What's that sound you say?
That is the sound of the Jackets season continuing to crumble.
I think it's safe to say the Blues took a big ole bite out of the Jackets last night.
The Jackets did what they couldn't do... They got off to a slow start, were out worked, out checked, out special teamed, out goaltended and most importantly out scored.
The Jackets modest 3 game winning streak is history.
STOPLIGHT GAME REVIEW
@ ST. Louis
01.13.10
SCORE: Blues 4 Jackets 1
GREEN
* I continue to love the energy Boll and Picard are both bringing to this lineup. They are noticeable every shift they are on the ice. Both had scraps. Both hit. Both even created scoring chances. These are two guys who are fully fulfilling their roles.
* The Jackets as a whole were a scrappy bunch. Combined they had 35 hits. LOVED seeing Nash get into mix. 4 scraps in this game and lots of scrums and trash talking. Hey if we are goin down then by gawd let's not go down without a fight!
* Not all was lost on this night as the Islanders shutout Detroit by a final of 6-0. That kind of result always brings a wicked grin to my face.
* Picard's WWE body slam of Brewer from his knees was kind-a fun.
* R Bar kitchens grand opening.
YELLOW
* Mase didn't allow a goal in relief of Garon (empty netter doesn't count). We'll see if it's his turn to go on a run.
* Not shutout. Good to see Tyutin get one. He was one of the few Jackets I didn't mind last night. He also had a team high 5 shots. Was good to see him back out there after that hit he took.
* Sammy Pahlsson was a beast in the circle winning 12 of 15 draws.
RED
* Huselius took bad to a whole new level in this game yet someone continues to draw big minutes. Hitch threw him out there for 21 minutes. Some may ask well who you gonna throw out? My response is a telephone poll could do less harm than Juice did last night. He was pathetic. He coasted all over the ice.. had more turnovers than a day care... He sucked. What happened to sending message to under-performing vets? I guess that stopped at Commodore.
* Voracek had a tough night - especially in the first half of that game.
* Special teams didn't get the job done. The PP got a goal to provide a glimmer of hope but when it had a chance to pull within one with an extended 4 on 3 it couldn't capitalize. The PK couldn't stop the Blues 27th ranked PP from scoring either.
* The first 10 minutes of this game doomed the Jackets. As I texted a friend last night -- the game was over after the 3rd goal but I wanted to stick around and see the fireworks.
* I thought that fight might have woken up Nash... Wrong.
* The Nash-Umberger-Huseilus line was a combined -6.
* Brassard ice time was 13:46 which is better than last game. I don't have a huge problem with that # but he needs to work this entire summer on getting stronger along the boards.... he just loses too many battles in that area. Going forward why not put him with Nash and just roll with it a few games.... things couldn't get worse for that line.
* Nash line struggled to get much of anything going yet again. Chemistry is non-existent. A question I'm asking myself of late is is the problems with that line the player combos or does Nash's style of play make it difficult for his linemates to mesh? He isn't a traditional sniper that finds soft spots in the ice.. His game is 3 to 10 feet in front of the cage or a power game carrying the puck off the rush to the cage... Rarely is he getting pucks in those positions. Also shouldn't Nash be the one that makes the players around him better? ....and what about moving him back in front of the cage on the PP? It will be interesting to see how Nash meshes with a true #1 center for Team Canada in the Olympics.
* Thought Picard deserved a lot more than 4:32 of ice time.
* Did the Murray-Pahlsson-Clark line create anything of substance in the offensive zone? I get they are a checking line but they are allowed to try to score.
3 BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE NIGHT
1 Taylor Hall still within grasp!
2. Boll and Picard doing their jobs.
3. Ummm.. still haven't been shutout this season?
For the eternal optimist that is 3 wins in their past 4 and the Jackets sit just 8 points out of the final playoff position in the West.
For the pessimist (i.e. me!) the Jackets are just 10 points from being the worst team in the league. They currently hold the 5th worst overall record. The kicker is everyone below them but Toronto has 3 games in hand over the Jackets. Hell the Leafs even have a game in hand.
-LTL
