• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
the jackets have just gotten fedor fedorov on loan from the rangers, he will play in cuse
fedor is a 6-4 240lb winger
SCOUTING REPORT Has both excellent puck-skills and is an excellent skater with break-away speed. Improved considerably this season, leading the team in scoring after a tough 2000 season. Is a very durable player who is tough and unselfish with the puck. Has an excellent team attitude and is very good with the public. Volunteered his time for a one-week hockey school with local youngsters.
Click to expand...

tsn page for fedor
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=2370&hubname=nhl-rangers
his scouting report there
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="602"><tbody><tr><td class="stitle" width="39">
mini-chev2.gif
</td> <td class="stitle">Scouting Report</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
pix.gif
<table class="fchartbkg" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="602"><tbody><tr> <td class="flrow1">Assets</td> <td class="flrow1">Has excellent skating balance, size and shiftiness. As he matures, he'll further develop his scoring instincts and drive for the net. </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="flrow2">Flaws</td> <td class="flrow2">Doesn't have brother Sergei's instincts in the defensive zone. Needs to better utilize his frame in order to thrive at the NHL level. Has been criticized for indifferent play on occasion.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="flrow1">Career potential</td> <td class="flrow1">Top six winger.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Click to expand...

interesting seeing as we already have his brother, nik z, svitov (who i expect to make the big club next year), andrei plekhanov def (who prob will come over next year) and dmitri kosmachev right wing (who likewise could be playing in cuse next year)
 
Upvote 0
Dispatch

3/12/06

BLUE JACKETS 4 | OILERS 3 (OT)

Odd shot lifts Jackets in OT

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
20060312-Pc-E1-0700.jpg
</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>MIKE MUNDEN | DISPATCH </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Rick Nash and Jaroslav Spacek of the Oilers rush the net as Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson defends a shot on a power play. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


When Sergei speaks, the kids listen.
Almost a week after center Sergei Fedorov offered an honest, unflinching critique of his young line mates, wingers Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev, the trio put on a wondrous display of teamwork last night, leading the Blue Jackets to a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers in Nationwide Arena.
In front of a sellout crowd of 18,136, The Jackets won on a fabulously fluky goal set up by Fedorov and Zherdev and finished by defenseman Rostislav Klesla.
Klesla, from just above the goal line, took an odd-angle shot that caromed off the dropped stick of Oilers goaltender Dwayne Roloson and into the net behind him.
The shot appeared to surprise Roloson, who shattered his stick on the net in frustration, just as the Blue Jackets poured off the bench.
"The goal was just lucky, but you have to take those," Klesla said. "I just threw it at him so we could get a rebound. But it went in, so no rebound."
The Nash-Fedorov-Zherdev line combined for two goals, five assists and a plus-7 rating, one of its best games of the season.
Fedorov and Zherdev each had a goal and two assists. Trevor Letowski added a goal.
It was the Jackets’ 10 th win in their past 13 home games. They are 12-2 in games that go to overtime or a shootout, the best record in the NHL.
Few could have expected a finish like this.
The Oilers, refurbished at the Thursday trade deadline to make a playoff push, looked postseason ready in the first period.
Either that or the Jackets were just really bad.
The Oilers took a 2-0 lead on power-play goals by Ryan Smyth and Jaroslav Spacek, a former Blue Jackets defenseman.
Jackets coach Gerard Gallant had some choice and unprintable words for his players during the first intermission, and they dominated the rest of the way.
A Trevor Letowski goal at 4:07 of the second pulled the Jackets to 2-1.
The Oilers made it 3-1 on a Michael Peca goal at 14:28 of the second, but the Jackets continued to press and it was the Nash-Fedorov-Zherdev line that gave them fits.
A week ago, Fedorov noted that Nash and Zherdev — although talented individuals — had yet to grasp the finer points of the game, such as making use of one’s linemates.
"We really generated a lot of offense by finding each other in the most dangerous spots," Fedorov said. "Nik and Rick have started feeling comfortable with passing to each other, because they will always get that puck back."
At 15:45 of the second, 1:17 after Edmonton went up 3-1, Zherdev carried the puck off the board and flipped it to Fedorov, who was barely 5 feet away but facing the net.
The beauty of the play was that Fedorov was swinging his stick back before Zherdev even released the puck.
Fedorov’s shot made it past Roloson and pulled the Jackets to 3-2.
The line struck again at 9:43 of the third, when Nash dumped the puck to Zherdev for a centering pass to Fedorov in the low slot.
Fedorov’s shot squeezed through the pads of Roloson and sat in the goal mouth long enough for Zherdev to circle the net and poke it home.
Zherdev celebrated with two fist pumps, then circled back and patted Fedorov and Nash on the helmet.
The real celebration had yet to occur.
As the game rolled into the final minute of overtime, a hustling Fedorov stole the puck from Roloson and threw a centering pass at Zherdev.
Zherdev was clobbered by two Oilers and he shot, the rebound shooting to Roloson’s right.
Klesla threw an oh-what-the-heck shot at Roloson . . . and the lamp lit.
"We showed a lot of character coming back," Gallant said. "We really competed hard and probably played the best 40 minutes of hockey this season."
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Dispatch

