GDT 12/21/2005 - Dallas @ Columbus 7PM EST

Well, here's my stab at a GDT:

:stars (21-9-1, 43 pts.) at :cbj (9-23-1, 19 pts.)

Puck drops at 7:05

Probable Lines per the Dispatch:

Dallas:

Morrow - Modano - Guerin
Hagman - Arnott - Lehtinen
Jokinen - Barnes - Kapanen
Svoboda - Ott - Perrott

Dailey - Zubov
Robidas - Skoula
Erskine - Klemm

Expected starter in Goal - Marty Turco; 18-8-1, 2.51 GAA, .903 SP

Columbus:

Nash - Fedorov - Zherdev
Balastik - Hrdina - Vyborny (I doubt Vybes is playing - rib injury)
Chimera - Rupp - Letowski
Platt - Fritsche - Shelley

Suchy - Foote (game-day decision)
Klesla - Westcott
Richardson - Hainsey

Expected starter in goal - Pascal Leclaire; 2-7-1, 3.58 GAA, .896 SP (my guess is Denis; 4-13-0, 3.43 GAA, .888 SP)

This is the second of four meetings between these teams this season; Dallas won the first matchup on November 18, winning 6-3 on the strength of four third period goals.

Dallas comes in to this game having won 12 of their last 15 games, including seven of nine on the road. They are coming off a tough 2-1 road loss to the Wild, having given up both goals in the third period after taking a 1-0 lead in the second.

The main question for me tonight is how much gas is left in the Jackets' tank after last night's game. Hopefully enough to get at least a point out of this one.

First home game of the season for Nasher, he should be raring to go. And I expect the crowd will be similarly amped up; I really hope Center Ice shows the player introductions, I’d love to hear the roar when he hits the ice. I’m feeling pretty good about this game. The team gained a little confidence last night and while they haven’t played well on back to back nights (any nights really) I think Nash and the crowd will be the difference tonight.

Feds, Z and Nash stay hot with Nash getting two and an assist, Feds and Z with two assists apiece and Duvie getting the third in a hard fought 3-2 win.

This will be a big test. Jackets almost always look like crap on the 2nd game of a back-to-back. It doesn’t help that this game is against a team that not only owns Columbus historically, but is red-hot right now as well.
I don’t like Leclaire starting. He was great yesterday, but we know the history in net for back-to-backs.

For me, file this one under “hoping for the best, expecting the worst.”

On the plus side, we haven’t had a Fire Gallant argument since Monday, so it’ll be nice to get back on familiar ground.
Good times.

Fire Gallant!

;)

On the plus side, we haven’t had a Fire Gallant argument since Monday, so it’ll be nice to get back on familiar ground.
Good times.
Heck, it's only Wednesday! :D

Heck, it's only Wednesday! :D

This constitutes a long period of time.

7-1 *** kicking...Rick scores, and the Bluejackets are officially moved to Alaska after this game.

If we start LeClaire we are obviously not learning from mistakes.

Sure Denis looked crappy, but goalies playing back to backs almost always do too.

If we start LeClaire we are obviously not learning from mistakes.

Sure Denis looked crappy, but goalies playing back to backs almost always do too.

We have looked crappy all year. Whats it going to hurt.....Leclaire let in three goals yesterday that a brick wall couldn't have stopped. I feel like taking him out now is sending the wrong message. If he is our starter, let him play for awhile. They have done this system with our goalies for way to long now, and the same goes for Denis. Whenever someone starts playing good, they bench him in favor of someone else.

Any word on Vyborny ?????????

Any word on Vyborny ?????????

Couldn't this have been a new topic? Come on, you know the ways of the HF message boards. ;)

If he is our starter, let him play for awhile.


I agree but not in back to backs. Check out the starting goalies in most back to backs around the league they are not the same.

We are quick to forget what happened the last time of a back to back. Tired Pascal got whooped and Denis came in and won another start or two. In my opinion it's not about who's the hot goalie, its about the goalie that gives us a better chance to win THIS game, in that case I believe it's ALWAYS the rested goalie.


