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Back In C-Bus
The Blue Jackets made it back to Columbus around 6 a.m. this morning after a cross-country, all-night flight from Los Angeles. The rink was pretty quiet -- so I'm told -- but there's some news to pass along.
Here's a wierd item, courtesy of the great Puck-Daddy on Yahoo!.
U.S. Senate candidate Marc Delphine of Oregon says he had no idea one of his staff members lifted the Blue Jackets' primary logo -- the swirling Ohio star wrapped around the state capital star -- for use on the campaign. It's a strange read in a strange season.
Other notes of interest:
-- RW Rick Nash and LW Kristian Huselius, who missed Tuesday's game in Anaheim, are questionable for Thursday's game vs. Atlanta. Nash has a lower body, Huselius has a lower body. If they can skate on Thursday morning, they'll likely dress. Stay tuned.
-- G Mathieu Garon, who was very good against Anaheim, will make a second straight start on Thursday vs. Atlanta.
-- The Thrashers recalled defenseman Chris Chelios from minor-league Chicago today and expect him to play on Thursday vs. Columbus. Chelios is 48 years old. When he made his NHL debut in 1983, 11 of the current Blue Jackets had yet to be born.
-- Ran some interesting numbers today for a story that will appear in Thursday's Dispatch. The Blue Jackets have held the lead or been tied after two periods in 40 of their 67 games this. Yes, it's a fine line in pro sports, but the Blue Jackets inability to hold leads is a big reason they're cruising toward an entry draft pick. Check it out, please.
-- Something to keep in mind on Thursday when the Thrashers skate in Nationwide. The Thrashers traded franchise left winger Ilya Kovalchuk before the Olympic break because they feared losing him for nothing as an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Blue Jackets, had they not signed Rick Nash to the monster contract extension last summer, could well have been in the same boat. Instead, Nash will be here a long, long time by his choice. That's good for Columbus. Something to think about tomorrow if the game stinks.
-- During the chat today, a question was posed regarding majority owner John P. McConnell and his attendance at games. I honestly don't know when he's there or not -- he tends to keep a low profile -- a Blue Jackets PR staffer has let me know that McConnell is at every home game unless he's out of town for travel. When the Blue Jackets are on the road, he has the NHL Center Ice Package to watch games. "He is as active when it comes to attending and watching games as any owner," the staffer said. Just thought I'd pass that along.
-- Oh, here's a link to said chat.
-- Aaron Portzline
aportzline@dispatch.com
twitter: @aportzline
Hope you like the current makeup of the Syracuse Crunch
Weary McGrath hits town; Ratchuk back to blueline for now
America's Coach
Team USA coach Ron Wilson, who also coaches the Toronto Maple Leafs, will appear with Claude Noel and Jeff Rimer tonight on the Coach's Show on 97.1 The Fan. The broadcast runs from 6-7 p.m.
People forget that Wilson also coached Team USA to one of its greatest triumphs that few saw. Until this recent Olympics, the 1996 World Cup was the most riveting tournament I've ever witnessed. (Yes, I'm American and bias, deal with it.) You think Ryan Miller was great? Mike Richter was every bit as wonderful in '96.
-- Tom Reed
treed@dispatch.com
Syracuse Crunch captain MacKenzie hurt playing for Columbus
Game No. 67
ANAHEIM: Derick Brassard and Fedor Tyutin sat on stationary bikes pedaling away outside the Blue Jackets locker room in Honda Center.
Brassard was laughing at the fact Tyutin had earned a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist (two, actually) and a fight in the Jackets 5-2 win over the Ducks. Brassard could joke around as he wasnt the one absorbing upper cuts from hulking Ryan Getzlaf.
But after taking a much nastier beating at the hands of Los Angeles on Monday, Tyutin and the Jackets stood up for themselves. A night after losing 6-0 to the Kings, the Jackets showed some resiliency and character.
