TroppBrandon DubinskyJared Boll
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

Boston Bruins
(24-15-6, 54 Points; 4th Division, 8th Conference)

Milan LucicDavid KrejciDavid Pastrnak
Daniel PaillePatrice BergeronReilly Smith
Chris KellyCarl SoderbergLoui Eriksson
Jordan CaronGregory CampbellCraig Cunningham
Zdeno CharaDougie Hamilton
Dennis SeidenbergAdam McQuaid
Torey KrugKevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
Niklas Svedberg

Season Series

11/21/14 - Boston 4 at Columbus 3 (SO)
12/27/14 - Boston 2 at Columbus 6
01/17/15 - Columbus at Boston

Head to Head Stats

BostonColumbus
2.62 (20)GPG2.45 (24)
2.44 (9)GAPG3.21 (26)
17.8% (18)PP%24.5% (3)
81.8% (13)PK%79.0% (23)
Brad Marchand, 12G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Patrice Bergeron, 21A leaderRyan Johansen, 25
Patrice Bergeron, 32Pts leaderNick Foligno / Ryan Johansen, 41
Milan Lucic, 69PIM leaderJared Boll, 63
15-6-4Home/Road9-9-1
6-1-3Last 104-6-0
1/15 vs. NY Rangers, W 3-0Last Game1/16 vs. NY Rangers, L 2-1

Fresh Links: Relapse Edition

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Just a short roadie this week, then the All-Star Break.

Let's move past the loss Saturday against the Blue Jackets. UGH. Next up? The Stars on Tuesday, and Avalanche on Wednesday.

  • Hard to believe that the Bruins could have taken any team lightly in their own dire situation. Cute passes were not in their best interest. [BostonHerald]
  • In brief, here are some notes from the game. Carl Soderberg had a busy night. [MetroWestDailyNews]
  • The loss knocked the wind out of the Bruins. Brad Marchand sitting in the press box was no help at all. [BostonHerald]
  • Dancing on the edge of not making the playoffs is not a place the Bruins can afford to be. [WEEI]
  • Now at full strength and health, these Bruins have been mediocre. There is no more margin for error if they do not play well and cohesively. [TheBostonGlobe]
  • On the bright side, when they are on their game, the Bruins are as good as any team. [WorcesterTelegram&Gazette]
  • A revolving door of young defensemen was hard on the team, even if they did come from a similar system in Providence. Trust was key, and it took time to build. [MetroWestDailyNews]
  • The return of one particular defenseman marks the initial turnaround in the Bruins season. [BostonGlobe]
  • Consolation: the Bergeron line tallied strong possession numbers. Sadly, the Bruins power play struggled. [NESN]
  • Keeping David Pastrnak does not close the door on possible trades. Peter Chiarelli, among others, may be looking at a Carolina defenseman. [WEEI]
  • Second guessing begins- should the Bruins have let David Pastrnak stay in Providence? [PuckDaddy]
  • Bad news in Manchester, as Paul Bissonnette and the Monarchs downed the PBruins on Saturday. [ProvidenceJournal]
  • Good news in Providence, at least, as the PBruins fought back to win against the Penguins on Sunday. [CausewayCrowd]
  • On this date in 1958, Willie O'Ree changed the NHL in his debut with the Boston Bruins. [ChicagoNow]

Elsewhere around the rink:

  • Lies, damned lies, and it will take a while for "old school" coaching staff to get up to speed on statistics. The NHL is in a transitional period. [BostonHerald]
  • Fighting is becoming an unnescessary time waster. Ultimately the players are exercising their option to just let it die out. [SouthCoastToday]
  • Godspeed, Bob Wilson. The longtime broadcast voice of the Boston Bruins passed away on Thursday. [BostonHerald]
  • Finally! The Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association threatens a "spectator-free  weekend" to allow fans a breather to rethink their relationship with officials. [TheHockeyNews]
  • Clint Malarchuk has written his autobiography, "The Crazy Game." Here's a brief interview with him, about the best and worst of his life between the posts. [TheHockeyNews]
  • In honor of Reto Berra 's tally on Friday, look back at other goal-scoring goalies. [TheHockeyNews]
  • It was a happy surprise to see failing Gordie Howe recover and thrive following successful stem-cell treatment. [SportingNews]
  • Taunton H.S. assistant coach William C. Kenney III has been charged for biting a referee. Compounding the bad behavior, parents in the stands yelled at the arresting officers. [SportingNews]
  • Don't be "That Guy." Here's a primer on the players you'll meet playing pond hockey. The names change, but the stereotypes never do. [BarDown]
  • WJC Slovakian goaltender Denis Godla made his KHL debut, and one highlight-reel save. (with video) [BarDown]
  • About this weekend in the NHL... and will a a goalie or defenseman finally win a Hart this year? [Grantland]
  • Save key exceptions, the eight-year-old CWHL remains the only professional option for most women players. [BuffaloNews]
  • Tyler Seguin 's time in Boston felt like college to him. Hanging out in fraternity houses will do that. [TheScore]

FUCK ASS SHIT

Game Preview #44 - Ghost Pepper Down?

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Have we reached the end of the Ghost Pepper Era?

Columbus Blue Jackets at Minnesota Wild

January 19th, 2015 - 8:00pm EST
XCel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minnesota
Radio - WWCD 102.5 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Hockey Wilderness

I have to say something that made me smile and shake my head all at once: when it was announced that Jack Skille was back in the lineup tonight, and that he was taking line rushes this morning in place of Jared Boll, no less than three people texted or e-mailed me. This thing has taken on a life of its own.

I like Jared Boll as a human being. He's a funny guy, he's always been very nice to me when I've talked to him in the dressing room, and he's much, MUCH better at hockey than I could ever hope to be in the next five lifetimes.

That said, it was more than overdue for him to take a seat for a game or two. I know that when the e-mail came around that Skille was back, my first assumption was that Josh Anderson would sit, just because. I have to say it appears I will be wrong in that assumption, and I couldn't be happier.

That said, my sphincter won't totally relax until the puck drops and Boll is sitting in the press box. Again, nothing personal, Jared. I just don't want to shit blood for a week.

With that having been said, I think that I've learned something along the way, too. We've had a lot of fun at the expense of this whole thing, and I can't just walk away from it. I've decided to make this into a charity item. Assuming Boll sits out tonight and the Ghost Pepper Challenge comes to a merciful end, I will pick up another mantle and make it the Ghost Pepper Charity Challenge: for every game that Boll plays in this season, I will donate $5 to the Blue Jackets Foundation.

On to the game (oh yeah, there's actually a game!). Some weird symmetry: the last time these two teams met, the Jackets were coming off a win against Boston that stopped a losing skid (albeit just at one game last time). The Wild are probably one of the most underperforming teams in the league, as their goaltending merry-go-round has stifled any real chance to compete; they currently sit last in the Central and 12th of 14 teams in the West. With the firepower and star power they have, this is a big disappointment. They have won two in a row, but that was against Buffalo and Arizona--hardly the beacons of light in the league--and came on the heels of losing six in a row (0-5-1). In fact, they've won just four of their last 16 games (4-8-4) which has all but knocked them out of the playoff race.

Columbus has played well for their past two, and looks to build off of a pretty nice win in Beantown the other night. The new look lines have generated much better offensive output, and swapping Skille in for Boll can only help there. Columbus has two more games before the All Star Break, and a chance to go into the break at .500. It starts tonight!