I would also like to put my $.02 in about back-to-backs in general. I think they create an fundamentally unfair advantage in my opinion. I think it should be a back to back for both teams IMO.

Honestly the only kinds of back to backs I'd like to see are home and homes against the same team, each team has to make the same trip and deal with the same rest issues.

7-1 *** kicking...Rick scores, and the Bluejackets are officially moved to Alaska after this game.The Juneau Jackets ... love the alliteration!

Dallas 7, CBJ 2

If we start LeClaire we are obviously not learning from mistakes.

Sure Denis looked crappy, but goalies playing back to backs almost always do too.

I had a death in the family so I was out of the loop last week and over the weekend, but did we waive Prusek? I’d rather see him in net than Denis and DM is certainly not enhancing his trade value by hiding him away.

Imagine my surprise, having emerged from the basement to find that the CBJ took a point at Detroit!

That said, 5-2 Stars.

I had a death in the family so I was out of the loop last week and over the weekend, but did we waive Prusek? I’d rather see him in net than Denis and DM is certainly not enhancing his trade value by hiding him away.

Yeah, Prusek was waived last week and cleared; he was then sent to the 'Cuse. I thought I had read somewhere that he got injured in his first game up there - I'll check into that. Edit: No specific news found on what happened to Prusek, as he played one period of last Saturday night's game and didn't return to either that game or the one on Sunday.

I agree but not in back to backs. Check out the starting goalies in most back to backs around the league they are not the same.

We are quick to forget what happened the last time of a back to back. Tired Pascal got whooped and Denis came in and won another start or two. In my opinion it's not about who's the hot goalie, its about the goalie that gives us a better chance to win THIS game, in that case I believe it's ALWAYS the rested goalie.


I would also like to put my $.02 in about back-to-backs in general. I think they create an fundamentally unfair advantage in my opinion. I think it should be a back to back for both teams IMO.

Honestly the only kinds of back to backs I'd like to see are home and homes against the same team, each team has to make the same trip and deal with the same rest issues.

Absolutley agree. This organization never learns to rest a goalie after he plays well one night. Isn't that part of the reason as to why you have two goalies? Play Denis tonight, please.

Yeah, Prusek was waived last week and cleared; he was then sent to the 'Cuse. I thought I had read somewhere that he got injured in his first game up there - I'll check into that.


Yea, I usually try to keep track of the Crunch's games and he played the first period a couple of days ago then left the game, haven't seen his name since.

Absolutley agree. This organization never learns to rest a goalie after he plays well one night. Isn't that part of the reason as to why you have two goalies? Play Denis tonight, please.

It is the reason why we have two goalies. But I will admit....after Denis broke his stick in his last game. I thought thats it, he shouldn't be here much longer. Our players now know that he gets flustered after a soft goal. I have never seen Pascal do that. He just walks away, and get back into the net. Teams thrive on goalies who don't get flustered...

So who do the Crunchies have in net, now?

So who do the Crunchies have in net, now?

Tugger......

So who do the Crunchies have in net, now?

Penner and Mike Ayers.

Whelp..got the whole fam damily coming in for tonight's game. Hopefully they don't stink up the joint as its my younger sister's first experience at an NHL game - she lives abroad so since she's in town I'm finally draggin her to one.

I tend to agree with not starting Leclaire but Denis' confidence and the team's confidence with Denis backstopping them seem to be at an all time low. I personally wouldn't mind seeing Prusek get the nod tonight but we know that won't happen.

If I'm GG it would be hard not to go with Leclaire since he does give us the best chance to win but his performance in back2backs makes it a tuff decision.

I'm super excited to see Nash in the lineup (hopefully he didn't reinjure himself last night) and Klesla looks to finally be turning the corner. He had a monster first game back last night I thought.

Dallas is on fire. We'll need the same kind of game we got last night to stand a chance. We'll need the Nash - Feds - Z line to get the offense rolling, quick feet, solid goaltending and steady defense. What we don't need more of is the same ole same ole - cut down on penalties and for god sakes no more deflections!

No prediction from me today. I just want to see them team come out and compete hard.

Like this? Played hard...DIDNT take too many penalties.!!!

