The Jackets continued to stay hot last night beating the Flames by a final of 4-1.
Where o' where could this team be right now with average to above average goaltending from the get go?
1. Three things are going right for this team that haven't gone right for the majority of this season. The first one is obviously Mr. Return To Sender himself Curtis Sanford. He continues to stand on his head and not only make the saves he should, but make a lot he shouldn't. Its not only how he's making the saves but when. For instance last night after the Jackets PP scored to make a 3-1 game the Flames barreled down shorthanded on a odd man rush -- if that goal goes in who knows where this game ends up. It's those kind of timely saves that provide some much needed momentum for a team that has struggled.
2. The 2nd is primary scoring is finally providing some primary scoring. Carter with 2. Nash with a empy net goal. Prospal with 3 helpers. The guys who need to score are finally scoring. Don't look now by Prospal has 18 points in 20 games. Nash has 15p in 20g. Wiz has 8p in 12g. Carter heating up with 3 goals in past 2 games and 6p in 10g.
3. The 3rd is the friggan PP. This team needs to rely on their PP and they are finally getting some production. HUGE 5-3 goal in this game... Absolutely H-U-G-E! For this team to get that 2 goal cushion is like me taking some Excedrin after Nashville - immediate relief and we all felt much better after. Don't look now but that PP is all the way up to 22nd converting at 14.8%.
4. Vermette goal. You could put me 2 feet in front of a wide open cage and I still couldn't make a shot like that. When you see a play like that at the highest level all you can do is sit back and marvel. Had to be a huge confidence boost for Vermette.
5. Sure is nice to get a couple of bounces to go our way. Carter's bounce on his 2nd goal. The shot that bounced off the inside of Sanford's leg and trickled wide. The bounce of the post that Nikitin then prevented from going in. Those bounces, when they bounce in your favor, all add up to points in the standings.
6. Amazing how much better a defense looks when they get good goaltending eh? That said, this team cannot give up all those odd man rushes while shorthanded. Sanford bailed them out this time but he won't be able to every time. Unacceptable lazy play that needs cleaned up.
EXTRA SHOTS:
Nice to see an opposing team's goaltendergive up a early soft goal for once -- no doubt Karlsson would like that first goal back (we feel your pain Calgary fans). Only penalties in the game were in the 2nd period. The Jackets only took 2 all game -- well done. Thought the grinders continued to play well. I've been on Pahlsson but I've liked his game much better the past two -- he still creates nothing offesnively but his backchecking and own zone coverage has been much better. Nikita Nikitin is playing like a man possessed. He had a team high 27:07 and +2 last night and was the team's best defender. While I think dumping some salary was a big part of that deal for Russell perhaps Howson wasn't BSing when he said they really like this player. Looks like a great deal early on for us - let's see if he can keep this level of play up. Love Letestu's hands - so soft. Guy does not seem to bobble a puck or make a bad decision. I continue to love everything about Vinny Prospal as a hockey player. He's got a real chance to break the Jackets single season points record which I believe is held by Rick Nash with 79p in the 08-09 season. That is if we keep him all season. Attendance 11,629. Don't like to see a player hurt but Rick Nash's shot to Mason's nugget yesterday -- best move he's made as captain of this squad.
At 5-13-2 the Jackets are still in the league cellar but only 1 point out of 29th (Islanders).
Baby steps.
Up next the Devils tomorrow night @ Jersey.
-LTL