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(19-21-3, 41 Points; 6th division, 13th conference)

Nick FolignoRyan JohansenJeremy Morin
Scott HartnellBrandon DubinskyJosh Anderson
Matt CalvertAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Corey TroppMark LetestuJack Skille
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

Minnesota Wild
(20-19-5, 45 Points; 7th Division, 12th Conference)

Zach PariseMikko KoivuJason Pominville
Jason ZuckerErik HaulaThomas Vanek
Ryan CarterCharlie CoyleNino Niederreiter
Matt CookeKyle BrodziakJustin Fontaine
Ryan SuterJonas Brodin
Jared SpurgeonMatt Dumba
Marco ScandellaChristian Folin
Devan Dubnyk
Niklas Backstrom

Season Series

12/31/41 - Minnesota 1 at Columbus 3
1/19/15 - Columbus at Minnesota

Head to Head Stats

MinnesotaColumbus
2.75 (15)GPG2.46 (24)
2.91 (24)GAPG3.16 (26)
14.7% (26)PP%24.7% (3)
84.1% (8)PK%79.2% (22)
Zach Parise / Jason Zucker, 16G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Jason Pominville, 27A leaderRyan Johansen, 26
Jason Pominville, 36Pts leaderRyan Johansen, 43
Ryan Carter, 48PIM leaderJared Boll, 63
11-6-5Home/Road10-9-1
3-6-1Last 105-5-0
1/17 vs. Arizona, W 3-1Last Game1/17 @ Boston, W 3-1

Game Day #44 - Blue Jackets at Wild

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Have we reached the end of the Ghost Pepper Era?

Minnesota Wild at Columbus Blue Jackets

December 31st, 2014 - 7:00pm
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WWCD 102.5 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Hockey Wilderness

I have to say something that made me smile and shake my head all at once: when it was announced that Jack Skille was back in the lineup tonight, and that he was taking line rushes this morning in place of Jared Boll, no less than three people texted or e-mailed me. This thing has taken on a life of its own.

I like Jared Boll as a human being. He's a funny guy, he's always been very nice to me when I've talked to him in the dressing room, and he's much, MUCH better at hockey than I could ever hope to be in the next five lifetimes.

That said, it was more than overdue for him to take a seat for a game or two. I know that when the e-mail came around that Skille was back, my first assumption was that Josh Anderson would sit, just because. I have to say it appears I will be wrong in that assumption, and I couldn't be happier.

That said, my sphincter won't totally relax until the puck drops and Boll is sitting in the press box. Again, nothing personal, Jared. I just don't want to shit blood for a week.

With that having been said, I think that I've learned something along the way, too. We've had a lot of fun at the expense of this whole thing, and I can't just walk away from it. I've decided to make this into a charity item. Assuming Boll sits out tonight and the Ghost Pepper Challenge comes to a merciful end, I will pick up another mantle and make it the Ghost Pepper Charity Challenge: for every game that Boll plays in this season, I will donate $5 to the Blue Jackets Foundation.

On to the game (oh yeah, there's actually a game!). Some weird symmetry: the last time these two teams met, the Jackets were coming off a win against Boston that stopped a losing skid (albeit just at one game last time). The Wild are probably one of the most underperforming teams in the league, as their goaltending merry-go-round has stifled any real chance to compete; they currently sit last in the Central and 12th of 14 teams in the West. With the firepower and star power they have, this is a big disappointment. They have won two in a row, but that was against Buffalo and Arizona--hardly the beacons of light in the league--and came on the heels of losing six in a row (0-5-1). In fact, they've won just four of their last 16 games (4-8-4) which has all but knocked them out of the playoff race.

Columbus has played well for their past two, and looks to build off of a pretty nice win in Beantown the other night. The new look lines have generated much better offensive output, and swapping Skille in for Boll can only help there. Columbus has two more games before the All Star Break, and a chance to go into the break at .500. It starts tonight!

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(19-21-3, 41 Points; 6th division, 13th conference)

Nick FolignoRyan JohansenJeremy Morin
Scott HartnellBrandon DubinskyJosh Anderson
Matt CalvertAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Corey TroppMark LetestuJack Skille
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

Minnesota Wild
(20-19-5, 45 Points; 7th Division, 12th Conference)

Zach PariseMikko KoivuJason Pominville
Jason ZuckerErik HaulaThomas Vanek
Ryan CarterCharlie CoyleNino Niederreiter
Matt CookeKyle BrodziakJustin Fontaine
Ryan SuterJonas Brodin
Jared SpurgeonMatt Dumba
Marco ScandellaChristian Folin
Devan Dubnyk
Niklas Backstrom

Season Series

12/31/41 - Minnesota 1 at Columbus 3
1/19/15 - Columbus at Minnesota

Head to Head Stats

MinnesotaColumbus
2.75 (15)GPG2.46 (24)
2.91 (24)GAPG3.16 (26)
14.7% (26)PP%24.7% (3)
84.1% (8)PK%79.2% (22)
Zach Parise / Jason Zucker, 16G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Jason Pominville, 27A leaderRyan Johansen, 26
Jason Pominville, 36Pts leaderRyan Johansen, 43
Ryan Carter, 48PIM leaderJared Boll, 63
11-6-5Home/Road10-9-1
3-6-1Last 105-5-0
1/17 vs. Arizona, W 3-1Last Game1/17 @ Boston, W 3-1

Preview: Blue Jackets @ Wild

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Minnesota wraps up its homestand as Ryan Suter returns to the lineup

Tonight the Wild host the Blue Jackets trying to build on their (insert loud gasp) two-game winning streak. Its the first time since mid-November that Minnesota owns a winning streak. Devan Dubnyk has started both of those games and has looked impressive in limited action. Its amazing how different a team can play when a confident netminder is in. Not to say Kuemper & Backstrom are not, but man hockey is a weird game. Ryan Suter returns from his suspension tonight. Minnesota won both games without Suter and with his return the D-core tonight is rather legit.

Suter - Brodin

Spurgeon - Dumba

Scandella - Folin

Matt Dumba logged 16:11 & 12:24 in his last two games and has a good chance of staying in Minnesota for 2015 and beyond. Mike Yeo liked Jared Spurgeon on the left side and he will play on the left side again despite no professional experience playing that side before last week. The Wild reassigned Jonathon Blum&Jordan Schroeder to Iowa yesterday. There's a very good chance both Mikael Granlund&Darcy Kuemper are activated from the IR this week. Hell, both may even dress tomorrow as the Wild will square off with the Red Wings in Detroit. When Kuemper is activated, the Wild will have to make a decision on having three goalies on the roster. Whether its Kuemper going on a "conditioning stint" to Iowa or someone actually prying Niklas Backstrom away from the Wild. The goalie carousel is just heating up.

We have not heard anything on the lines, but with the Wild playing better-hockey lately id guess minimal or no changes tonight. Tomorrow will be interesting as Granlund is likely to dress and the lines will be shaken up. The Wild suffered a 3-1 loss in the first meeting against Columbus this year. Minnesota is 16-5-4 all-time against the Jackets at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota will be going against one of the best between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky who is 4-1-0 with a 1.55 GAA and a .944 SV% in five starts against the Wild. Ten of the last 14 games played at Xcel Energy Center have been decided by one goal and the Wild is 8-3-3 in those meetings. Check back at 6:45 for the gamethread and Go Wild!

Maple Leafs 5, Blue Jackets 2 - Game Highlights

Islanders 5, Blue Jackets 2 - Game Highlights

Canadiens 3, Blue Jackets 2 - Game Highlights

Rangers 2, Blue Jackets 1 - Game Highlights

Blue Jackets 3, Bruins 1 - Game Highlights


Blue Jackets 3, Wild 1 - Game Highlights

Game 44 Recap: Well, That's Just Wizzer

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After getting off the schneide in Boston, the Blue Jackets traveled up to Minnesota to face a Wild team that's been facing their own struggles.