Like this? Played hard...DIDNT take too many penalties.!!!


why ? Our (the Stars') PP is horrible :dunno:

Some good news:

"The Blue Jackets return home from a four-game road trip with some welcome additions to their lineup as Rick Nash and Rostislav Klesla made their returns from the injured list this week and both are expected to play tonight."

http://bluejackets.com/news/press/arts/2775.0.html

But I will admit....after Denis broke his stick in his last game. I thought thats it, he shouldn't be here much longer. Our players now know that he gets flustered after a soft goal. I have never seen Pascal do that. He just walks away, and get back into the net. Teams thrive on goalies who don't get flustered...Heh, ever seen Ed Belfour play? He doesn't exactly hide his emotions on the ice, happy or angry. I think he had a couple good seasons. :)

Seriously, it's a bit premature to wave the "Get Rid of Denis" banner over 1 bad game. Now, if he consistently lets in pucks like the first at Nashville...

It certainly seems to be that GG and DM have concluded the Syracuse shuffle for goalies. It's going to be Denis and Leclaire for the rest of the season. You think we would have risked putting Prusek through waivers if we were not determined to have MD and PL be our goalies for the rest of the year? Of course, who the heck wants a goalie right now...the league is replete with them.

I hate to repeat topics in threads, but it must be stated again, for the record...a goalie should not play in back-to-back games. This is one of the few times that I have seen any team do this with two healthy goaltenders. I certainly hope MD comes out tonight (Dispatch lines are useless).

And finally, DAL 5 CBJ 3. Columbus is terrible in the tail end of back-to-back games. Have been since inception. The only reason I don't predict a blowout is that Nash's return should still have the team pumped up.

Denis should start. Just cause he had one bad game recently shouldn’t banish him forever. He played very well in the Philly loss and New Jersey win (his two games prior to Nashville), not to mention as a relief-tender after Pascal’s Atlanta suck-fest.

I don’t subscribe to the “team’s lost confidence in Denis” theory either. Why does the team get to make that call when it is just as culpable in many of the losses as the goaltending, oftentimes moreso. You can just as easily say that Denis has lost confidence in the team, since he knows anything more than two goals is practically an automatic loss, which is a ridiculously low margin of error.

I like riding the hot-hand and that would be Pascal at this moment, but this almost always backfires with the back-to-backs. Its happened to Denis this year and St. Pascal both.
Summer of George - go against your instincts.

Seriously, it's a bit premature to wave the "Get Rid of Denis" banner over 1 bad game.


Don't get me wrong- I totally agree with you, but I guess you've missed where the "Get Rid of Denis" crowd have been waving those banners looooooooong before that bad goal.

I don't think the importance of this game should be under-stated. We are so deep in the hole we need a win streak/point streak to start now and continue. If we lose this, we just take another step back. I've had so much hope recently(especialyl after our 4-2 in 6 game stint) and we need to start winning if we want ANY chance of saving this season.

Tonight's the night!

This is the most important home stand we have ever had.....

Playing goalies back-to-back is rarely a good thing. I think we're about the only team that does it.

GM-speak here, but what this team needs is a huge lift from the crowd. Loud from the get-go, and stay with it even if we give up the first. Back-to-backs are a b****, even with different goalies. The Nash factor will hopefully get the faithful going. I intend to do my part.

May not be facing Turco tonight...might be their backup goalie Hedberg
3-1-0 3.86 GAA 84.9%

Notable: Coach Dave Tippett was strongly considering using backup G Johan Hedberg to give Marty Turco a break. Hedberg last played Dec. 2 in a 5-4 shootout win over Carolina
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/hockey/stars/stories/122105dnspostarscap.99fdb19.html

We have historically made opposing back-up goalies look good, so why not?? I was shocked to see Brodeur in net when Jersey was in town.

I agree with starting Denis. The last time the Jackets started Leclaire in back-to-back games he got clobbered. Denis had a bad game last time out, but he had been playing well. I'd rotate the two for a couple of games.

As for goalies showing emotion on the ice, some do it and get pumped up from it. Billy Smith with the Islanders was the classic example. And (as Anansi mentioned) Belfour.