They got goals from Derek Dorsett, Jake Voracek, Tyutin, Antoine Vermette and Brassard to snap a five-game losing streak. Tyutin, Voracek and Vermette each contributed three points. Goaltender Mathieu Garon, meanwhile, made 36 saves and was good in the third period as the Ducks outshot the Jackets 17-4.
The Jackets built a 3-0 lead before the Ducks rallied in the third period to cut the deficit to one goal. This time, the team that specializes in third-period collapses hung on. Vermette was awarded the Hardest Working Player of the Game hard hat.
Lots of smiles as the Jackets found a way to win without captain Rick Nash (lower body) and Kristian Huselius (hand). They also lost Derek MacKenzie to a knee injury following the first period. MacKenzie could miss up to a month, interim coach Claude Noel said.
Notes, side dishes
-- Dorsett set the tone early. He left a first-period goal celebration already in progress to trade punches with Anaheims Matt Beleskey who had been jawing with Brassard. Dorsett would rather stick up for a teammate than savor his fourth goal of the season. In the long run, you win with players like Dorsett.
When you have a guy like that to stick up for you, it feels really good, Brassard said. You want to play and battle for the guy and we really battled for each other tonight.
--Tyutin embodied the teams bounce-back mentality. He had a goal and two assists, a night after finishing a minus-3.
-- Special teams played an important role. The power play converted 3-of-6 chances, while the Jackets converted all seven kills. Noel said the key to the power play was shooting the puck and not passing up opportunities.
-- It was nice to see Voracek think shot before pass. He wired a wrist shot just under the crossbar for the 2-0 power-play goal. Voracek helped create the power play with a stretch pass that sprung Dorsett on a breakaway.
-- Max Mayorov was decent in his season debut. I thought he used his speed and skill well, Noel said. He wasnt nervous. He looked composed.
-- Derek MacKenzie is expected to miss up to a month with a knee injury.
-- Garon made key saves on Bobby Ryan and Dan Sexton to keep his team in it. Who knows how the Jackets would have responded had the Ducks scored first?
-- The Jackets scored the first goal for the 10th time in the last 11 games.
-- Heres my favorite line of the trip: A healthy Aaron Portzline picks up coverage later today.
-- Tom Reed
-- treed@dispatch.com
Jackets Rebound Against Ducks
ANAHEIM, Calif: Blue Jackets goaltender Mathieu Garon spent last night stopping pucks. His teammates, meanwhile, were busy saving face.
Garon and the Jackets rebounded from a dreadful game in Los Angeles to earn a 5-2 win over the Anaheim
Ducks in Honda Center. The victory helped ease the sting from a trying three-game trip that included a 6-0 loss to the Kings on Monday.
This was big for us after a game like (Monday) night, defenseman Fedor Tyutin said. We looked at ourselves in the mirror and didnt feel too good about ourselves and the team play. Today, I thought we were much better.
The short-handed Jackets got goals from Derek Dorsett, Jake Voracek, Tyutin, Antoine Vermette and Derick Brassard to snap a five-game losing streak. Tyutin, Voracek and Vermette all enjoyed three-point nights.
Garon, meanwhile, made 36 saves, including 17 in the third period as the Ducks scored twice to draw within a goal.
But this game was less about creating highlights and more about atoning for lowlights. The Jackets managed just 11 shots in their loss to the Kings and they werent much better against San Jose, falling 2-1, on Saturday.
There just wasnt a lot of pushback when adversity confronted them.
(Monday) was a joke a little bit, Brassard said. Thats what is great about hockey. You can play 24 hours later and make up for it.
Playing without Rick Nash (lower-body injury) and Kristian Huselius (wrist) the Jackets excelled on special teams. They were 3-of-6 on the power play and killed all seven penalties.
They also stood up to the rugged Ducks. Dorsett set the tone early.
He left a first-period goal celebration already in progress to trade punches with Anaheims Matt Beleskey who had been jawing with Brassard.
Dorsetts fourth goal of the season could be savored on the plane ride home. His teammates welfare took precedent.
