Blue Power

[hoxltc]

Columbus blanks St. Louis

Blue Jackets, Mason Blank Blues

Nash scores twice in second consecutive win


(Steve Mason earned first star as he made 21 saves in a shutout effort verses St. Louis)

COLUMBUS (AP) – On any NHL team the captain's job is to sometimes take the heat for the entire club when things aren't going well, even if they don't get the same credit when things are running smooth – that's Blue Jacket's Rick Nash.

Nash has taken a lot of flack because of his and his club's slow start this season, but that last two games the heart-and-soul of the hockey club has elevated his game. He followed up his eventual game-winning shootout goal against Minnesota with a pair of power play tallies in a shutout triumph over a red hot St. Louis Blues team.

With the 4-0 win Columbus evens their record to 7-7-0, captured a second straight victory, while snapping the Blues five-game unbeaten streak. Steve Mason was again brilliant in net, stopping all 21 shots he faced, while posting the teams second blanking of the year.

“We took advantage of what the Blues gave us tonight,” said Nash, who doubled his season goal output in the game. “Mason was solid again and (Fedor) Tyutin made some really terrific setups. It was a good win.”

Columbus scored what would eventually be the only goal they would need late in the first period as Antoine Vermette scored from Tyutin and Anton Stralman with a man advantage. In the second, Jakub Voracek made it 2-0 off an assist from Kristian Huselius and Nash pushed it to a three goal game with a score a man up at the 14:51 mark with Tyutin and Vermette picking up helpers.

“The key was that we added to our lead, that's something we have had trouble with so far,” said Mason, who was the first star for the second straight game. “We controlled the neutral zone, we never allowed them too many good chances in close and the few they did have the guys in front of me did a good job of clearing the puck out of danger.”

Nash netted his second of the night, again on the power play, just under midway through the final period.

The Blue Jackets were 3-of-4 with the man advantage and won 18-of-27 faceoffs

“It was another nice win, probably the best game we have played so far this season,” Scott Arniel. “Maybe the light has gone on for some of these guys. The last two games we have done a good job of not trying to do too much. We have played our game and it has brought good results.”

MY GAME: I had a +1 rating, but didn't dent the scoresheet. Took 3 shots, had one hit in 37:24 on the ice.

Blues vs Blue Jackets
Nov 10, 2010 1 2 3 F STL (9-4-0) 0 0 0 0 CLB (7-7-0) 1 2 1 4 Three Stars Steve Mason - Columbus 21 saves, shutout Rick Nash - Columbus 2 goals Antoine Vermette - Columbus 1 goal, 1 assist	Team Stats Comparison STL CLB Shots on Goal 21 30 Hits 15 6 Faceoffs Won-Lost 9/18 18/9 Penalty Minutes 10 2 Power Plays Converted 0 3 Power Play Opportunities 0 4 Time on Attack 3:28 7:17
Scoring Summary FIRST PERIOD CLB Vermette (2) (Tyutin, Stralman) (PP) 16:04 SECOND PERIOD CLB Voracek (2) (Huselius) 3:29 CLB Nash (3) (Tyutin, Vermette) (PP) 14:51 THIRD PERIOD CLB Nash (4) (Tyutin, Stralman) (PP) 8:31
Blues - Goalies GOALIES SHOTS SAVES SV % GAA Halak 30 26 87%
Blue Jackets - Goalies GOALIES SHOTS SAVES SV % GAA Mason 21 21 100%

[bthomp05]

Re: Columbus blanks St. Louis

Great little streak going on there.

[hoxltc]

Re: Columbus blanks St. Louis

Great little streak going on there.

Thanks, wow a two game winning streak, but really after losing five games straight I was wondering what was going to happen.

Columbus isn't that best team to be on when playing BAP that's for sure. Huselius is our top scorer through 14 games and he has 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points (Not sure that is even in the Top 50 in the league). We are dead last in the NHL in goals scored, but then again we are 3rd in goals given up, so I guess it could be worse.

My BAP player isn't playing that bad I guess, 2 goals and 4 assists, but is improving. I hope Nash will continue his hot streak and we keep playing better, but we will see how things go.

[bthomp05]

Re: Columbus blanks St. Louis

Thanks, wow a two game winning streak, but really after losing five games straight I was wondering what was going to happen.

Columbus isn't that best team to be on when playing BAP that's for sure. Huselius is our top scorer through 14 games and he has 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points (Not sure that is even in the Top 50 in the league). We are dead last in the NHL in goals scored, but then again we are 3rd in goals given up, so I guess it could be worse.

My BAP player isn't playing that bad I guess, 2 goals and 4 assists, but is improving. I hope Nash will continue his hot streak and we keep playing better, but we will see how things go.