But with some goalies it's a very bad sign, and Denis is clearly in that group. He deosn't do it often. But when he does, get out your sunglasses, cause there's gonna be some red lights flashing real soon.

Do you think the CBJ marketing people missed Nasher as much as we did?

As a result, the Columbus Blue Jackets are kicking off the Rick Nash is Back Ticket Pack . Now you can be one of the first to see him at Nationwide Arena! Click the above link to purchase great seats at a special rate for tonight's game With Rick Nash returning at this game, it will definitely be a hot ticket! So get yours today through this great deal! Each package, valued at $80, gets you two (2) Area D tickets for just $61!

I'm starting to like Balastik. Nash is like the Rambo of hockey, it's great just seeing him rush right into their zone going through all their defense and actually getting a shot off. 5-3 with one goal advantage, loving this so far.

Somebody needs to tell Rimmer that Vyborny isnt playing tonight ....
He's called Hainsey Vyborney at least 3 times now

I'm really getting fed up with these ******** deflection goals. I mean one or two is fine and realistic. But four of the last five goals scored against us is getting kinda much. That's hockey though.

Nice goal by Rupp right there, and another ungodly goal by Nash.

Man... LeClaire can't get any luck.

4 of the last 5 goals he has given up have been redirections... and Boucher's tonight might have been redirected too...

EDIT: Millions beat me to it. :teach: Great minds think alike ;)

Yeah, I feel bad for Pascal, he's played great the last two games and hasn't been rewarded, tonights looking good for that reward although.

Yeah, I feel bad for Pascal, he's played great the last two games and hasn't been rewarded, tonights looking good for that reward although.

He's played great and not only hasnt he had the W to show for it, the stats aren't there either. Basically anything that hasn't been deflected he has stopped.

More Injury news: Richardson out with Fractured Jaw. :shakehead

Guess this means Delmore is going to be hanging around a while longer :(

Tough break(no pun intended) for Richardson- fractured jaw

Nash is an absolute force of nature; if I'm not mistaken he's been on the ice for the last 6 CBJ goals (not counting the shootout). Plus he looks a lot more comfortable tonight; anyone who doubted that he deserved an Olympic spot is going to be eating crow any day now.

You know what, Boucher can go **** himself, so can Barnes.
:sarcasm:

wow... the CBJ just dropped folded in front of LeGrinch :shakehead

Whatever Gallant is telling them in the locker room, he's ****ing it up for us. I swear what is it with this team, we were doing so well thenwe just flop..

what an ugly period. GG seemed to be giving Gord murphy a little cold shoulder.

Oh great another penelty on us. BOOOOOOOOO!

3 goals in 4 minutes.

2 real quick questions


1. hows hainsey been playing

2. when do you guy fire gallant? how long can you let the madness continue?

I have nothing bad to say about Hainsey. He has had some breakdowns but nothing that has drawn attention to himself.

As far as our "coach". :dunno:

2 real quick questions


1. hows hainsey been playing

2. when do you guy fire gallant? how long can you let the madness continue?

From my perspective:

1. He's been OK - not great, but not sucky, either. He just hasn't stood out to me either way.

2. I don't think Gallant is going to be let go anytime soon. If he was going to be fired this season, surely it would have been by now.

I would like to give a shout out to Luke Richardson. I do not envy the rehab he has ahead of him. Very sad. The tool Jim Day said Luke's out 2 months. I wonder if that injury forces him into reteirment? Either way I wish him luck in recovery.

That was really sad, watching the team fold like a cheap tent in the first five minutes of the third. It kind of reminded me of the first five minutes of the LA game last month. Very disheartening.

I would like to give a shout out to Luke Richardson. I do not envy the rehab he has ahead of him. Very sad. The tool Jim Day said Luke's out 2 months. I wonder if that injury forces him into reteirment? Either way I wish him luck in recovery.

Yeah, that was nasty. There was so much blood on the ice, I thought he had his jugular clipped Marlachuk style.. ewwww....
Best to him.

Helluva game right up until the third. Amazing how quick these guys can fold up sometimes. I guess that's what happens when you stop forechecking and go into pylon mode.

