Columbus Blue Jackets Wrap Up Preseason with Come-From-Behind Win

I didn't get to catch all of this one (thanks for the comments!) so I won't have an in-depth break down. I did catch the first, some of second on radio, and the last few minutes of the third, overtime, and the shootout

The Leafs one-upped Columbus on the blowing a lead category, giving up two goals in 14 seconds late in the third period. Unfortunately for them, they were not able to recover, and the Jackets, off Nikita Filatov's shootout goal, were able to pull it out and finish the preseason an even .500.

Some general thoughts on the game:

* This Filatov kid is the real deal, folks. He scored his first goal and made the shootout goal look easy. The Jackets have a real decision on their hands with this kid—and as of now, it doesn't appear juniors is an option.

* Jakub Vorack continues to put up points. Just when you think he's having a quiet game, he flashes some skill—and the next thing you know, he's got a goal and an assist. He's really going to help the secondary scoring this season. He finished with two goals and six assists for eight points in seven games.

* The Jackets are putting themselves in way to many two-men down situations. If they continue that into the regular season, teams will make them pay.

* The PK is another negative trend the Jackets need to correct in a hurry. According to the radio guys heading into this game tonight they were killing at less than 80 percent—ouch. They gave up two more power-play goals in this game.

* The fourth line played really well, especially Dorsett (who had a fight) and Picard (who had a goal).

* Still not sold on Backman, but he's better than I thought he'd be. In contrast, I am definitely sold on Russell.

* How about that open-ice hit by Tollefsen? Clean, too!

* Nice to see the boys not give up, and come back from that two-goal deficit. I'm not a believer that things in the preseason don't matter, be they negative (like blowing that three-goal lead on Friday) or positive (like scoring two goals in 14 seconds to steal one on the road). All can contribute to the confidence of a team, and I am happy to say I think there were many more positives this preseason than negatives!

* Norrena stopped all but three of 17 shots, and LaCosta stopped fifteen of 16, plus three shootout attemps. Norrena has certainly been up and down this preseason. How about that stop LaCosta made on Blake with 30 seconds remaining? Clutch!

* Didn't hear or see a lot from Modin or Peca. Modin strikes me as still shaking off the rust, but he's one guy I'm not worried about—he'll get it going.

* Most importantly, the Jackets got out of this game with no injuries.

* While Filatov looked real good, so did the Leafs' Luke Schenn. He's going to be a real solid player. Gonna be a long year for them though, but a necessary one I think.


So that's that. The Jackets get a week to build up in Miami, as they prepare for the season opener in Dallas this Friday.

Final cuts are made Wednesday by 3 p.m. and the Jackets' brass certainly have some decisions on their hands.

Fire away - what were your impressions from tonight?

-LTL