For your sake I hope so, or it could be a long season.

[hoxltc]

Three Game Update



Quick Update:


Nov. 12, 2010 - vs. Colorado {Lost, 3-4 (OT)}


Matt Duchene's overtime goal, his second tally of the game and 10^th of the season broke Columbus' two-game winning streak. Colorado, with Steve Mason in net, took a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals two minutes a part. Jakub Voracek scored in the second period, while Kristian Huselius and Jan Hejda found the back of the net in the third. Hejda's goal with 11 minutes to go gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 advantage, but just over a minute later, Avalanche's Paul Stastny tied things up. Sammy Pahlsson had three assists, Hejda a goal and assist. Columbus out-shot Colorado 34-26.


Nov. 17, 2010 – at Los Angeles {Lost, 2-3 (OT)}


Los Angeles's Matt Green scored just 45 seconds into overtime for the game-winner. The Kings out-shot Columbus 34-16 in the game, however the Blue Jackets scored first when Chris Clark netted his first goal of the season. Four minutes later Jakub Voracek continued his hot streak with his four goal in as many games to make it 2-0. Kings forward Wayne Simmonds scored a single goal in each the second and third periods to tie the game.


Nov. 19, 2010 – at Anaheim {Lost, 1-4}


Ducks' Jason Blake scored two goals and had an assist to lead the home team. Blake opened the scoring in the first period, but early in the second Fedor Tyutin tied the game for Columbus on the power play. Defensemen Andreas Lilja gave L.A. the lead for good moments later with the man advantage, while Blake and Ryan Getzlaf added third period scores. Anaheim led in shots on goal 32-28.


MY GAMES – I didn't score or assist on any goals in the three games. I had a total of 15 shots, three hits and averaged about 35 minutes of ice time.

Columbus: Overall 7-8-2, Home 5-4-1, Away 2-4-1. PP 30.8% (3^rd NHL); PK 73.5% (22^nd in NHL).


NHL Leaders:


Goals – Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh 15 and Scott Hartnell, Philadelphia 15.


Assists – Mike Richards, Philadelphia 18; Kristopher Letang, Pittsburgh 18.


Points – Crosby, Pitt. 32; Marian Gaborik, NY Rangers 27.

[bthomp05]

Re: Three Game Update

Least two of those loses where in OT.. Wow, your chewing up minutes like cookies, whats your +/-?

[hoxltc]

Re: Three Game Update

Least two of those loses where in OT.. Wow, your chewing up minutes like cookies, whats your +/-?

The two OT losses were actually good games, just didn't capitalize on the opps when I had them.
I'm right now at a -1 for the year. I'm playing with the player lock, I tried the setting where your BAP watches from the bench, but that was boring, so I play the other defensemen when my BAP isn't on the ice. It's funny, I seem to make better plays when I'm using the other players, maybe I'm just trying to hard when my guys out there.

[bthomp05]

Re: Three Game Update

That would make sense, since it is your player. -1 is not that horrible in the first 17 games, you can pull it around. :-)

[hoxltc]

Another quick update

Quick Update:


Nov. 20, 2010 - at San Jose Lost, 3-4

The Sharks scored the opening goal just a minute into the game when Devin Setoguchi stole the puck from Columbus defensemen Bryan Hoxsey, drove to the net and beat goalie Steve Mason glove side. The hosts made it 2-0 six minutes later on a Joe Pavelski tally, but the Blue Jackets countered with Marc Methot's first goal of the season in the final minutes while on the power play.

In the second period Patrick Markov took advantage of a bad Columbus line change to score on a break-a-way to make it 3-1. Antoine Vermette cut it to a one-goal game again with his fifth of the season minutes later on a deflection, but Dany Heatley made it 4-2 at the 10:47 mark.

Sammy Pahlsson scored on a break with just over eight minutes to go, but the Blue Jackets couldn't get the tying goal. Columbus held a slim 37-36 advantage in shots on goal.

I was a -2 rating and had one hit in 36:30 of ice time. Jakub Voracek had his goal scoring streak snapped at four games, but picked up an assist on Methot's goal to extend his point streak to five games.

Nov. 22, 2010 – vs. Nashville Won, 4-1

Steve Mason made 29 saves and Rick Nash and Antoine Vermette each had a goal and assist to help Columbus capture a three-goal game.

Jakub Voracek made it 1-0 Columbus six minutes into the game with a power play tally off a rebound, It was Voracek's 100^th career NHL point. Predator Kevin Klein tied it up midway through the opening period, but from then on it was all Blue Jackets.