And for the love of all that is holy, would the coaching staff let these guys know that pressuring the point on the PK is pretty good practice?? That strategy works admirably on us, why not turn it around???? I really PO's me watching our PK squad stand around watching the tic tac toe game. :rant:

just wait till nash gets back. oh wait :madfire:

just wait till nash gets back. oh wait :madfire:

Oh shut up already.

I told my buddy as we were leaving the game that, if you were looking for something to chalk it up to, the third period is when playing back-to-back is going to catch up to you. He said yeah, but aren't you tired of looking for things to chalk it up to? Extremely good point. Frustrating.
Got the goal from Rupp late in the 2nd, crowd was buzzing as team went off the ice. Would like to think that would help carry the guys through. The next 5 minutes were classic CBJ, left me looking like :shakehead
You could see with about 9 to play the guys were out of it mentally, knew we weren't going to get it done. This is, of course, a bad sign, yet surprises no one.
Luke's injury was brutal. His mouth was full of blood and his lower jaw and tooth line did not appear to be where they belonged. My best to him.

The start of the the third period can be attributed to five things:
1.) No Luke, Foote or Berard - meaning even more ice time for Elmore and Hainsey;
2.) playing back-to-back (after OT the previous night);
3.) not calling time out after the FOURTH goal, GG waited until they scored another one to try to change the momentum and get his team back on track;
4.) no forechecking the entire night;
5.) Give Dallas some credit...

add this to not scoring on how many PP minutes in the first period(?) and you're not gonna beat a good team like Dallas.

just wait till nash gets back. oh wait :madfire:


*Santa drops lump of coal in stocking*

Ok, I've been quiet. I've read about everyone wanting GG to be fired, I've agreed, but I've been quiet. Now it's time for me to start my very first rant, so forgive me if it doesn't make sense. *clears throat* Here goes...

I was at the game, so I didn't get to hear anything that was going on, but why was Chimera with Feds and Z? I don't understand how GG coaches. Let's reward our superstar who has scored in three straight games and scored tonite by dropping him down to the third line with Letowski and Rupp (no offense Letowski). Also, I don't think one line stayed the same in the third. Everytime new players came over the boards, it was a different line combination. I don't understand how GG expects these players to gel together and get hot when they have different linemates everytime they hop over the boards. Everyone was like, when Nash gets back, him and Federov are going to set the league on fire. They were starting to develop some chemistry with Zherdev. Five points in the Detroit game and a goal in this game, and they are rewarded by playing with different line mates??? How much sense does that make? By no means am I blaming the loss of the game on this, but it does matter. Nash needs a playmaking center, and I'm sorry, but Mike Rupp is not it. He and Federov were playin pretty well together...I jus don't understand it. :help:

Everytime new players came over the boards, it was a different line combination. I don't understand how GG expects these players to gel together and get hot when they have different linemates everytime they hop over the boards. Everyone was like, when Nash gets back, him and Federov are going to set the league on fire. They were starting to develop some chemistry with Zherdev. Five points in the Detroit game and a goal in this game, and they are rewarded by playing with different line mates??? How much sense does that make?

:clap:

well stated bro, i just dont get it :help:

I've been saying that since the second game of the season.

Nash can score with anyone though, I'm confident in that. However it still is very very stupid.

I was at the game, so I didn't get to hear anything that was going on, but why was Chimera with Feds and Z? I don't understand how GG coaches. Let's reward our superstar who has scored in three straight games and scored tonite by dropping him down to the third line with Letowski and Rupp (no offense Letowski). Also, I don't think one line stayed the same in the third. Everytime new players came over the boards, it was a different line combination. I don't understand how GG expects these players to gel together and get hot when they have different linemates everytime they hop over the boards. Everyone was like, when Nash gets back, him and Federov are going to set the league on fire. They were starting to develop some chemistry with Zherdev. Five points in the Detroit game and a goal in this game, and they are rewarded by playing with different line mates??? How much sense does that make? By no means am I blaming the loss of the game on this, but it does matter. Nash needs a playmaking center, and I'm sorry, but Mike Rupp is not it. He and Federov were playin pretty well together...I jus don't understand it. :help:

Couldn’t agree more. Even if Nash can, and does, score with any combination of linemates, what is the point of playing him with players who don’t see the ice in anything like the same way he does? It would be one thing if the Feds-Z-Nash line had been struggling but they’ve been on fire and I didn’t get the impression that the Stars had any answer for them. If Gallant was trying to protect Nasher’s knee, he should have double shifted Feds, who is more than capable of handling it, not bumped Nash to the third line.