First off, I'll own up - I forgot I was supposed to write this last night, so instead it's going up this morning, a little rushed, but still heartfelt, right?

Right.

Anyway - when last we left our boys in Union Blue, they'd snapped a four game losing streak thanks to a strong effort in Boston. With two games left before the All Star Game break, it was a chance to repair a bit more of the damage, and to maybe take a little positive momentum with them in the second half of the season.

The biggest news going into the Xcel Energy Center was that Jack Skille had been activated off injured reserve, and would draw in for Jared Boll as a result - the first game the pugilist has missed this season.

With the lines otherwise unchanged, Sergei Bobrovsky had the call in net, and the Jackets went in to face a Wild team that's been suffering their own crisis of confidence lately, having dropped six in a row before finding a spark against the Sabres and Coyotes after trading for goalie Devan Dubnyk.

"Doobs" was in the pipes for the home team tonight as well, but after some initial tentative probes from either side, it would be a "Dubi" getting things going.

Reversing a Wild clearing attempt at the top of his own zone, Kevin Connauton flipped the puck over to James Wisniewski, who fired a perfect tape to tape pass through the neutral zone, hitting Dubi in stride as he charged right down the middle of the ice, then fired a beauty past Dubnyk.

1-0 Jackets (Dubinsky (3) from Wisniewski (16), Connauton(7)) @ 07:57

Neither team was getting much on net thanks to a combination of good defenses and bad puck luck all around, but things had started to tip in favor of the Wild late in the first period, capped off by Nino Niederreiter drawing a hooking call on Dalton Prout.

Minnesota's power play went to work, and it didn't take long to cash in. Cycling the puck through the back of the Jackets' zone, Jason Pominville sent it back up to Mikko Koivu at the half wall, who drifted back along the blue line before firing a shot into the mess of players around Bob, where Zach Parise would tip it home.

1-1 (Parise (17) from Koivu (19), Pominville (23)) @ 18:43 - PPG

Unsurprisingly, that late goal gave the Wild a good boost for the remainder of the period and well into the second, which wasn't helped by another visit to the box early in the second by Scott Hartnell, but the Columbus PK tightened up, and even though they weren't generating much traction outside of their zone, the team was at least keeping the ice clear in front of Bobrovsky, which allowed Bob to do BOB things on several Minnesota attempts.

Things got even crazier when Zach Parise drew a penalty shot call. The All Star forward had been loosed for a breakaway when David Savard basically hugged the stuffing out of him to prevent a goal. With the ref's arm up for the penalty, Bob made the save on the initial shot, but Parise took a second whack at it after the whistle which went into the net.

That goal was reviewed and waved off because of the referee's whistle, but that still meant that Bob had to face off with Parise 1 on 1. (Which, if I'm honest, was a bit surprising? Most games I suspect that would have just been called as a regular interference call - but that's just me.)

Parise looked like he was going to just go straight up the gut, but broke left at the last possible moment, looking to tuck the shot past Bobrovsky's legs.  Bob figured it out, though, and kicked back to make the save, sending the puck harmlessly into the far corner.

Thanks to that big stop, the Blue Jackets finally seemed to get a little steam, even drawing their own power play thanks to some good hustling by Hartnell. The Wild shut that one down, but the momentum seemed to be building...until David Savard caught Jason Zucker in the chops with his stick.

Suddenly facing a double minor to nearly the end of the period, the PK was tested again, but thanks to more hard work and a couple more big saves, they managed to get into the second intermission still tied up at 1, which gave the team as a whole an opportunity to breathe.

The clubs hit the ice for the final frame, and the game arguably turned thanks to some great hustle by Alexander Wennberg. The rookie's been looking more and more confident in his second NHL stint, and even though he wasn't on the score sheet tonight, he's been making a lot of good plays. He's clearly seeing the ice at another level, and tonight he was there for several good defensive moves.

In this case, he drew a tripping call that would send the Jackets to the power play, and this time they made the most of the opportunity. The power play unit was moving things around early, though I'm not sure I'd call it a cycle - it seemed a bit too chaotic for that - but in that chaos came opportunity. With Nick Foligno carrying the puck down below the goal line, the Wild moved in to try and box him out, which gave James Wisniewski the opportunity to pinch down to the side of the net - putting him in exactly the right place to bang in a quick shot.

2-1 Jackets (Wisniewski (5) from Foligno (24), Hartnell (18)) @ 05:35 - PPG

Things kept on with that thin lead, but Bob was Bob, and the Jackets were generally riding the knife edge lead, then slowly turning up the pressure, which culminated in Wiz blocking a Wild clearing attempt to keep the puck in the offensive zone, then firing a quick shot that would bank into the net off of Hartnell's legs.

3-1 Jackets (Hartnell (10) from Wisniewski (17)) @ 16:57

The Wild didn't go away in the final minutes - in fact, Bob made one more insane sliding stop save on Vanek that had fans going house on Twitter, but the Jackets did a good job of staying with it, and the only negative note I can bring up is Matt Calvert missing his open shot at the empty net after a nice setup by Ryan Johansen, which would bring the Johan's point streak to an end at "only" 13 games.

Final Score: Jackets 3 - Wild 1

Standard Bearers:

  • James Wisniewski - Dude was, dare I say it, en fuego.
  • Sergei Bobrovsky - Bob had some rough outings last week, but as the play in front of him has improved, he's been able to get his own game back to where he wants it to be. That penalty shot save gave the team exactly what they needed to win.
  • Alexander Wennberg - He didn't score, but he was making good contributions all night. He keeps this up, the points will follow.

Bottom of the Barrel:

  • David Savard - Rough day at the office. I think the move on Parise was understandable (if badly executed), but the other penalty was 80% bad luck, 20% getting outworked. I like what he brings, normally, but hopefully he can recharge his batteries a bit during the break.
  • Faceoffs - Outside of Dubinsky, the team's centers got beat up pretty badly at the dot. That's an area the club has been struggling in quite a bit lately.  Might be time for some refresher drills.
  • Calvert's Open Net - C'mon, man!

All things considered? A nice win for the good guys, a couple badly needed points, and it's good to have the opportunity to go into Winnipeg on a roll. The Jets are flying pretty high right now, but if the Jackets can shoot them down, sweeping the road trip would be a nice sign that they're moving in the right direction again.

2015 NHL Central Scouting rankings sees McDavid, Eichel, Hanifin still at top

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The release of Central Scouting's set of rankings for the upcoming draft means we get a whole new set of numbers to fight over.

NHL Central Scouting has released their rankings for the 2015 draft, and as expected, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel top the chart for North American skaters.

As of right now, the Sabres will most likely hold one of the top two picks, and will be able to add a future superstar to their already impressive roster of prospects. However, Buffalo has two additional first rounders thanks to St. Louis and the New York Islanders, and while both picks will likely be late in the first round (those teams currently sit sixth and fourth in the league, respectively) this list gives fans a better idea of which prospects might be available in the 20's.

So for all you draftniks out there, we've got the complete list of North American and European skaters and goaltenders. Are there any prospects you've got your eye on late in the first round, or would like to see the Sabres trade up to get? Let us know in the comments.