Vermette and Fedor Tyutin each netted a power play goal in the second period to make it 3-1, Nash scored, his fifth of the year, off a rebound late in the third. Columbus out-shot Nashville 35-30 and converted 3-of-6 on the man advantage, while killing off all five Predator power plays.

The Blue Jackets lost Jared Boll to a hip injury in the game, he is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.

I was on the ice 35:10, had a -1, took 5 shots and 1 hit.

Nov. 24 , 2010 – at New York Islanders Won, 5-1

The Blue Jackets dominated every aspect of their road game at the Islanders. Columbus out-shot New York 39-29, held a 8-7 hit advantage, and won 34-of-54 faceoffs.

Nikita Filatov scored the games first goal, beating Islander goalie Rick Dipietro glove side from the slot 1:32 in. Sammy Pahlsson and Bryan Hoxsey picked up assists on Filatov's third goal of the season. Antoine Vermette tallied his seventh goal of the year at the 15:02 mark to make it 2-0, but Islander's Mark Eaton scored over a minute later to cut it to a one-goal game.

“That was really the only let down we had in the game,” said Vermette on the only Islander goal. “Mathieu Garon had an outstanding game in goal for us, he made some really great saves. It was good to see him get some ice time and then come in and play so well. Our defense did a tremendous job of not giving the Islanders much space to move.”

Pahlsson scored his sixth goal of the season at 11:40 and Marc Methot his second at 14:13 to make things 4-1. RJ Umberger put on the finishing touch by scoring on the power play midway through the third period.

I had an assist, my fifth of the year and took 2 shots. In 34:44 of ice time had a +1 rating and played probably my best game of the season. Our record is now 9-9-2, but we are starting to play a lot better then earlier in the year. Even in our losses out west we didn't play that bad.

We did lose defensemen Rostislav Klesla to a injury in the game as he suffered a fractured elbow. His return is questionable in the near future and thus coach Arniel said there may some line changes for next couple games.

[bthomp05]

Re: Another quick update

Excellent couple of wins there - you did have a good last game.

[HeroWorship]

Re: Another quick update

Nice to see a dynasty where there is a struggle. Good job so far.

[hoxltc]

Re: Blue Power

Excellent couple of wins there - you did have a good last game.

Well at least for the time being the Blue Jackets aren't giving up goals less than two minutes after they score. We are also getting more production out of the first couple of lines. My player has been pretty steady the last 10 games, but I was hoping to have more points at this point of the season.

Nice to see a dynasty where there is a struggle. Good job so far.

It has been a struggle, that's for sure, but it has also been fun. What fun would it be to read a dynasty if the team did nothing but win and the BAP scored a hat trick every night, there always has to be some drama to keep people reading (LOL). I think for a while my writeups will be shorter, with a longer one every once and a while.

[hoxltc]

Hat Trick For Datsyuk

Red Wings Use Overtime to Defeat Blue Jackets

Datsyuk's scores three, including game-winner



COLUMBUS (AP) – Detriot's Pavel Datsyuk netted a hat trick, including the game-winner with 8.9 seconds left in overtime to give the Red Wings a 4-3 road victory over Columbus at Nationwide Arena.

Datsyuk, who entered the game with just a single goal in 19 games, picked up the puck off a scramble in front and beat Blue Jacket goalie Steve Mason blocker side to snap the home team's two-game winning streak in the first of a home-and-home series.

“It has been a rough year as far as my scoring has gone, but everything went my way tonight,” said Datsyuk, the game's first star. “Columbus has been playing well, so coming in here and getting a win was nice. It was a game where they held the lead for long stretches, but we were able to keep within striking distance and eventually able to come out on top.”

Jacub Voracek gave Columbus the early lead as he beat Jimmy Howard on arebound 3 minutes and 46 seconds into the clash. Datsyuk countered minutes later on the power play off a centering pass from Johan Franzen, it was the reining Selke Trophy winner's 200^th career NHL goal.

“He is a great player who does so many things to help this team win,” said Franzen. “He plays with is heart and will do whatever it takes to make the players around him better. He had it going on tonight, hopefully we'll see more of this the remainder of the season.”

The hosts again took the lead at the 4:47 mark of the second period on RJ Umberger's tally from the left circle after being set up by strong board play from Chris Clark and Kyle Wilson.

“They did the dirty work on that one,” said Umberger. “The battled in the corner and were able to get the puck free and I just found a little open space and was able to get off a good shot towards the net.”

“We played pretty well heading to the third, but things got away from us,” he continued. “They out-worked us and reaped the rewards.”