When you have a guy like that to stick up for you, it feels really good, Brassard said of Dorsett. You want to play and battle for the guy and we really battled for each other tonight.
Forward Chris Clark and Tyutin, who rarely drop the gloves, tangled with Mike Brown and Ryan Getzlaf. Tyutin swallowed about four nasty upper cuts late in the second period with the Jackets leading 3-0, but he was back for more in the third.
Schoolyard fights attract larger crowds than this game between two of the leagues biggest underachievers. The announced attendance was 13,700 in the half-empty arena.
The Jackets kept the building quiet until Lubomir Visnovsky ended Garons shutout bit at 9:11 of the third period. Getzlaf added to the intrigue with 5:04 remaining, roofing a shot over Garons shoulder to make it 3-2.
No advantage has proven rally-proof for the Jackets, who have lost a league-high 10 games when leading after two periods.
When the game got heated up in the third I wondered how we would respond to things, interim coach Claude Noel said. I thought we handled it well.
Vermette ended the suspense with a power-play goal in the final two minutes and Brassard added another one.
It was a virtual California goal rush for a club that entered play last night goalless in the previous 99 minutes. Dorsetts goal midway through the first period on the rebound ended the drought, dating to the second period in San Jose.
Garon, starting for the first time since Feb. 14, was sharp throughout. He said playing two-plus periods in place of Steve Mason on Monday helped prepare him.
Perhaps no Jacket had a better bounce-back game than Tyutin, a minus-3 in Los Angeles.
He set up Voraceks power-play goal at 8:14 of the second. Five minutes later, Tyutin followed his own shot like a basketball player to chase goaltender Jonas Hiller from the game.
The Jackets played the final two periods without Derek MacKenzie because of a knee injury.
-- Tom Reed
treed@dispatch.com
The Chat is Back
Join Dispatch hockey writer Aaron Portzline today at noon Eastern for an online chat about the Blue Jackets. You're invited to take part in the Q&A about the CBJ at dispatch.com/cbjchat.
-- Rob the moderator
Black Tie Blue Jackets Style Show
Pepsi Power Patrol Bio: Alicia
Columbus looks for a win in Anaheim
The Columbus Blue Jackets, in an effort to snap their five game losing streak, will play in Anaheim, against the Ducks. This will be the first time since January 7-8th that the Blue Jackets play back-to-back nights. Then, Columbus beat both Edmonton and Calgary on the road. The last time the Blue Jackets won was on February 10th, when they blanked the San Jose Sharks, to climb back to two games under .500.
Anaheim is six points out of a final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Ducks have won 30 of their 65 games on the season. When playing at home, they have a 19-9-3 record. They come into action, losers of three straight games, including a 4-3 home loss Sunday to Montreal. Anaheim is led in goals by Bobby Ryan, with 28, but Ryan Getzlaf leads all scorers with 17 goals and 46 assists. The Ducks top goaltender Jonas Hiller has compiled a 26-19-3 record, with a 2.76 GAA.
Columbus needs to find a way to snap the losing streak, to climb their way up the standings. Columbus, in no danger of falling below Edmonton, is just 6 points behind Minnesota, and 13th behind 8th seeded Detroit. The Blue Jackets are 10-20-4 on the road this season, and have been out scored 215 – 170, which is the third worst goal differential in all of the NHL.
The Ducks and Blue Jackets will play for the fourth and final time this season. Columbus won the first two of the season series, with Anaheim winning the last one. On December 12th, Anaheim skated away from Nationwide Arena with a 3-1 win. In early October, Columbus won 6-4 on the road, and then in mid-November, followed it up with a 3-2 shoot-out win, in front of the home fans.
Blue Jackets get smoked in LA
The Columbus Blue Jackets got off to a slow start Monday night, allowing four goals in the first period en route to a 6-0 blow-out loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings. The crowd of 17,000+ at the Staples Center saw the home team garner their 39th win of the season, and move to within one point of Phoenix for second place in the Pacific. The Kings also trail the Coyotes for fourth place in the Western Conference, which could mean home ice advantage in the first round of the postseason.