RkNorth American Skaters2014-15 TeamLeaguePositionHeightWeight
1McDavid, ConnorErieOHLC6' 0.75"195
2Eichel, JackBoston UniversityH-EASTC6' 2.0"196
3Hanifin, NoahBoston CollegeH-EASTD6' 2.75"203
4Crouse, LawsonKingstonOHLLW6' 4.0"211
5Strome, DylanErieOHLC6' 3.0"187
6Werenski, ZacharyU Of MichiganBIG10D6' 2.0"206
7Marner, MitchellLondonOHLC5' 11.0"155
8Zacha, PavelSarniaOHLC6' 3.0"210
9Barzal, MathewSeattleWHLC5' 11.25"175
10Provorov, IvanBrandonWHLD6' 0.0"191
11Zboril, JakubSaint JohnQMJHLD6' 0.75"184
12Meier, TimoHalifaxQMJHLRW6' 1.0"208
13Merkley, NicholasKelownaWHLC5' 10.75"191
14Connor, KyleYoungstownUSHLLW6' 1.0"177
15Chabot, ThomasSaint JohnQMJHLD6' 1.25"181
16Carlo, BrandonTri-CityWHLD6' 4.75"198
17Chlapik, FilipCharlottetownQMJHLC6' 0.75"194
18Harkins, JansenPrince GeorgeWHLC6' 0.75"177
19Bittner, PaulPortlandWHLLW6' 4.0"206
20Sprong, DanielCharlottetownQMJHLRW6' 0.0"189
21Svechnikov, EvgenyCape BretonQMJHLLW6' 2.0"199
22Greenway, JordanUSA Under-18USHLLW6' 4.75"222
23Roy, JeremySherbrookeQMJHLD5' 11.75"189
24Debrusk, JakeSwift CurrentWHLLW5' 11.5"171
25Roy, NicolasChicoutimiQMJHLC6' 4.0"199
26Konecny, TravisOttawaOHLC5' 9.75"174
27White, ColinUSA Under-18USHLC6' 0.0"183
28Boeser, BrockWaterlooUSHLRW6' 0.5"191
29Novak, ThomasWaterlooUSHLC6' 0.5"179
30Brisebois, GuillaumeAcadie-BathurstQMJHLD6' 1.75"170
31Pilon, RyanBrandonWHLD6' 2.0"206
32Musil, AdamRed DeerWHLC6' 2.5"198
33Vande Sompel, MitchellOshawaOHLD5' 10.0"182
34Warren, BrendanUSA Under-18USHLLW6' 0.25"191
35Yan, DennisShawiniganQMJHLLW6' 1.25"180
36Bracco, JeremyUSA Under-18USHLRW5' 9.25"173
37Gawdin, GlennSwift CurrentWHLC6' 0.75"188
38Juulsen, NoahEverettWHLD6' 1.25"175
39Forsbacka Karlsson, JakobOmahaUSHLC6' 0.75"190
40Fischer, ChristianUSA Under-18USHLRW6' 1.0"212
41Korostelev, NikitaSarniaOHLRW6' 1.25"195
42Marsh, AdamSaint JohnQMJHLLW6' 0.0"160
43Wagner, AustinReginaWHLLW6' 1.0"178
44Speers, BlakeSault Ste. MarieOHLC5' 10.75"180
45Meloche, NicolasBaie-ComeauQMJHLD6' 2.5"202
46Wotherspoon, ParkerTri-CityWHLD6' 0.25"171
47Dermott, TravisErieOHLD5' 11.25"197
48Gagne, GabrielVictoriavilleQMJHLRW6' 4.75"186
49Beauvillier, AnthonyShawiniganQMJHLLW5' 10.25"173
50Trenin, YakovGatineauQMJHLC6' 1.75"192
51Spencer, MatthewPeterboroughOHLD6' 1.5"201
52Roslovic, JackUSA Under-18USHLC6' 0.5"182
53Dunn, VinceNiagaraOHLD5' 11.75"182
54Knott, GrahamNiagaraOHLLW6' 3.25"192
55Noel, NathanSaint JohnQMJHLC5' 10.75"170
56Senyshyn, ZacharySault Ste. MarieOHLRW6' 1.0"192
57Foley, ErikCedar RapidsUSHLLW5' 11.5"185
58Timashov, DmytroQuebecQMJHLLW5' 9.25"192
59Galipeau, OlivierVal-D'orQMJHLD6' 0.5"202
60Carrier, AlexandreGatineauQMJHLD5' 11.0"174
61Gabrielle, JesseReginaWHLLW5' 10.75"205
62Gropp, RyanSeattleWHLLW6' 2.0"184
63Marody, CooperSioux FallsUSHLC6' 0.25"173
64Marino, JohnSouth ShoreUSPHL PRE.D6' 0.5"171
65Lauzon, JeremyRouyn-NorandaQMJHLD6' 1.75"193
66Strand, AustinRed DeerWHLD6' 3.25"194
67Capobianco, KyleSudburyOHLD6' 1.0"178
68Bouramman, GustavSault Ste. MarieOHLD5' 11.25"184
69Nielsen, AndrewLethbridgeWHLD6' 3.0"207
70Cecconi, JosephMuskegonUSHLD6' 2.25"209
71Greer, AjBoston UniversityH-EASTLW6' 2.5"204
72Gilbert, DennisChicagoUSHLD6' 2.25"201
73Dove-Mcfalls, SamuelSaint JohnQMJHLLW6' 2.0"207
74Gates, BrentGreen BayUSHLC6' 1.75"196
75Cotton, DavidCushing AcademyHIGH-MAC6' 2.5"200
76Guhle, BrendanPrince AlbertWHLD6' 1.5"184
77Jones, CalebUSA Under-18USHLD5' 11.75"194
78Bachman, KarchCulver AcademyHIGH-INLW5' 10.5"175
79Askew, CameronMonctonQMJHLC6' 2.25"203
80Kielly, KameronCharlottetownQMJHLRW6' 0.0"180
81Massie, JakeKimball UnionHIGH-NHD6' 2.0"165
82Gabriele, GrantUSA Under-18USHLD6' 0.75"167
83Sadek, JackLakeville NorthHIGH-MND6' 1.5"185
84Andersson, RasmusBarrieOHLD6' 0.0"210
85Fronk, JiriCedar RapidsUSHLRW6' 1.5"191
86Corriveau, TaggartWestminsterHIGH-CTRW6' 1.0"176
87Terry, TroyUSA Under-18USHLC/RW5' 10.5"160
88Cirelli, AnthonyOshawaOHLC5' 11.5"160
89Alain, AlexandreGatineauQMJHLC6' 0.25"173
90Pavlychev, NikitaDes MoinesUSHLC6' 7.0"200
91Leveille, LoikCape BretonQMJHLD5' 11.5"223
92Martenet, ChrisLondonOHLD6' 7.0"198
93Pawlenchuk, GraysonRed DeerWHLLW5' 11.5"183
94Kolesar, KeeganSeattleWHLRW6' 1.25"217
95Luff, MattBellevilleOHLRW6' 1.5"179
96Szypula, EthanOwen SoundOHLC5' 10.5"168
97Zborosky, ZacharyKootenayWHLRW5' 11.0"175
98Schemitsch, ThomasOwen SoundOHLD6' 3.0"205
99Henley, DavidCharlottetownQMJHLD6' 4.5"203
100Hobbs, ConnorReginaWHLD6' 0.5"187
101Bethune, JaredPrince GeorgeWHLC6' 0.0"174
102Fitzgerald, CaseyUSA Under-18USHLD5' 10.5"186
103Richard, AnthonyVal-D'orQMJHLC5' 9.5"163
104Gardiner, ReidPrince AlbertWHLC/RW5' 10.5"187
105Parsells, AdamWausau WestHIGH-WID6' 5.5"192
106Olson, TatePrince GeorgeWHLD6' 2.25"174
107Jaremko, JacobElk RiverHIGH-MNC5' 11.25"170
108Stephens, DevanteKelownaWHLD6' 1.25"171
109Mcdermott, JohnWestminsterHIGH-CTC6' 1.25"185
110Sideroff, DevenKamloopsWHLRW5' 11.0"171
111Radke, RoyBarrieOHLRW6' 2.5"203
112Fournier, JordanVictoriavilleQMJHLRW6' 1.25"181
113Stephens, MitchellSaginawOHLC5' 11.25"184
114Fora, MichaelKamloopsWHLD6' 2.5"210
115Marcoux, AntoineVictoriavilleQMJHLC6' 1.0"170
116Suter, PiusGuelphOHLC5' 11.0"165
117Mccool, HaydenWindsorOHLC6' 3.0"200
118Lalonde, BradleyCape BretonQMJHLD6' 0.5"193
119Lemcke, JustinBellevilleOHLD6' 2.25"200
120Simpson, MarkAcadie-BathurstQMJHLC6' 5.25"189
121Tkachev, VladimirQuebecQMJHLLW5' 9.5"144
122Wilkie, ChristopherTri-CityUSHLRW5' 11.5"199
123Vela, MarcusLangleyBCHLC6' 0.75"202
124Mckenzie, BrettNorth BayOHLC6' 1.75"190
125Cho, AustinSt. Andrews CollegeHIGH-OND6' 0.5"190
126Van Boekel, JackSaint JohnQMJHLD6' 6.75"200
127Addison, JeremiahOttawaOHLLW5' 11.75"182
128Peters, CollinSioux FallsUSHLC5' 11.5"166
129Betz, NickErieOHLRW6' 4.25"220
130Fontaine, GabrielSherbrookeQMJHLC6' 1.0"179
131Kalynuk, WyattLincolnUSHLD6' 0.5"165
132Jaycox, LukasWarroadHIGH-MND6' 1.5"183
133Bear, EthanSeattleWHLD5' 11.0"200
134Gatenby, JoeKelownaWHLD6' 0.25"176
135Macarthur, TylerOwen SoundOHLD6' 3.5"177
136Fortin, AlexandreRouyn-NorandaQMJHLC6' 0.0"173
137Davis, KevinEverettWHLD5' 11.75"183
138Murphy, MatthewQuebecQMJHLD6' 2.25"208
139Diffley, BrienBoston UniversityH-EASTD6' 1.0"176
140Karnaukhov, PavelCalgaryWHLLW6' 2.5"194
141Seney, BrettMerrimackH-EASTLW5' 8.75"156
142Moynihan, ConnorHalifaxQMJHLLW6' 3.75"211
143Fox, TrentBellevilleOHLC6' 2.0"190
144Bradley, MatthewMedicine HatWHLC5' 11.25"187
145Salituro, DanteOttawaOHLC5' 8.25"178
146Smallman, SpencerSaint JohnQMJHLRW6' 0.5"184
147Mangiapane, AndrewBarrieOHLLW5' 10.0"170
148Webster, BaileySaint JohnQMJHLD6' 3.0"210
149Freytag, MatthewTri-CityUSHLLW6' 0.75"195
150Morrison, BradPrince GeorgeWHLC5' 11.5"154
151Franzen, GustafKitchenerOHLC5' 10.75"173
152Soy, TylerVictoriaWHLC5' 11.5"172
153Lindberg, BrandonSarniaOHLC6' 0.5"205
154White, ColtonSault Ste. MarieOHLD6' 0.0"182
155Myers, PhilippeRouyn-NorandaQMJHLD6' 4.75"196
156Darcy, LiamBerwick AcademyHIGH-MED5' 10.5"175
157Olson, JacobHill-MurrayHIGH-MND6' 3.0"210
158Miller, DavidKitchenerOHLC5' 8.5"180
159Artemov, ArtemSaginawOHLLW5' 10.5"200
160Hunt, DrydenReginaWHLC/LW6' 0.0"199
161Keane, JacksonWinnipeg BluesMJHLC5' 9.0"148
162Michaud, LucasPortland Jr. PiratesUSPHL PRE.RW5' 10.5"200
163Goulet, AlexandreCharlottetownQMJHLC5' 11.5"195
164Jensen, KadeLethbridgeWHLD6' 1.5"191
165Conley, KevinYoungstownUSHLLW5' 11.5"192
166Becker, JackMahtomediHIGH-MNC6' 3.0"188
167Azar, NickHoneybaked U18HPHLD6' 3.0"201
168Flanagan, MckayThe GunneryHIGH-CTD6' 1.0"185
169Comrie, TyTri-CityWHLC5' 11.5"169
170Pearson, ChaseYoungstownUSHLC6' 2.0"189
171Lizotte, CameronPeterboroughOHLD6' 1.25"193
172Shea, RyanBoston College H.S.HIGH-MAD6' 0.0"168
173Crawley, BrandonLondonOHLD6' 0.5"198
174Henderson, JacobOmahaUSHLRW6' 2.5"203
175Spaxman, EthanWaterlooUSHLD6' 3.5"193
176Boka, NicholasUSA Under-18USHLD6' 0.25"197
177Mcneely, JackLakeville NorthHIGH-MND6' 2.5"178
178Mackie, GageShattuck-St. Mary's PrepHIGH-MNLW6' 2.5"192
179Pfeifer, TristenEverettWHLD6' 4.0"180
180Palmu, PetrusOwen SoundOHLLW5' 5.75"169
181Desrocher, StephenOshawaOHLD6' 3.75"198
182Gardner, RhettOkotoksAJHLC/LW6' 2.25"200
183Hughes, CameronU Of WisconsinBIG10C5' 10.75"144
184Overhardt, AlexPortlandWHLC5' 11.0"181
185Zuhlsdorf, RyanSioux CityUSHLD5' 11.25"188
186Laishram, AdamBellevilleOHLRW5' 8.5"158
187Gaudette, AdamCedar RapidsUSHLC6' 0.75"170
188Jankowski, DavidStanstead CollegeHIGH-QCC6' 1.0"155
189Finlay, LiamVernonBCHLRW5' 6.5"132
190Bukarts, RihardsBrandonWHLLW5' 8.5"190
191Philp, LukeKootenayWHLC5' 9.25"180
192Miletic, SamGreen BayUSHLLW6' 0.25"182
193Mcfadden, GarrettGuelphOHLD5' 10.5"180
194Borgen, WilliamMoorheadHIGH-MND6' 1.75"189
195Crawford, MarcusSaginawOHLD5' 11.0"193
196Bell, JasonSaint JohnQMJHLD6' 2.0"188
197Zborovskiy, SergeyReginaWHLD6' 3.0"198
198Demler, BrendanOhio Blue Jackets U18T1AAAD6' 1.25"166
199Reddekopp, ChazVictoriaWHLD6' 3.25"219
200Peski, AndrewBrockvilleCCHLD6' 0.25"201
201Masonius, JosephUSA Under-18USHLD6' 0.25"190
202Fryer, CallumAuroraOJHLD6' 2.25"190
203Stevens, LukeNoble & GreenoughHIGH-MALW6' 3.75"184
204Evers, ChristianUSA Under-18USHLD6' 1.75"206
205Busch, TylerSpruce GroveAJHLC6' 2.25"180
206Somers, WilliamHotchkiss SchoolHIGH-CTLW6' 4.0"228
207Trinkberger, DavidSioux CityUSHLD6' 4.5"207
208Desharnais, VincentChilliwackBCHLD6' 6.0"207
209Bast, GabePentictonBCHLD5' 8.75"188
210Gysi, DanielSpringfield PicsUSPHL PRE.D5' 11.0"165
LVSchlichting, ConnorSarniaOHLD6' 3.25"207
LVMeyer, JarettOwen SoundOHLD6' 8.0"246