This issue is so indicative of the total lack of consistency from the coach down that has been evident all season. Yes, the pace of injuries has been brutal this season, but mid-game flip-flops have nothing to do with injuries, especially when the both Nash’s and Chimera’s (remember, he winged a nasty slapper off the post early on) lines were playing very well. I for one felt like Letowski and Chimera were finally close to turning the corner, but who knows now? Plus, Z plainly needs some consistency and someone who can play to his level and now both of those things have been removed. I think Chimera has been a decent pick-up; he plays hard and his lack of scoring has more to do with bad breaks and a lack of a supporting cast than lack of effort or talent, but he’s still no Nash.

Something has to give here. This team has too much talent to play this badly. I’m not saying they’re a playoff team, but they are definitely not a 15 games below .500 team. If this keeps up Mr. McConnell is going to have to make a move or he’s going to lose the fan support he and Doug have worked so hard to gain.

The start of the the third period can be attributed to five things:
1.) No Luke, Foote or Berard - meaning even more ice time for Elmore and Hainsey;
2.) playing back-to-back (after OT the previous night);
3.) not calling time out after the FOURTH goal, GG waited until they scored another one to try to change the momentum and get his team back on track;
4.) no forechecking the entire night;
5.) Give Dallas some credit...

add this to not scoring on how many PP minutes in the first period(?) and you're not gonna beat a good team like Dallas.
Pretty much verbatim of what I said to my wife at the game last night. When GG called the timeout I said "Well, that's about two goals too late." At the end of the second, "They look a bit tired out there now." "I wonder if anyone is going to forecheck tonight?" during the third. Dallas gets little credit, almost anyone else in the league would have wiped them off the map in the first (pretty good PK though).

I was likewise baffled about the mixed up lines in the third period. I dunno what happened there, but was reduced to looking on the bench to see what forwards were injured now. When I surmised that there were no injured forwards, I simply concluded that it was another one of (in a never ending series of) GG's brain cramps. I thought that perhaps he was trying to double shift Nash. You know, the guy who just came off of injured reserve after several months (effectively).

Rupp is not good. Don't let that garbage goal sway you one way or another, it was a "Shelley" type goal. His defensive zone coverage is terrible, always out of position. Unfortunately, the coaches are all "He's a lot better since he came back from Syracuse." Well, that's not saying much, now is it? Pretty hard to get worse. At least he has some heart in him, as evidenced by his minor outburst on the bench after letting in the first Dallas goal in the third. (Yes, he basically let in the goal, not PL. It certainly helps if you cover someone (anyone!) on defense instead of skating around looking bewildered.)

Something has to give here. This team has too much talent to play this badly. I’m not saying they’re a playoff team, but they are definitely not a 15 games below .500 team. If this keeps up Mr. McConnell is going to have to make a move or he’s going to lose the fan support he and Doug have worked so hard to gain.
It is getting increasingly hard to justify to my wife the expenditure of a significant portion of our entertainment dollars to purchase season tickets. It's not even halfway through the season and she's already "Why do we spend so much watching the Blue Jackets if you just end up getting annoyed at them 2 out of 3 games." I went through all the trouble of converting her into a hockey fan. For the love of all that is holy, will the ownership please do something about this soon, or I'll have to give in to her.

You know what’s funny? I often hear people say that Columbus is a college town, and as such they’re more tolerant of teams that play hard but don’t necessarily show up in the win column. But the fact of the matter is if Tress fielded a team half this bad for half as long he would be out under serious pressure, if not out on his ear. I think Doug is a pretty savvy guy, he has to see that this has the potential to get really ugly, and by ugly I mean attendance in the 12,000’s, real quick.