The Kings scored their first goal 5:49 into the game when Wayne Simmonds netted his 15th of the season. The goal was assisted by Fredrik Modin and Rob Scurderi. 8 minutes later Drew Doughty scored his 13th of the season, from Michal Handzus and Alexander Frolov. Los Angeles then scored two more in the next two minutes to continue the onslaught. Handzus and Frolov scored the final two goals of the period; both on the power play.
The second period saw much of the same, with Fredrik Modin and Brad Richardson scoring goals to make the game 6-0. Los Angeles scored 3 power play goals, and outshot the Blue Jackets 35-11.
The loss for the Blue Jackets was their fifth straight, and it drops them to 13 points out of the final playoff position. The road woes continue for a Columbus team that has won just 10 of 34 games away from home ice. The Blue Jackets will visit Anaheim on Tuesday night, in an effort to garner one win while in California.
New Syracuse Crunch forward McGrath hopes to play a lot of hockey here
Morning Skate -- Anaheim
ANAHEIM: The Blue Jackets regrouped this morning after a 6-0 loss to Los Angeles, arguably their worst loss of the season. There are so many candidates in that field it resembles the Iowa primary season.
Was it:
The 9-1 loss against Detroit? The 7-3 loss to Vancouver? The 7-4 loss to the Rangers in which they allowed seven unanswered goals? Or, the 5-1 loss in Colorado, the final game of the Ken Hitchcock era, in which the Jackets showed zero emotion?
I'd put last night right there at or near the top of the list. There was no push back at all. None. The Kings had more goals (6) than the Jackets had shots (5) through two periods.
I spent some time talking to Rick Nash and R.J. Umberger this morning about what lies ahead for the final month. We'll have a story on that for Wednesday's Dispatch. The season is virtually over with 16 games to play. For some fans, the only intrigue remaining is to see how far the Jackets will drop in the standings, thus improving their draft prospects.
As for the news of the day, neither Nash (lower body) nor Kristian Huselius (hand) will play. Nash says he is day to day. At least one of the two recalls, Derek MacKenzie and Max Mayorov, will play. For flying cross country, the should at least get the chance to suit up.
Mathieu Garon will make the start in goal. The team held an optional so I'm not sure where the lines stand.
-- As reported last night, the Kings would need to win the Stanley Cup to receive their seventh-round compensation in the Freddy Modin deal. At the end of the day, the move was mostly about dumping salary -- about $800,000 for the remainder of the season.
-- Still checking into the particulars of the Milan Jurcina deal. I know the sixth-round conditional pick was based on games played. Jurcina was expected to miss a month with a sports hernia. It's thought Jurcina would not have to play many playoff games for the Jackets to receive the pick. But Jurcinia was not the only defenseman added at the deadline. They picked up Joe Corvo, as well. In other words. Jurcina is not guaranteed time when he heals.
-- You have questions and Aaron Portzline has answers. The Jackets chat returns on Wednesday. Welcome back, Porty
-- Tom Reed
treed@dispatch.com
Syracuse Crunch gets new forward from Detroit
Columbus calls up Mayorov and MacKenzie from Syracuse Crunch
So Bad It's Good!
Be honest now... How many of you actually stayed awake and watched any part of that game last night?
..at this point I'm not sure if it's fair to even call it a game? I mean don't you have to have players from each side competing against another to call it one?
Shots: 35 - 11
Wow. Talk about rolling over Beethoven.
I can tell you I didn't watch one second of it. I had the DVR rolling and I had it tuned in on the bedroom TV but I was out cold the minute I hit the mattress - as was this team the minute they hit the ice.
I can also tell you that the game will be deleted from my DVR as soon as I can find the remote.
You know what though? I'm not upset they lost. If fact if you look big picture it's a good thing that they keep losing.