RkInternational Skaters2014-15 TeamLeaguePositionHeightWeight
1Kylington, OliverAikSWEDEN-2D6' 0.0"180
2Rantanen, MikkoTpsFINLANDRW6' 3.5"211
3Looke, JensBrynasSWEDENRW6' 0.5"180
4Spacek, MichaelPardubiceCZREPRW5' 11.0"187
5Larsson, JacobFrolunda Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 2.0"191
6Carlsson, GabrielLinkoping Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 4.0"183
7Gurianov, DenisTogliatti 2RUSSIA-JR.RW6' 2.5"183
8Ahl, FilipHv 71 Jr.SWEDEN-JR.LW6' 3.25"211
9Aho, SebastianSkellefteaSWEDEND5' 9.25"165
10Kase, DavidChomutovCZREP-2RW5' 11.0"169
11Hintz, RoopeIlvesFINLANDLW6' 2.5"185
12Siegenthaler, JonasZurichSWISSD6' 2.5"220
13Rykov, YegorSka St. Petersburg 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 1.25"216
14Dergachyov, AlexanderSka St. Petersburg 2RUSSIA-JR.C6' 4.0"200
15Lindgren, JesperModo Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 0.0"161
16Aho, SebastianKarpatFINLANDRW5' 11.25"172
17Kovacs, RobinAikSWEDEN-2RW6' 0.0"172
18Volkov, ArtemMvd Balashikha 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 1.0"189
19Carlsson, LucasBrynas Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 0.0"180
20Jasek, LukasTrinecCZREPRW5' 11.25"165
21Nattinen, JuliusJyp 2FINLAND-2C6' 1.75"191
22Eriksson Ek, JoelFarjestad Jr.SWEDEN-JR.C6' 1.75"180
23Malgin, DenisZurichSWISSC5' 8.0"163
24Cernak, ErikKosiceSLOVAKIAD6' 3.0"203
25Saarela, AleksiAssatFINLANDC5' 10.5"198
26Gavrikov, VladislavYaroslavl 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 2.5"205
27Ordos, JanLiberec Jr.CZREP-JR.LW5' 11.0"176
28Dufek, JanBrno Jr.CZREP-JR.RW5' 11.75"172
29Yudin, DmitriSt. PetersburgRUSSIAD6' 2.0"185
30Dymacek, RomanBrno Jr.CZREP-JR.LW6' 0.5"175
31Volkov, AlexanderSka St. Petersburg 2RUSSIA-JR.RW6' 0.5"189
32Brodecki, AdamBrynasSWEDENLW5' 11.0"167
33Podluboshnov, PavelCska 2RUSSIA-JR.RW5' 9.0"152
34Forsberg, FredrikLeksand Jr.SWEDEN-JR.C6' 0.0"174
35Tuulola, JoniHpkFINLANDD6' 2.5"180
36Vorobyev, MikhailUfa 2RUSSIA-JR.LW6' 2.0"194
37Tammela, JonneKalpa Jr.FINLAND-JR.C5' 10.0"180
38Karrer, RogerGck ZurichSWISS-2D5' 11.25"172
39Leandersson, AlexanderFarjestad Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 3.0"205
40Klok, LukasVitkoviceCZREPD6' 1.0"187
41Kampf, DavidChomutovCZREP-2RW6' 2.0"191
42Paigin, ZiyatKazanRUSSIAD6' 5.0"209
43Zhukenov, DmitriOmsk 2RUSSIA-JR.C5' 11.25"169
44Sharov, AlexanderTogliatti 2RUSSIA-JR.LW6' 2.0"191
45Nazarkin, YevgeniChelyabinsk 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 3.0"205
46Cebikin, NikolaiMvd Balashikha 2RUSSIA-JR.LW6' 0.0"183
47Leschenko, VyacheslavMytischiRUSSIARW5' 11.0"167
48Vainio, VeetiBlues Jr.FINLAND-JR.D6' 1.75"169
49Vejdemo, LukasDjurgarden Jr.SWEDEN-JR.C6' 2.0"194
50Jaros, ChristianLulea Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 3.0"201
51Leman, JonathanModo Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 0.5"185
52Bondra, RadovanKosiceSLOVAKIARW6' 5.25"220
53Dvorak, FilipBrno Jr.CZREP-JR.C6' 0.5"178
54Kalapudas, AnttiHokkiFINLAND-2C6' 0.0"161
55Yemets, IvanNovokuznetsk 2RUSSIA-JR.LW5' 10.0"161
56Olund, LinusBrynas Jr.SWEDEN-JR.C5' 11.25"178
57Stenlund, KevinHv 71 Jr.SWEDEN-JR.C6' 3.0"205
58Kalina, PetrSparta Jr.CZREP-JR.D5' 11.25"160
59Niku, SamiJypFINLANDD6' 0.5"176
60Yurtaikin, DanilYaroslavl 2RUSSIA-JR.RW6' 0.0"183
61Kaprizov, KirillNovokuznetskRUSSIALW5' 9.0"185
62Afonasyevsky, SemyonChelyabinsk 2RUSSIA-JR.RW6' 2.0"196
63Younan, AlexanderHv 71 Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 0.75"189
64Chibiryayev, KirillMvd Balashikha 2RUSSIA-JR.C6' 3.0"187
65Scotka, JanPardubiceCZREPD6' 2.0"201
66Riat, DamienMalmo Jr.SWEDEN-JR.LW5' 11.75"165
67Diem, DominikGck ZurichSWISS-2C5' 10.5"163
68Olhaver, GustavRogle Jr.SWEDEN-JR.C6' 6.0"213
69Sopanen, EetuPelicansFINLANDD6' 5.0"222
70Petunin, AlexanderMvd Balashikha 2RUSSIA-JR.RW5' 9.0"158
71Zetterberg, LucasVasteras Jr.SWEDEN-JR.RW6' 0.0"180
72Davidsson, JonathanDjurgarden Jr.SWEDEN-JR.LW5' 10.0"174
73Impose, AugusteGeneve Jr.SWISS-JR.C5' 9.75"180
74Haussener, TimoRapperswil Jr.SWISS-JR.C6' 4.0"176
75Jarvinen, VilleIlves Jr.FINLAND-JR.D6' 3.5"194
76Snajnar, RostislavBrno Jr.CZREP-JR.D5' 11.75"180
77Zhebelev, AlexanderChekhov 2RUSSIA-JR.LW5' 10.5"207
78Weinhold, MartinKarlovy Vary Jr.RUSSIA-JR.D5' 11.0"164
79Haberstich, FabianLangnau Jr.SWISS-JR.C6' 0.0"213
80Hischier, LucaVispSWISS-2C6' 1.5"191
81Vadovic, AndrejSlovakia U18SLOVAKIA-2D6' 1.25"187
82Johansson, MikaelOskarshamnSWEDEN-2RW6' 3.0"211
83Kahun, DominikEhc MunchenGERMANYC/LW5' 8.75"175
84Ekestahl Jonsson, LucasModo Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 0.0"163
85Mzhelsky, SemyonMvd Balashikha 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 3.0"205
86Haudum, LukasSodertalje Jr.SWEDEN-JR.RW5' 11.0"176
87Thurkauf, CalvinZug Jr.SWISS-JR.C6' 0.75"198
88Fontana, ColinLugano Jr.SWISS-JR.D6' 7.5"182
89Bjorninen, HannesPelicansFINLANDRW6' 1.0"187
90Cukste, KarlisRiga 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 2.0"203
91Burren, YanikBern Jr.SWISS-JR.D5' 11.25"172
92Gymer, FrankJokerit Jr.FINLAND-JR.C5' 9.0"156
93Piipponen, TopiKalpa Jr.FINLAND-JR.RW6' 0.5"194
94Ponomarenko, MaksimsLorenskogNORWAYD6' 2.0"181
95Meyer, DarioBern Jr.SWISS-JR.RW6' 0.0"176
96Gronstad, PetterLorenskogNORWAYLW6' 1.0"185
97Wagner, FrantisekChomutov Jr.CZREP-JR.C6' 1.25"193
98Lassen, MatiasRodovreDENMARKD6' 0.0"176
99Sadecky, BorisSlovakia U18SLOVAKIA-2C6' 0.0"185
100Niemela, JoonasBlues Jr.FINLAND-JR.C5' 10.0"176
101Hatala, AndrejSlovakia U18SLOVAKIA-2D5' 11.0"187
102Buinitsky, DmitryShinnik 2RUSSIA-JR.RW6' 0.0"170
103Falkovski, StepanYunost Minsk 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 6.0"203
104Lambacher, AlexMannheim Jr.GERMANY-JR.RW6' 1.0"187
105Tavernier, SamiHifk Jr.FINLAND-JR.LW5' 11.75"174
106Pilipenko, KirillMvd Balashikha 2RUSSIA-JR.RW5' 11.0"194
107Wissmann, KaiEisbaren Berlin Jr.GERMANY-JR.D6' 3.25"180
108Kammerer, MaximilianSalzburg Jr.AUSTRIA-JR.LW6' 0.0"163
109Lipiainen, ValtteriSaipa Jr.FINLAND-JR.RW5' 10.0"165
110Roykas Marthinsen, AndreasDjurgarden Jr.SWEDEN-JR.D6' 2.0"205
111Kasastul, ChristianFrisk AskerNORWAYD5' 9.0"179
112Zorko, LukaMytischi 2RUSSIA-JR.D6' 5.0"205







