Remember, Columbus Blue Jackets Were A Playoff Team
By Len Nunes
Oct 17, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; Calgary Flames center Josh Jooris (86) celebrates after he scores his first NHL goal during the third period on his debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
It’s easy to forget that the Columbus Blue Jackets made the NHL playoffs last season (the 2nd time in their franchise history) because they were so terrible for their first seven years. It is easy to dismiss the 2008-09 Columbus team that made the playoffs as a fluke because for the four years after that playoff appearance, they were terrible again.
Riding high off of a win over the vaunted Chicago Blackhawks, our Calgary Flames looked every bit a team playing its 6th game in 10 nights. The first 10 minutes of the opening frame were terrible. These aren’t the terrible Columbus Blue Jackets your memory will tease you with. Ten terrible minutes against a good NHL team should result in a loss and Friday in Columbus, that’s exactly what happened.
1st period firewood
The Calgary Flames did not register their 1st shot of the game until just before the ten minute mark. Until that point, the period can be described as Gio-DARN-o!
Captain Giordano was cleanly beat on the first Blue Jackets and was guilty of the Flames first penalty.
If Gio is struggling it’s safe to assume his defensive partner TJ Brodie is struggling also. Brodie was the “pig-in-the-middle” for the 2nd Blue Jackets goal of the period. UPDATE – – For the 2nd time this week, Brodie completed the trifecta of a brutal giveaway in each period of the game.
Giordano would once again be cleanly beat just before the Flames finally registered their first shot. After that, Gio’s game went back to its regular form and his Flames teammates followed suit.
The only line that seemed to play with any sort of chemistry was the Bollig-Stajan-McGrattan line…SHUDDER!
I know it was Josh Jooris’ first night with Mony & Hudler, that gives that line a bye. The trio of Glencross-Backlund-Byron have been together for a couple games now and other than individual efforts, I’m not seeing a cohesive unit. Lance Bouma does not fit with Raymond-Colborne.
2nd Period Firewood
Kris Russell is playing the role of TJ Brodie and pushing the puck through center at will. Russell drew his 2nd Blue Jackets penalty of the game due to his hustle.
TJ Brodie is playing the role of Dennis Wideman, dangerous in the offensive zone and in the defensive zone. Sportsnet TV broadcasters raved about Brodie’s penalty killing while Bouma was in the box. It was a Brodie miscue that resulted in Bouma taking the original penalty.
Dennis Wideman is playing the role of…well…Dennis Wideman. For every shot on goal he attempted on Bobrovsky, he gave up an attempt on Karri Ramo.
Hudler-Monahan-Jooris are starting to click as a unit. It scares me that Brian McGrattan is the next offensive name that comes to mind in terms of opportunities to score.
3rd Period Firewood
The period started with Mason Raymond taking Curtis Glencross’ spot on the wing with Backlund-Byron. IRONIC because Glencross assisted on Raymond’s powerplay goal.
The forward lines played for the majority of the 3rd period were:
Glencross-Stajan-Jooris
Hudler-Monahan-Colborne
Raymond-Backlund-Byron
The only times you saw Lance Bouma was on the penalty kill (with rookie Josh Jooris). How do the Flames NOT come back with these amended lines to start the Winnipeg game???
Congratulations to Josh Jooris on his 1st NHL goal.