...but...but... how can you root for your team to lose? We need to engrain a winning culture not a losing one! What kind of fan is that?
Please spare me that BS.
Somebody should have told this team/management that before they lost 20 of 25 games (or whatever in the hell that was). After that streak the rest of this season has always been about setting the team up the best way possible for next year.
The best thing this team can do for next season right now is to play the kids and rack up the losses. That accomplishes a variety of things:
1. Nobody gets the illusion that Claude Noel or anyone on this coaching staff is the answer.
2. It should give the Jackets a top 3 pick and by all accounts the top tier in this draft is 3 players deep. That's one helluva of an asset to put on the trade table... and who knows, maybe the hockey gods finally grant the Jackets the #1 overall pick.
3. The young players get lots of ice time and management should know exactly where these players stand in terms of development.
4. It puts pressure on Howson and ownership to make significant upgrades to this roster. Shopping in the bargain bin will not cut it if they really want to compete.
I'll still watch the games and I'll be happy if they win... but believe me I won't be upset if they lose either - in fact, I'll be happy with that too.
What I won't like is that after this season concludes and we are all finally put out of our misery and real changes don't occur.
Coaching staff gone. Scouting staff gone. Game ops gone. A bloated contract or two gone. Draft picks gone for real players.
I'm not saying to blow the entire thing up but significant changes must occur to this roster and the organization as a whole to get this train back on it's tracks.
Howson has his work cut out for him as does the rest of the organization.
Tanking is the easy part.
In the meantime sit back, relax and treat the rest of these games like a car wreck.... you know you shouldn't look but you do anyways just to see how bad it is.
-LTL
Jackets Recall MacKenzie, Mayorov
ANAHEIM: The Blue Jackets have recalled Derek MacKenzie and Max Mayorov from minor-league Syracuse. The Jackets have sustained injuries to Rick Nash and Kristian Huselius.
-- Tom Reed
treed@dispatch.com
Game No. 66
LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick played last night because the score sheet says he did.
That's about the only evidence I have documenting his participation in the Kings' 6-0 romp over the Blue Jackets. Quick was credited with 11 saves. He could have become the first goaltender to play without a mask since Andy Brown in 1974 and not suffered a scratch.
Blue Jackets alternate captain R.J. Umberger summed up the game perfectly when asked if it was a tough night.
That was more than tough, it was embarrassing, he said. We didnt play smart. If we get beat, we get beat. But we were our own worst enemies out there.
The Jackets were brutal. They offered no push back, showed no resilience. Steve Mason allowed four goals on 12 shots. He wasn't good, but Saturday night he had to be great in San Jose to spare teammates from a similar fate
They have one goal and 33 shots in the past two games. They started the night without Kristian Huselius (hand) and finished it without Rick Nash (lower body). That doesn't excuse the effort, however. They were outshot 35-11. The franchise record for fewest shots is 10 on April 1, 2003 in a 4-0 loss in Philadelphia.
Several players apologized to the fans through the media after the game. How will the patrons respond? The Nationwide Arena ticket office could be a lonely place this offseason unless the franchise does something to energize them. The fans are beaten down right now and who could blame them?
Notes, other chewables
-- As mentioned on a previous blog, Nash said he's been suffering from a couple nagging injuries since the March 2 game against Vancouver. He's not expected to play tonight.
-- The Jackets are now only one point clear of the 28th-place New York Islanders. The mounting losses are getting the Jackets closer to top-3 draft pick -- if that qualifies as good news.
-- The Jackets took six of the first seven penalties of the game and surrendered three power-play goals. It's like the third period in San Jose never ended.
-- Noel should think of splitting up the pairing of Fedor Tyutin and Anton Stralman. Both had rough nights. On the game's first goal, Tyutin gambled in trying to intercept a pass inside the Kings' zone. When he didn't get the puck, Wayne Simmonds was racing toward the Jackets goal. Granted, Mason should have stopped the shot, but Tyutin has to be careful when his partner already was pinching on the play.