RkNorth American Goaltenders2014-15 TeamLeagueHandHeightWeight
1Blackwood, MackenzieBarrieOHLL6' 4.0"215
2Booth, CallumQuebecQMJHLL6' 2.75"199
3Montembeault, SamuelBlainville-BoisbriandQMJHLL6' 2.25"164
4Tomek, MatejTopekaNAHLL6' 2.5"180
5Opilka, LukeUSA Under-18USHLL6' 1.0"192
6Mcniven, MichaelOwen SoundOHLL6' 0.5"205
7Lackey, MichaelUSA Under-18USHLL6' 2.5"214
8Schneider, NickMedicine HatWHLR6' 1.75"160
9Hill, AdinPortlandWHLL6' 3.5"198
10Hicks, ConnorBellevilleOHLL6' 3.25"189
11Birdsall, ChristopherYoungstownUSHLL5' 11.0"181
12Toth, RylanRed DeerWHLL6' 1.5"195
13Mcbride, NickPrince AlbertWHLL6' 3.5"179
14Herbst, LiamOttawaOHLR6' 3.75"194
15Bednard, RyanJohnstownNAHLL6' 3.75"179
16Robinson, MikeLawrence AcademyHIGH-MAL6' 4.0"200
17Helvig, JeremyKingstonOHLL6' 2.75"216
18Smith, EvanAustinNAHLL6' 6.25"174
19Ahrens, JensMinnesota MagiciansNAHLL6' 2.75"194
20Larkin, RyanCedar RapidsUSHLL6' 0.5"192
21Jurusik, MatthewJanesvilleNAHLL6' 0.0"194
22Wornig, StefanPowell RiverBCHLR6' 5.5"207
23Foulem, FredericShattuck-St. Mary's PrepHIGH-MNL6' 0.5"189
24Kozlowski, TrevinThe GunneryHIGH-CTL6' 3.75"186
25Papirny, JordanBrandonWHLL6' 0.5"173
26Flinn, JackOwen SoundOHLL6' 7.0"223
27Bowman, ZackPlymouthOHLL6' 0.0"168
28Halladay, LoganBloomingtonUSHLL6' 0.75"194
29Daccord, JoelCushing AcademyHIGH-MAL6' 2.5"197
30Belisle, JeremyRouyn-NorandaQMJHLL6' 0.0"157
31Parenteau, RylanPrince AlbertWHLL6' 0.5"191
32Tremblay, OlivierVictoriavilleQMJHLL5' 11.25"182
33Ingram, ConnorKamloopsWHLL6' 0.5"212
34Thome, PeterChicago Fury U18T1AAAL6' 3.0"194
35O'brien, ConorNorthfield-Mt.HermonHIGH-MAL6' 1.0"161