I remember toward the end of the broadcast the Mullet was saying something about Nash that I believe is exactly on the button. He proceeded to describe Nash's off the puck movement and that he is always gravitating towards the puck and that is why he is in on so many of the scoring chances and why he is such a good player. When I look at the rest of the team, I rarely see that sort of behavior consistently. Malholtra comes close but he lacks the innate skill that Nash has.

Simply put this team needs to clone Nash and play him on every shift. Probably should fire GG too just incase he finds some way to screw it up.

Another promising game...another classic callasp by the CBJ. I went out to grab a beer at the beginning of the 3rd with this team leading and came back and it was 4 - 3. Unreal.

We had 12 mintues of PP time in the first period and all we could muster was an even strength goal by Balastik. This team needs to practice the PP until the ice melts. We aren't ever gonna win games if we can't score on the PP. That's all I would do if I were GG - PP, PP and more PP.

Good points about the line combos in the 3rd period. Only reasoning I can muster up was that the lines were jumbled b/c of the amount of time Fedorov was spending the PK. So in order to get Nash out as much as possible GG would throw him out there as soon as the PK ended with whatever line was rested and ready to go.

..wish I could say I left the arena mad but my expectations for this team are so low right now that nothing they do phases me anymore. Great to have Nasher back though and get well soon Luke - how you skated off the ice after taking a shot like that to the noggin :amazed: me.

get well soon Luke - how you skated off the ice after taking a shot like that to the noggin :amazed: me.

One observation about that: kudos to Modano for immediately waving the trainers onto the ice when he realized Luke was hurt. It just goes to show that hockey players are some of the toughest competitors and some of the best sportsmen all the same time.

No comments on Duvie wearing the "A" last night. :sarcasm: It was a good joke a few weeks back. I guess with Foote, Berard, Vyborny, and Malhotra out, he was next in line.

Letowski wore the "A" earlier this year. I wonder what happened with that.

Small note about Richardson’s injury from CBJ.com:

Blue Jackets D Luke Richardson was hit in the face by a slap shot by Jon Klemm in the second period and left the ice leaving a trail of blood. He sustained a fractured jaw and was taken to a nearby hospital for surgery

Tough break. If I remember correctly he had to have the entire left side of his face put back to together after a fight (or was it a puck?) when he was playing in Edmonton.

This will be a big test. Jackets almost always look like crap on the 2nd game of a back-to-back. It doesn’t help that this game is against a team that not only owns Columbus historically, but is red-hot right now as well.
I don’t like Leclaire starting. He was great yesterday, but we know the history in net for back-to-backs.

For me, file this one under “hoping for the best, expecting the worst.”

On the plus side, we haven’t had a Fire Gallant argument since Monday, so it’ll be nice to get back on familiar ground.
Good times.

:cry:

The start of the the third period can be attributed to five things:
1.) No Luke, Foote or Berard - meaning even more ice time for Elmore and Hainsey;
2.) playing back-to-back (after OT the previous night);
3.) not calling time out after the FOURTH goal, GG waited until they scored another one to try to change the momentum and get his team back on track;
4.) no forechecking the entire night;
5.) Give Dallas some credit...

add this to not scoring on how many PP minutes in the first period(?) and you're not gonna beat a good team like Dallas.

Spot on, LS. About six consecutive minutes of either 5-4 or 5-3 through the end of the first and first minute of the second, I think. This not counting the rest of the PP time that period. Gotta score.

No comments on Duvie wearing the "A" last night. :sarcasm: It was a good joke a few weeks back. I guess with Foote, Berard, Vyborny, and Malhotra out, he was next in line.

Letowski wore the "A" earlier this year. I wonder what happened with that.

I'm really surprised this hasn't been brought up yet too. I got a pretty hearty laugh when I saw that last night.

Who started the Duvie as assitant captian debate? I can't remember.

I knew this game was lost when I saw Andy Delmore on the ice for the PK. He shouldnt be killing penaltys at the ECHL level, much less the NHL level.

Letowskis been more invisable then Fritsche in recent games.

Best wishes to Richardson as he begins Rehab. That was pretty sick to watch... :amazed: