Blue Jackets-Flames: Post-Game Analysis

Rather than do the usual drone of a narrative game recap (I'm not that clever, and really, I'm not that lyrical), I'd like to do a quick n' dirty analysis of last night's game, between the Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames.

So, here's what went well, what went OK, and what was abysmal:

The Good:

* The CBJ playing solid, Hitch-like hockey for 54 minutes.  Lots of energy, tight checking and solid goaltending.  I know, I know, hockey's a 60 minute game.  I'll get to those dreaded 79 seconds, in a later light section. 

* Jared Boll is back, and, is that a scorer's touch I see?  Great transition, going from drawing a goaltender's interference penalty, to coming out of the penalty box, and scoring a goal on a stellar feed from Brassard.

* Kristian Huselius with two great primary assists, as well as a Shootout Goal.  It's amazing as to how well he's brought the energy to his game, since coming off of IR, "allegedly."  Much like the Ottawa game, "Juice" has truly been the CBJ's best player, on the ice.  Now, about those far too many passes and Sportscenter, Top 10-candidate plays...

* Nice to see Jan Hejda and Rusty Klesla playing solid defense; here's hoping that pairing continues.  I think continuity of pairings could be one problem that's occurred, particularly with Tyutin's early season struggles.

* Rick Nash getting the CBJ on the board, on another fine feed from Huselius.  Nash also registered a +1, for the evening.  I know, to quote a certain local TV color analyst, "It was a goal-scorer's goal" (then again, he also said that about LaPerier's second goal of the campaign, the other night...sigh)

* Another Power Play (PP) tally, and one-of-two, overall...is this really the same team who was 30th, in this category, last year?

* Two goals in a span of 53 seconds.  Way to fight back, and get the crowd re-energized!

* Nice to see that large crowd of 17,772.  Yes, it was a Saturday, and yes, OSU's regular season is over, but, also recall, in a transient (so many folks being from other parts of the country, visiting their families over the holiday weekend) city, such as ours, and, having come off a four-game swoon (not that we're bandwagon-jumpers, here in the capital city...no, not us) quite a pleasant surprise, and a throaty crowd, at that.

*  Nice to see Mark Methot register a goal.  I think he's been an underrated performer, this season. 

The OK

* Steve Mason, for the first 54 minutes, was pretty darn good.  Then came that 79-second span, in which those two behind-the-net goals continued to plague him.  Wait, I'm not done in my assessment of his performance...

* Brassard picking up an assist.  While he was upping his game, a bit, he still looked tentative and was a bit loose with the puck.

* Jason Chimera.  10 games (no points), and counting.  So much for the "garbage" I'd heard that I was wrong about Chimmers. Like last year's hot start, he's back to being Chimmers.

* Nice to see those game replays, after calls were made, something that's slowly improving, with the game ops crew.  We could still do without the "old standards" like Kiss Cam (hey, inaugural season 2000-2001 called, and that's over).

The Bad - The Really Bad:

OK, here goes:

* Steve Mason in the shootout.  No excuse for stopping 1-of-4 shots, in that portion of the game. 

Wasn't this the guy who stopped, in succession, Malkin, Letang and Crosby in a shootout?  Is it me, or does he not challenge the shooters, as much, in the shootout? 

Mase, I love ya, but, the next time Mathieu Garon's in a shootout, take copious notes.  Before certain analysts say this wasn't Mase's fault, in this portion of the game, yeah, it was. 

* Jake Voracek and RJ Umberger.  Both are really struggling; it might be a case of paralysis by analysis. 

* Well, the league's onto the CBJ's achilles heel: it's the lack of digging out and moving out pucks behind the goal line.  This had shades of 2003-2004...heck, shades of all seasons up to 2008-2009, written all over it.  They might want to devote loads of practice time to correct this.

* Mike Commodore.  Ugh...there's not enough deodorant for this analysis.  It might be time for a few healthy scratches, until he gets back in game shape.  He's killing the team.  Hey, I have a question:  why was Commodore out there, for BOTH goals, in that 79-second span?

* The CBJ going into prevent mode, right up to the two-goal onslaught.  Get the pucks deep, stay on the attack, and bury them.

What's Next

The Jackets stay three games above .500, and gain a point.  Next up, the team who became last season's Nashville Preds, the St. Louis Blues. 

The CBJ need to come out, with energy, and take the Blues out, early, then bury them.  No more prevent mode, no more blown leads.  The fragility's got to end.