RkInternational Goaltenders2014-15 TeamLeagueHandHeightWeight
1Samsonov, IlyaMagnitogorsk 2RUSSIA-JR.L6' 3.0"200
2Vladar, DanielKladnoCZREP-2L6' 5.25"185
3Sandstrom, FelixBrynas Jr.SWEDEN-JR.L6' 2.0"191
4Godla, DenisBratislavaRUSSIAL5' 11.0"176
5Huska, AdamSlovakia U18SLOVAKIA-2L6' 3.25"189
6Werner, AdamFarjestad Jr.SWEDEN-JR.L6' 4.75"185
7Vehvilainen, VeiniJyp 2FINLAND-2R6' 0.5"180
8Heljanko, ChristianHifk Jr.FINLAND-JR.L5' 10.5"169
9Stezka, AlesLiberec Jr.CZREP-JR.L6' 3.25"178
10Sorensen, GeorgeHerningDENMARKL5' 10.0"172
11Van Pottelberghe, JorenLinkoping Jr.SWEDEN-JR.L6' 2.5"187

Game Preview #45 - Level Into The Break

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0

The Jackets may not be playoff contenders right now, but they can get back to .500 at the All Star Break with a win tonight in the 'Peg.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Winnipeg Jets

January 21st, 2015 - 9:00pm EST
MTS Centre - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey

The Jackets, with a win, could go into the All Star Break at .500, at 21-21-3. Considering that, just six games ago, they were over .500, this may not sound like much. But, considering that they were once 6-15-2, I think that would be pretty damn swell. Consider this: the Jackets have had three losing streaks that amassed to 0-17-2.  That's insane, frankly. .500 teams are usually just that: win some, lose some, win some, lose some. These Jackets have endured three slumps totaling 19 losses, 17 of which came in regulation. Again, insane.

What that also means is that they've had a collective run outside of that of 20-4-1, including a 12-2-1 stretch between their two most recent losing streaks. In short, the Jackets--with a big assist to injuries--have completely rewritten the definition of the word "streaky". And, to build on that, a win tonight gets them to .500 and would give them a three-game winning streak, and would give them a 15-6-1 record since December 1st.

And all of that, frankly, would be amazing, considering how bleak things looked in November. The team was 21-20-4 last season through 45 games, and that 45th game was also a win in...

Winnipeg. Woah.

That team, from that point on, went 22-12-3 to finish 43-32-7, which was good enough to finish 7th in the East with 93 points. 93 points may not be good enough to get in this season, as the top half of the East seems much stronger this year through half of the season, but to write Columbus off completely, when we've seen what they're capable of? I just can't do it. I know that I've been harping on "by the All Star Break, we'll know" with this team. I still am about 99% sure that they aren't making the playoffs, because they just have too much ground to make up. But, that 1%? It's not going away, just yet. Consider this scenario: if Columbus wins tonight and both Boston (@Colorado) and Ottawa (vs. Toronto) lose in regulation, the Jackets would sit in 11th place, just 11 points out, with 37 games to play (including games in hand on everyone in front of them). If Ottawa beats Toronto in regulation, 12th place, but just two points behind BOTH Ottawa and Toronto.

It's not an easy path, or even a likely path. But it's still a path.

Of course, none of that prognostication and manipulation means anything if the Jackets go out and get beat tonight, and that's a very real possibility. The Jets have won five out of six (5-0-1) and have ripped off a 13-5-4 run of their own to climb into the playoff picture in the West. The rise of Michael Hutchinson has been a god-send, as the 24-year-old has supplanted Ondrej Pavelic as the top goalie for the club, and has done nothing but amaze, posting a 13-4-2 record with a 2.00 gaa and .932 save percentage in his 20 games (18 starts) this season. He'll be in the discussion for the Calder Trophy, and his rise (and the team's corresponding resurgence) is not dissimilar to our own experience with a young Steve Mason.

The last time these two teams played, the Jackets were in the middle of one of their losing streaks, and the Jets jumped out early, scoring in literally the first 10 seconds of the game. The Jackets hung on to tie it in the first, but two second period goals 31 seconds apart all but sealed it. It was one of those games where the bad breaks killed Columbus, as the even strength stats were pretty even.

With Columbus's play over the last three games, we've seen them tighten up quite a bit, but we've also seen against New York that the occasional lapse still can kill. The Jackets did better to avoid those moments in their previous two wins, and they also--more importantly--closed things out once they earned third period leads. If they can keep that mentality going, I like their chances tonight to head into the break all even and riding a three game winning streak.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(20-21-3, 43 Points; 6th division, 13th conference)

Nick FolignoRyan JohansenJeremy Morin
Scott HartnellBrandon DubinskyJosh Anderson
Matt CalvertAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Corey TroppMark LetestuJack Skille
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

Winnipeg Jets
(25-14-8, 58 Points; 4th Division, 5th Conference)

Andrew LaddBryan LittleBlake Wheeler
Evander KaneMark ScheifeleMichael Frolik
Chris ThorburnAdam LowryMatt Halischuk
T.J. GaliardiJim SlaterAnthony Peluso
Ben ChiarotDustin Byfuglien
Tobias EnstromZach Bogosian
Mark StuartJay Harrison
Michael Hutchinson
Ondrej Pavelec

Season Series

11/25/14 - Winnipeg 4 at Columbus 2
01/21/15 - Columbus at Winnipeg

Head to Head Stats

WinnipegColumbus
2.70 (17)GPG2.48 (24)
2.40 (7)GAPG3.11 (26)
17.5% (19)PP%25.0% (3)
83.4% (9)PK%79.1% (22)
Bryan Little, 18G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Blake Wheeler, 23A leaderRyan Johansen, 26
Andrew Ladd, 39Pts leaderRyan Johansen, 43
Dustin Byfuglien, 83PIM leaderJared Boll, 63
11-9-3Home/Road11-9-1
6-3-1Last 105-5-0
1/18 vs. Arizona, W 4-3 (SO)Last Game1/19 @ Minnesota, W 3-1

Game Day #45 - Blue Jackets at Jets

0
0

The Jackets may not be playoff contenders right now, but they can get back to .500 at the All Star Break with a win tonight in the 'Peg.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Winnipeg Jets

January 21st, 2015 - 9:00pm EST
MTS Centre - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey

The Jackets, with a win, could go into the All Star Break at .500, at 21-21-3. Considering that, just six games ago, they were over .500, this may not sound like much. But, considering that they were once 6-15-2, I think that would be pretty damn swell. Consider this: the Jackets have had three losing streaks that amassed to 0-17-2.  That's insane, frankly. .500 teams are usually just that: win some, lose some, win some, lose some. These Jackets have endured three slumps totaling 19 losses, 17 of which came in regulation. Again, insane.

What that also means is that they've had a collective run outside of that of 20-4-1, including a 12-2-1 stretch between their two most recent losing streaks. In short, the Jackets--with a big assist to injuries--have completely rewritten the definition of the word "streaky". And, to build on that, a win tonight gets them to .500 and would give them a three-game winning streak, and would give them a 15-6-1 record since December 1st.

And all of that, frankly, would be amazing, considering how bleak things looked in November. The team was 21-20-4 last season through 45 games, and that 45th game was also a win in...

Winnipeg. Woah.

That team, from that point on, went 22-12-3 to finish 43-32-7, which was good enough to finish 7th in the East with 93 points. 93 points may not be good enough to get in this season, as the top half of the East seems much stronger this year through half of the season, but to write Columbus off completely, when we've seen what they're capable of? I just can't do it. I know that I've been harping on "by the All Star Break, we'll know" with this team. I still am about 99% sure that they aren't making the playoffs, because they just have too much ground to make up. But, that 1%? It's not going away, just yet. Consider this scenario: if Columbus wins tonight and both Boston (@Colorado) and Ottawa (vs. Toronto) lose in regulation, the Jackets would sit in 11th place, just nine points out, with 37 games to play (including games in hand on everyone in front of them). If Ottawa beats Toronto in regulation, 12th place, but just two points behind BOTH Ottawa and Toronto.

It's not an easy path, or even a likely path. But it's still a path.

Of course, none of that prognostication and manipulation means anything if the Jackets go out and get beat tonight, and that's a very real possibility. The Jets have won five out of six (5-0-1) and have ripped off a 13-5-4 run of their own to climb into the playoff picture in the West. The rise of Michael Hutchinson has been a god-send, as the 24-year-old has supplanted Ondrej Pavelic as the top goalie for the club, and has done nothing but amaze, posting a 13-4-2 record with a 2.00 gaa and .932 save percentage in his 20 games (18 starts) this season. He'll be in the discussion for the Calder Trophy, and his rise (and the team's corresponding resurgence) is not dissimilar to our own experience with a young Steve Mason.

The last time these two teams played, the Jackets were in the middle of one of their losing streaks, and the Jets jumped out early, scoring in literally the first 10 seconds of the game. The Jackets hung on to tie it in the first, but two second period goals 31 seconds apart all but sealed it. It was one of those games where the bad breaks killed Columbus, as the even strength stats were pretty even.

With Columbus's play over the last three games, we've seen them tighten up quite a bit, but we've also seen against New York that the occasional lapse still can kill. The Jackets did better to avoid those moments in their previous two wins, and they also--more importantly--closed things out once they earned third period leads. If they can keep that mentality going, I like their chances tonight to head into the break all even and riding a three game winning streak.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(20-21-3, 43 Points; 6th division, 13th conference)

Nick FolignoRyan JohansenJeremy Morin
Scott HartnellBrandon DubinskyJosh Anderson
Matt CalvertAlexander WennbergCam Atkinson
Corey TroppMark LetestuJack Skille
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney

Winnipeg Jets
(25-14-8, 58 Points; 4th Division, 5th Conference)

Andrew LaddBryan LittleBlake Wheeler
Evander KaneMark ScheifeleMichael Frolik
Chris ThorburnAdam LowryMatt Halischuk
T.J. GaliardiJim SlaterAnthony Peluso
Ben ChiarotDustin Byfuglien
Tobias EnstromZach Bogosian
Mark StuartJay Harrison
Michael Hutchinson
Ondrej Pavelec

Season Series

11/25/14 - Winnipeg 4 at Columbus 2
01/21/15 - Columbus at Winnipeg

Head to Head Stats

WinnipegColumbus
2.70 (17)GPG2.48 (24)
2.40 (7)GAPG3.11 (26)
17.5% (19)PP%25.0% (3)
83.4% (9)PK%79.1% (22)
Bryan Little, 18G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Blake Wheeler, 23A leaderRyan Johansen, 26
Andrew Ladd, 39Pts leaderRyan Johansen, 43
Dustin Byfuglien, 83PIM leaderJared Boll, 63
11-9-3Home/Road11-9-1
6-3-1Last 105-5-0
1/18 vs. Arizona, W 4-3 (SO)Last Game1/19 @ Minnesota, W 3-1
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