Columbus Blue Jackets: Power play sputters....again.

It was a good effort last night, but ultimately only cashing in on one of seven power play chances cost the Jackets a chance to win this game.

It's been the same old story this season. Timely goals, especially from the special teams, just have not been generated enough by the powerplay unit. Think for a second: Just how many games could this team have won if they had just gotten that extra goal from their 27th ranked PP unit?  How many 1 goal losses has this team had?

Then you take a look at a team like Detroit and their fourth ranked PP. They make their living on it. Really, at even strength they aren't that impressive but once they get that extra man advantage they carve you up and send you packing.

Of course, then, there is the reffing...more on that later.

Lit it up

The Jackets lit it up through the first two periods. They controlled large portions of that game and held the Wings off the score sheet. It was a solid road effort for 40 minutes—too bad the game is 60.

Manny Malhotra. What can you say, this guy is still on fire, scoring his fifth goal in three games. Nothing fancy, but he was in the right place at the right time and got a stick on it.  Love the dirty goals as much as the pretty goals—they all count, baby!

Dim the light

Fredrik Norrena. He played decent until the wheels completely fell off on that third goal. He was obviously still emotional from the nonsense that went on for the second goal and completely lost his composure, which was evident when he tried to challenge Zetterberg so far out of his net.

Busted bulbs

The power play falters yet again. This team just does not have the horses to send out an effective unit. Ron Hainsey is a 5/6 guy at best.  Dick Tarnstrom had a bit of a run, but he certainly isn't the answer. Kris Russell is too young. We have no center and the only player who can bring the puck in the zone on the rush with any regularity is Nik Zherdev. To say the PP needs an GINORMOUS upgrade would be an understatement.

I've heard alot of this nonsense that the Jackets were tired b/c they were playing back to backs. I call BS. How many times have we been beaten by teams this year on their second nights of back to backs? The Jackets have a lot more on the line than the first place Wings and at no time should any player lay down on an excuse that "they were tired."  To the players' credit, it has been the media and fans that I've read that from, not the players. That Doug MacLeanesque.

It's very unfortunate to see Jared Boll and Dan Fritsche go down. Those two guys that are playing good hockey for this team this last stretch. Fritsche looks to be out for the last eight games, I haven't heard anything yet on Boll.

The officiating. Nothing irks me more than when an official decides the outcome of a game, which is exactly what the case was last night. To call a very VERY questionable tripping call on Rusty Klesla with the game knotted up at one with just over two minutes remaining is flat out unacceptable.  There's no excuse for it. Without that PP, the games goes into OT and hopefully the players decide the outcome. This game reeked of makeup calls, missed calls, and just bad calls on both sides.

Three bright lights on the night

1. Malhotra - collected his fifth goal in three games and continues to play his best hockey as a Jacket
2. Effort - Jackets played a strong road game until the third period when they backed off and officiating took over
3. Zetterberg - This guy had a hat trick and just seemed to turn it on and dominate.  Z could be that type of player if he wanted it

It was a tough loss to take last night, both on the scoreboard and in terms of injuries. The loss drops the Jackets to 33-30-11 and to 13th in the conference, tied with Chicago and Phoenix.

They take on these same Wings (Anyone else sick and tired of this schedule?) on Saturday night in Columbus where they will have a chance for some payback.

-LTL