Columbus began the third on the power play, but Datsyuk intercepted a bad pass at the blue line. As he entered the Blue Jacket zone, he was taken down from behind by Marc Methot, resulting in a penalty shot which he scored upon to tie the game at 2-2.

Antoine Vermette lit the lamp for the eighth time this season near the midway point to give Columbus back the lead, but Drew Miller sent the game to the extra session with a break-a-way goal with half-a-minute to go in regulation.

“The third period was one we would like to have back,” said Blue Jacket head coach Scott Arniel. “We just didn't get the job done. We were unable to make it a two-goal game and it wasn't as if we didn't have chances. We struggled on the power play (0-for-7) and didn't win many faceoffs in our end. It's disappointing, but we play them again right away, so it will be interesting to see how we respond.”

MY GAME - I was a +1 in 34:26 of ice time. I had seven shots on goal and one hit. Had a shot on while a man up ring off the post and a few more chances from close range, but couldn't get it past Howard.

Red Wings vs Blue Jackets
Nov 26, 2010 1 2 3 OT F DET (12-5-3) 1 0 2 1 4 CLB (9-9-3) 1 1 1 0 3 Three Stars Pavel Datsyuk - Detriot 3 goals Antoine Vermette - Columbus 1 goal, 1 assist RJ Umberger - Columbus 1 goal	Team Stats Comparison DET CLB Shots on Goal 32 34 Hits 8 15 Faceoffs Won-Lost 30/27 27/30 Penalty Minutes 18 18 Power Plays Converted 2 0 Power Play Opportunities 3 7 Time on Attack 5:28 6:53
Scoring Summary FIRST PERIOD CLB Voracek (6) (Methot, Vermette) 3:46 DET Datsyuk (2) (Franzen, Zetterberg) (PP) 7:22 SECOND PERIOD CLB Umberger (4) (Clark, Wilson) 4:47 THIRD PERIOD DET Datsyuk (3) (penalty shot) (SH) 1:17 CLB Vermette (8) (unassisted) 9:41 DET Miller (5) (unassisted) 19:29 OVERTIME DET Datsyuk (4) (Zetterberg, Rafalski) 4:51
Red Wings - Goalies GOALIES SHOTS SAVES SV % GAA Howard (W,9-8) 34 31 91% 2.37
Blue Jackets - Goalies GOALIES SHOTS SAVES SV % GAA Mason (L,7-11) 32 28 88% 2.58

[bthomp05]

Re: Hat Trick For Datsyuk

Tough loss against the Wings but still a point.

[hoxltc]

Same Result, Different Villain

Same Result, Different Villain

Zetterberg has way with Blue Jackets

DETRIOT (AP) – For the second time in as many days the Detroit Red Wings defeated Columbus, this time 3-1.

The previous victory for Detroit saw Pavel Datsyuk net a hat trick, this time it was Henrik Zetterberg doing the damage as he scored a pair of first period goals and added an assist on Brian Rafalski second period tally as the Red Wings out-shot the Blue Jackets 28-9 in the first two periods and led 3-0.

"We just played our game, it is a simple as that," said Zetterberg. "We were able to get our crowd into the game early and then add to our lead."

Jakub Voracek found the back of the net in the third to break Jimmy Howard's shutout bid, but the hosts were able to clamp down defensively and win their 13^th game this season.

MY GAME - I picked up an assist on Voracek's goal. We just played on our heels all night, coach didn't even talk after the game, but then again what is he going to say, we just stunk.

Blue Jackets vs Red Wings
Nov 28, 2010 1 2 3 F CLB (9-10-3) 0 0 1 1 DET (13-5-3) 2 1 0 3 Three Stars Henrik Zetterberg - Detriot 2 goals, 1 assist Jimmy Howard - Detriot 25 saves Brian Rafalski - Detriot 1 goal	Team Stats Comparison CLB DET Shots on Goal 26 34 Hits 17 8 Faceoffs Won-Lost 22/30 30/22 Penalty Minutes 10 10 Power Plays Converted 0 2 Power Play Opportunities 2 5 Time on Attack 5:50 5:52
Scoring Summary FIRST PERIOD DET Zetterberg (6) (Holmstrom, Datsyuk) 1:12 DET Zetterberg (7) (unassisted) (PP) 17:25 SECOND PERIOD DET Rafalski (3) (Zetterberg) (PP) 15:37 THIRD PERIOD CLB Voracek (7) (Hoxsey, Filatov) 13:02
Blue Jackets - Goalies GOALIES SHOTS SAVES SV % GAA Mason (L,7-12) 34 31 91% 2.60
Red Wings - Goalies GOALIES SHOTS SAVES SV % GAA Howard (W,10-8) 26 25 96% 2.30