-- Mathieu Garon will start tonight against Anaheim -- as heard on live television as Noel told his netminder during a post-game interview.
-- It will be interesting to see how Mason bounces back from this performance. He has been much improved in recent weeks. Does it shatter his confidence or roll right off his back?
-- Fredrik Modin burned his former team for a goal and an assist.
-- Check back later today for news from morning skate
-- Tom Reed
treed@dispatch.com
Twitter: @Tomba19
Jackets Routed By Kings, 6-0
LOS ANGELES, Calif.: At least the Blue Jackets didnt keep their fans up all night this time only to blow another third-period lead.
No, the outcome was delivered so quickly, so decisively, writers for Jay Leno could have penciled in Blue Jacket gags in time for his monologue. There was rich material to be mined from this odious performance.
The Los Angeles Kings scored four times in the first 16 minutes last night on the way to a 6-0 victory in Staples Center.
That was more than tough, it was embarrassing, forward R.J. Umberger said. We didnt play smart. If we get beat, we get beat. But we were our own worst enemies out there.
Goaltender Steve Masons recent run of fine play ended as he allowed the first four goals, his glove hand failing him badly. Two days after playing brilliantly in a 2-1 loss at San Jose, he was shaky from the outset and pulled in favor of Mathieu Garon.
His teammates, who offered precious little support on Saturday, were no better on a night captain Rick Nash was lost to an unspecified first-period injury.
The Jackets made ill-advised pinches on defense, lost board battles, gave the Kings acres of open ice and continued a parade to the penalty box. They were outshot 26-5 through two periods and 35-11 overall, avoiding the franchise record for fewest shot by one.
If that werent bad enough, they watched former Jacket Fredrik Modin dealt to the Kings last week for a seventh-round conditional pick add a goal and an assist.
Before the game, Modin actually said it was a tough decision to waive his no-trade clause with a straight face.
You cant lose hope, interim coach Claude Noel said. If people want to judge us on that game . . . We gave up four goals in the first . . . I still like our group, I still like our team.
I thought we played as well as we could play. (The Kings) are a good team. You lose Nash and (Kristian) Huselius and you are depleted. It is what it is.
The Jackets began the game without their third-leading scorer, Huselius, because of a hand injury. Nash, the top scorer, did not return for the second period because of what the team called a lower-body injury. Nash confirmed to the Dispatch he has been nursing a couple nagging injuries since the March 2 game against Vancouver.
Hes not expected to play tonight in Anaheim.
For the Jackets, it was a dreadful performance in a season rife with them. It was the seasons second-worst loss behind the 9-1 spanking at the hands of Detroit on Nov. 11.
The Kings had six different goal scorers and Alexander Frolov contributed a goal and three assists.
It was very bad and I would say sorry to the fans from all of us, defenseman Fedor Tyutin said. It was totally unacceptable.
The Noel era, which began with three straight wins, has endured five consecutive losses. Since replacing Ken Hitchcock on Feb. 3, Noel had benefited from Masons strong goaltending.
Not last night.
Mason was beaten four times on 12 shots. He didnt look comfortable on any of the goals, but the low point came as Michal Handzus made it 3-0 at 14:38. Mason waved at an innocent shot from several feet to the left of the crease. He missed the puck and Handzus popped in the rebound. It was the first of three power-play goals for the Kings.
He just didnt have it, Noel said. You wanted to give him a chance to get it going, but it just wasnt going to be. It was one of those nights.
The Kings scored twice on a double-minor to Nash for high sticking. The Jackets, following a trend from the third period on Saturday, took six of the games first seven penalties. Forward Mike Blunden was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a check from behind on Rich Clune.
Tyutin was among many Jackets who had a forgettable night. He finished a minus-3 and was caught out of position several times in the first period, leading to two goals and a penalty.
We have to be better, more resilient than that, defenseman Jan Hejda said. We got behind and we didnt even shoot the puck. We kept passing up chances to shoot.
-- Tom Reed
treed@dispatch.com
