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Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)

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Dispatch

Michael Arace commentary: Amid fits and starts, Jackets holding it together

Thursday, January 17, 2008 3:20 AM
By Michael Arace


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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TERRY GILLIAM | ASSOCIATED PRESS
"What the season is like is, there are smooth waters, and then it's all about how you manage the rough waters," ? Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock


Last week, Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was asked whether his team needed the All-Star break, and it was implied that it needed the break the way a starving dog needs a meat wagon. The Jackets were coming off a 1-3 trip, a viral infection was running around the locker room and key players were shuffling on and off injured reserve. And it had been that way for months.
"We don't need a break," Hitchcock said.
It seemed like a strange answer then. It does not now.
The Jackets have won three in a row and pushed their record to 22-18-6. They have reached 50 points, which is a magic area in January for any team that aspires to play in May. As of yesterday, they were two points out of eighth place in the Western Conference.

Continued.....
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The game against Vancouver was a game of different periods....

The 1st period, they looked like friggin Detroit - carrying the play and holding onto the puck. If the other team can't get the puck, they can't score.

The 2nd period looked a bit like the bad old Jackets, turnovers and some stupid penalties (and a very questionable delay of game penalty), but that changed pretty quickly.

The 3rd period looked like a typical Hitchcock team, hold onto the puck but play solid defense and not allow any clean chances.
 
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TexasBuck said:
Yep. These signs have been happening all year long. I hope it comes out at some point who/what caused the light to go on for Zherdev. It can't be more obvious he is now fully invested in the team.
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foote, feds, hitch all deserve some credit. that being said i give the majority of credit to nik himself.

multiple media outlets have tried to do stories on nik, he has declined interviews.
 
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Big time roadtrip coming up. 5 in a row on the road and 6 of 7. At PHX, DAL, COL, DAL, CHI, then home for PHX and finally @ NSH.

All of those teams are right with CBJ in the standings. They cannot afford to lose 5 or 6 of the next 7.
 
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Great finish tonight. Scoring a goal with less than a minute to go to pull out a win over Phoenix. Maybe the Blue Jackets are starting to "turn the corner" and are actually going to be a legitimate playoff contender.
 
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CCI;1068894; said:
Incredible win for the CBJ, Hey BuckeyeMike almost time to get them playoff tickets:biggrin:
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I'm watching trust me :biggrin:

I'm watching SportsCenter right now and Melrose is creaming himself over this goal.

And in watching the replay, watching the back right defenseman for Phoenix (his name is Keith Ballard) swinging his stick wildly and just getting abused by Nasher is amazing......

And the wonder that is Youtube has it already :lol:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShQSnv6mtMA"]YouTube - Rick Nash goal v. Phoenix (Jan 17/08)[/ame]
 
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Buck Nasty said:
J O, no offense to you, but you need to get back to work. You are pulling your mid season disappearing act again. I never thought the day would come, but after the game last night there is no doubt you are not the best player on our team anymore. Z is flat out taking over games, kinda like you did back at the beginning of the year. :wink2:

When he threw himself on the ice to block that puck last night I turned to my buddy and said that's it, he is officially the man.
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....crickets....crickets...
 
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