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March 7, 2009Cavs Beat Heat as Mo Williams Outshines MVP Candidates
March 8, 2009
Blue Jackets 8, Red Wings 2
(Box Score) – Highlights
Record: 33-27-6 (72 points)
Sports Club Stats Rank: 6th, 62.1%
I don’t have a lot of time or a lot to say that the score doesn’t already tell you about this one–seriously, just click the “Highlights” link above if you want to know that particulars. Columbus bounced back in a HUGE way from their loss Thursday night to Nashville, Detroit goalie Chris Osgood was hella-bad (7GA on only 23 shots), and Rick Nash was wicked good. Several things happened that could be considered franchise records:
The Jackets scored eight goals—a franchise record.
The Jackets won by a margin of six goals—a franchise record.
Rick Nash netted his fourth career hat trick (third against Detroit), and now stands alone in Blue Jackets history with the most career hat tricks—in other words, a franchise record. All three of Nash’s goals were unassisted, which I can’t ever remember happening. I’m sure it has somewhere in the annals of NHL history, but no one calling the game on FSOhio could recall it, either. UPDATE: Apparently, this has happened before. Puck-rakers has it from Elias that it happened last in 1948 by none other than The Rocket:
Last night, Blue Jackets’ captain Rick Nash became the first NHL player to record an unassisted hat trick since Maurice “Rocket” Richard did it for the Montreal Canadiens on March 14, 1948, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Richard scored four goals in a 6-3 win at Madision Square Garden.
Some other notes, though not records: newest Jackets Chris Gratton and Antoine Vermette each notched their first points as Blue Jackets, each with an assist. Vermette looked solid, contributing in many areas, including several key penalty kills. Detroit’s league-leading Power Play unit was shut-out (0-6), and one of Nash’s three goals came short-handed against that same PP unit. Nash also got to the 30-goal mark for the season, his fourth such 30-goal year in the past five seasons.
Steve Mason stopped 44 shots, and admitted after the game that: “From my point of view, I haven’t been great for the past month or month and a half. I wanted to step up and I think I did, and the team has been struggling in certain areas and tonight we were solid all around.” RJ Umberger had two goals of his own. Columbus was 1-for-2 on the PP themselves. Most importantly, the win pushed the Jackets back into sixth place in the conference.
There really isn’t much else to say, other than it was a complete whomping. And one the Jackets sorely needed, especially with Edmonton (70pts) winning as well, and Nashville (70pts) losing. The Jackets head back home to face the eastern conference-leading Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
[Photo Credit: Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press]
8 Comments
That was seriously awesome though I’m a bit nervous for next Sunday and was shouting ‘Save them for next week’ by the time we were up 5.
I seriously thought that ESPN had a typo, glad was I relieved that we stuck it to the wingnuts where the sun dont shine.
Yeah, if Detroit gets Hossa and Holmstrom back, and reminds themselves every day this week about the score, it could get ugly on Sunday.
I’m also worried about Boston on Tuesday, as it would be nice to have a few of those goals for that game, as well.
I thought Vermette was solid in his debut, which was great considering he had only been with the team for about 48 hours. In the post-game, when asked about him impressions of Vermette, coach Hitch said something like (paraphrasing… haven’t found the actual quote yet): “Smart. Solid. And Needed.” His faceoffs and defense/PKing are for real, that’s for sure.
Oh, and also, Detroit might have some problems themselves.
1) They are effectively AT the salary cap this year, so they were unable to go out and get anyone at the deadline. Usually every season they pick someone very good up at the deadline.
2) Detroit has given up EIGHT goals in a game TWICE in the last eight days (last Saturday against Nashville, and this Saturday against Columbus). Both of their goalies played in both games, and Chris Osgood was AWFUL (11 GA in 37 shots in those two games). Conklin wasn’t much better (5 GA in 14 shots in those two games). To give up eight in two separate games that close together is insane for ANY team, let alone the defending Cup champs who are also at the top of the Western Conference. That does not bode very well in the short term. You don’t win in the playoffs with shoddy goaltending, no matter how great your offense is.
Columbus is a team built for the playoffs… I just pray they get there. Seriously though, Mason is capable of amazing things and if he gets hot, look out.
The big question if they make the playoffs will be: can they score enough night in and night out? They can play solid enough defense, and if Mason can get some rest (I don’t know how they sit him the rest of the way, though) and be sharp in a seveb game series, they can hang defensively with anyone.
[…] Tuesday, 3/3 in Columbus – Blue Jackets 5, Kings 4 (Box Score) – Highlights Thursday, 3/5 in Nashville – Predators 4, Blue Jackets 2 (Box Score) – Highlights Saturday, 3/7 in Detroit – Blue Jackets 8, Red Wings 2 (Recap) […]
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