3/13/06

Blue Jackets’ Berard plays the waiting game with bad back

Monday, March 13, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Defenseman Bryan Berard will miss his 14 th straight game and 21 st this season when the Blue Jackets play the St. Louis Blues at 8 tonight in the Savvis Center. The longer he’s out of the lineup because of a herniated disk, the more two questions surface: 1. Will Berard play again this season? 2. Is surgery on the horizon?
"I’d like to get back and play some games," said Berard, who has been out since Jan. 27. "And, right now, it’s at a point where doctors are saying that I don’t need surgery.
"But it’s a day-to-day thing, really. We’re really not sure how it’s going to turn out, but we have a lot of people working on it."
Berard’s injury is in the lower back. He hasn’t skated since early February, when the pain worsened after three or four relatively light practices.
He has resumed off-ice workouts, including cardiovascular exercises and weightlifting.
"So far, no problems," he said. "So we’ll test it a little more and see how it responds, and if it’s good, we’ll test it some more, and so on.
"Doctors have said that I don’t want to get back to playing again unless I’m symptom-free. Otherwise, I could do a lot more harm than good, and then we’d be looking at surgery for sure."
Berard has had three epidurals, the most doctors will prescribe in a sixmonth period.
Surgery would require six weeks of rehabilitation, meaning he could wait until the summer and still be ready long before training camp in the fall.
"It’s back surgery, but it’s not major back surgery," Berard said. "We still have a lot of time.
"If we can avoid the surgery and it goes away on its own, it’s the best thing that can happen. That’s what we’re waiting for."
It has been a frustrating season all around for Berard, who signed a two-year contract as a free agent in the summer.
In 44 games, he has 12 goals, 20 assists and a minus-29 rating, one of the worst in hockey.
On Jan. 20, Berard was suspended from international play for two years for testing positive for a steroid.
He missed seven games when the back injury initially flared in late December.
Now he’s on the shelf again.
"Frustrating is the right word," Berard said. "Early in the season, we had a lot of players hurt and we really struggled to win games.
"Now the team’s playing better, and I’m out of the lineup."
The Jackets are 10-9-1 with Berard out of the lineup, but his absence is felt on power plays, where defensemen Ron Hainsey and Aaron Johnson have been asked to fill the void.
In the 20 games he has missed, the Jackets are 13 of 119 (10.9 percent) on power plays. In the 44 games he has played, the Jackets are 39 of 244 (16 percent) with a man advantage.
"You miss a guy like Bryan Berard when he’s not out there," Jackets coach Gerard Gallant said. "But it’s one of those injuries. "As much as you want him back right away, you know better than to rush it." [email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
ill probably answer this before anyone asks it
rule 93
http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule93.html
No goal may be awarded (or disallowed) as a result of video review once the puck has been dropped and play has resumed following the first stoppage of play after the potential goal.
The following situations are subject to review by the Video Goal Judge:
  1. Puck crossing the goal line.
  2. Puck in the net prior to the goal frame being dislodged.
  3. Puck in the net prior to, or after expiration of time at the end of the period.
  4. Puck directed into the net by a hand or foot. With the use of a foot/skate, was a distinct kicking motion evident? If so, the apparent goal must be disallowed. If the Video Goal Judge determines that it was put into the net by an attacking player using a distinct kicking motion, it must be ruled NO GOAL. This would also be true even if the puck, after being kicked, deflects off any other player of either team and then into the net. This is still NO GOAL.
  5. Puck deflected into the net off an Official.
  6. Puck struck with a high-stick, above the height of the crossbar, by an attacking player prior to entering the goal. The determining factor is where the puck makes contact with the stick. If the puck makes contact with the stick below the level of the crossbar and enters the goal, this goal shall be allowed.
  7. To establish the correct time on the official game clock, provided the game time is visible on the Video Goal Judge's monitors.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Dispatch

3/14/06

BLUES 3 | BLUE JACKETS 2 (OT)

Apparent victory turns to defeat for Jackets

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Michael Arace
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


ST. LOUIS — Upon further review, the St. Louis Blues defeated the Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime last night in the Savvis Center.
Down one end of the ice, Blue Jackets forward Trevor Letowski appeared to score the winning goal. His hard-angle shot bounced off the inside of the post and dangled on the goal line. The red light lit. The goal judge thought it was a goal. The referee waved it off, and play continued.
The Blues went the other way and scored on a rush. Christian Backman put in a rebound off a shot by Keith Tkachuk. Backman’s goal was an easy one to score, as his teammate Jay McClement slid into the crease and pinned Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire to the left post.
The horn went off, the crowd of 12,130 went nuts and the officials got on the telephone. Letowski’s goal went under review. On-site goal officials looked at replays. NHL officials in Toronto looked at replays. Minutes ticked away before Toronto made the call. Letowski’s goal wasn’t a goal.
"I don’t know whether it was in or not," Letowski said. "I didn’t have the best angle. I hit the inside of the post and it kind of skipped on the goal line. I don’t know."
What was unreviewable was the lack of a call, for goaltender’s interference, on McClement.
"It happened so quick," Leclaire said. "I couldn’t get back. They could have called interference — or something. It gets called all the time. It’s frustrating to lose that way."
It marked the Blue Jackets’ first overtime loss of the season. They’re 12-1-2, with seven shutout wins, when they get beyond the third period.
"Hockey games can be won or lost on breaks," Jackets coach Gerard Gallant said. "They got the last break. It’s funny. As the (review) time dragged on, I thought it was a good sign. I thought they were going to give us the goal."
The Blues, depleted by injuries and trades, are not tanking their way toward the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft. They’re 9-2-3 in their past 14 games. Coach Mike Kitchen has his team playing hard and with purpose. The Blues are fast, they forecheck aggressively — they’ll send two deep on most occasions — and they play without fear.
In the cockeyed world of nonplayoff contestants, this was a big victory for the Blues. They shook off Chicago, got out of the Western Conference cellar and drew three points behind the Jackets.
Rick Nash scored first, at 7:51 of the first period. On a two-on-two rush, he ran a give-and-go with Sergei Fedorov and both Jackets beat their opponents. Fedorov put a neat pass to the front of the net and Nash redirected. It was Nash’s 19 th goal in 37 games.
At 14:36, the Blues had a goal waved off on one of those curious, illegal-contact-with-the-goaltender calls. Either Tkachuk, who wasn’t mentally sharp this night, or Petr Cajanek messed with Leclaire, or the referee messed up the call.
The Blues scored two powerplay goals in the middle of the second period. The first came on a wrist shot by Scott Young. The second came off a "how did that happen?" play by Jackets captain Adam Foote, who put a clearing attempt off a skate. The puck caromed to the top of the crease, where Mike Glumac had no problem depositing. The Blues took a 2-1 lead.
The Jackets made it 2-2 when they scored at the end of an everlasting, mesmerizing shift. No matter what the Blues did, Letowski kept getting the puck back and setting up another shot. The shift ended with Duvie Westcott putting a pass from the left point down to Letowski beside the right post. Letowski centered to Chimera, who had an open net.
The third period was hard-hitting and scoreless. Then, overtime, and the breaks. Nikolai Zherdev had a point-blank attempt and was robbed by Patrick Lalime, who had come in for injured Curtis Sanford. Letowski had a prime opportunity. Did it go in? Then, McClement wiped out Leclaire, Backman scored and the game was over — after a long review.
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=8432&mode=threaded&order=0
[FONT=verdana,helvetica,arial]Matured Johnson back up with the Blue Jackets[/FONT]​

[FONT=verdana,helvetica,arial]Written by Tanya Lyon on 03/12/2006 [/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]The Columbus Blue Jackets currently sit in 13th place overall in the Western Conference with 54 points and a record of 26-36-2. The team has played better after being plagued with injuries earlier in the year, rebounding to a record of 14-10-1 since Jan. 1. The Jackets had eight wins in January, setting a franchise record for highest number of wins in a single month. According to Columbus Head Coach Gerard Gallant, a big reason for the team’s turnaround has been their lack of injuries. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“Our team’s pretty healthy right now and that was the biggest key for us. And then when we started playing better late December, early January, the difference was our team was healthy and we started competing, playing a lot harder. I think we lost four in a row before tonight’s game, but we were playing well in those games so the team is competing, playing hard. “ [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]The injury bug returned enough for the Jackets to call up defenseman Aaron Johnson on Mar. 2. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Johnson, Columbus’ third round choice from 2001, played 29 games with the team in 2003-04, scoring eight points. Last year, in 77 games with the Syracuse Crunch, Johnson earned 6 goals and 23 points. In just 49 games this season, he has eclipsed that total with 5 goals and 29 points. His point total this season marks a career high in his three years at the AHL level. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“We’ve got a great team around us down in Syracuse so I think with guys scoring a lot more it’s helping me out,” he said. “I’m just trying to put the puck on the net and guys are burying it and that helps.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]The defenseman admitted that the new rules have also helped him improve his numbers. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“Well, I think the new rules [help] because there are more power play situations and that’s where I play the most so I think that’s definitely going to help me excel. It’s a faster game now so I hope my speed will keep me at the NHL level.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Due to his improved play this season, it’s no wonder that the Blue Jackets recalled the 6’1 Nova Scotia native. In his second call-up this season, Johnson said he will not try to change his game but stick to the same offensive style that has brought him success at the AHL level. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“You just try to go out and play your game,” he said. “You just try to help the team win each game. You don’t look any farther than that. You don’t know how long you’re going to be here so you just go out and play hard and make the most of it while you’re here.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]In seven games with the Blue Jackets this year, Johnson had been paired with veteran defenseman Luke Richardson until Richardson was dealt at the trade deadline. Johnson has a goal and an assist on the season while logging an average of 12:49 minutes of ice time per game. And while the Blue Jackets aren’t a threat to make the playoffs, Johnson hopes to help contribute to the team to help them continue to win. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“I’m just trying to play my game. I think they’ve given me a lot of opportunities in the power play situations. I just got to make the most of it right now. It’s a team that’s trying to finish the season with a plus and a couple big wins,” said Johnson. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Johnson admits that he didn’t always just play his game. In the past, like many prospects who have just been called up, he was guilty of worrying about being sent down. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“Your first couple of years you think about [being sent down], but now I think you know to just go out and play your game and you hope for the best. You control the things that you can control on the ice. I go out and just play my game on the ice. I can’t control what they’re doing up there in the office or making decision-wise,” he said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Johnson’s improved play has impressed Blue Jackets General Manager Doug MacLean and Head Coach Gerard Gallant. Both the GM and coach feel that there is an obvious maturity and confidence in the 2004 AHL All-Star’s game. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“He’s really just matured,” said MacLean. “He’s a young player so he just needs more experience, more defensive-minded, more composure. He’s a good prospect.“ [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“We really like Aaron,” added Gallant. “He’s an offensive guy that lugs the puck real well and we talked about him. He’s got to jump in at the right time and do the right things. And now he’s played very well and played real hard. He’s a good kid for our future.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Johnson himself can also feel the difference with the Columbus now that the team has begun to win. The change in the atmosphere is obvious. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]“Yes, definitely. It was feeling like we were holding our sticks a little tighter earlier in the season. I think they’ve played awesome before the Olympic break and it’s taken some cloud off the shoulders. Everyone is playing hard right now. They know what kind of situation we’re in and we’re just trying to enjoy ourselves and make the best of the situation.” [/FONT]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Dispatch

3/15/06

First setback in overtime hard to accept

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Michael Arace
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


ST. LOUIS — On Monday night, in their 65 th game of the season, the Blue Jackets were finally beaten in overtime. They were the last team in the league to lose a game in OT.
"The guys were aware of it," coach Gerard Gallant said yesterday from Chicago, where his team will play the Blackhawks tonight. "It was disappointing to lose that game.
"I don’t think (the overtime record) is a huge deal, I just think
were the better team (Monday) night. You know, on one hand, the guys felt they didn’t really lose it."
The Blue Jackets were 12-0-2 with seven shootout victories before they lost 3-2 to the Blues in the Savvis Center. For once, the Jackets didn’t get the late break.
With 2:36 remaining in OT, Jackets winger Nikolai Zherdev, who played well in every zone Monday night, had a chance on the doorstep but was robbed by Blues goaltender Patrick Lalime.
With 1:40 remaining, winger Trevor Letowski had a chance with a close-range shot and a rebound. He put the rebound, from a hard angle, off the far post. The red light lit; the goal judge thought it was a goal. The referee waved it off, and play continued with a Blues breakout.
"After my shift, I came off, I was sitting down and I was tired — and 15 seconds later they scored," Letowski said. "I didn’t even know what happened."
With 1:11 remaining, Blues defenseman Christian Backman scored off a rebound into an open net. The net was open because Backman’s teammate Jay McClement slid into the crease and pinned Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire against one post.
"I just kind of lifted his stick, and he went down," Jackets defenseman Rostislav Klesla said. "I think maybe he wanted to trip."
Replays showed that Klesla did little to impel McClement into the crease. So, McClement should have been called for goaltender interference. But the referees did not see it that way. There was no penalty called, so Backman’s goal stood.
"They can’t review that," Gallant said. "There was no penalty called, so it was a goal. You watch (a replay) and you think it should have been called. It happens."
Bulin Wall falls

The Blackhawks were thinking playoffs after an aggressive foray into the free-agent market last summer. The marquee pickup was goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup and signed a four-year, $27 million contract with Chicago.
But the Blackhawks are languishing in last place in the Western Conference and Khabibulin, beset by injuries, has a 12-21-3 record.
General manager Dave Tallon admitted to the Chicago Sun-Times that he had "casual conversation" with the Lightning about shipping Khabibulin back to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline last week.
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
jackets drop it 3-2 vs hawks


russian updates
[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica] Mozyakin won the rsl (russian super league) scoring title beating malkin. hes a little guy at 165ish and march 1981 kid. (played with zherdev on cska moscow [red army] team)

svitov is tearing up the playoffs at a ppg after a lackluster regular season. i expect both of these two in camp next season.

[/FONT]
 
Upvote 0
Dispatch

3/16/06

BLACKHAWKS 3 | BLUE JACKETS 2

Late goal wipes out Jackets’ comeback

Blackhawks score shortly after Nash ties it to cap rally from 2-0 deficit

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CHICAGO — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, making his way back to New York from Calgary, decided to take a layover in Chicago and catch the Blue Jackets-Blackhawks game last night in United Center.
Next time he’ll book a direct flight.
That was the running joke before the teams got rolling and put on a pretty good show for the commish and a crowd of 10,130.
The Blackhawks won 3-2, with Kyle Calder scoring the winning goal midway through the third period, barely two minutes after the Blue Jackets tied it.
"It’s tough to say after a 3-2 loss, but I thought we played a pretty good game," Jackets coach Gerard Gallant said.
The Blue Jackets played the final 19 minutes of the third period without center Sergei Fedorov, who left the game because of back spasms. He’ll be re-evaluated today.
For the Jackets, it was a frustrating end to a two-game trip against two teams — Chicago and St. Louis — that trail them in the Central Division.
Columbus lost 3-2 in overtime to St. Louis on Monday.
"You look at those two games," right winger Trevor Letowski said, "and you’d sure like to get at least two points. We played two pretty good games, but we didn’t get rewarded for it. It’s really disappointing."
Rick Nash and Jody Shelley scored for the Blue Jackets, who lost to Chicago for the second time in eight days.
The Jackets were done in by Blackhawks goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who was locked in after looking so clueless in recent days.
Khabibulin had been pulled from his past two starts, lasting only seven minutes in a loss to Detroit on Sunday.
Last night, he stopped 33 of 35 shots.
"He was awesome," Gallant said. "Any time you get 25 scoring chances on the road, you have to feel pretty good.
"The chances were there. But Nikolai was great. He’s a veteran. You knew eventually he was going to come out of it and play a real good hockey game."
The Blue Jackets fell behind 2-0 after Mark Bell and Mark Cullen scored 26 seconds apart midway through the first period.
The first Jackets player to solve Khabibulin was Shelley, who was right in Khabibulin’s grille when he poked home a pass from Nash at 7:52 of the second.
Nash made it 2-2 at 7:40 of the third. With a Blackhawks defender draped on his back in the low slot, Nash onetimed a pass from Nikolai Zherdev.
Mostly, though, it was a game of missed opportunities for the Blue Jackets.
At 6:06 of the second — with his team down 2-0 — Dan Fritsche was granted a penalty shot after being dragged down by Michal Barinka.
But Fritsche’s wrist shot was gloved by Khabibulin.
"I didn’t get everything on it," Fritsche said. "I was trying to go under the crossbar, and I missed it a little bit."
The Jackets had a handful of open looks at Khabibulin, but drew iron on a few shots and misplayed the puck on a few others.
"It’s not like we didn’t have chances," Fritsche said. "We can’t complain about that.
"We just didn’t bury enough of them. Khabibulin was really good. So was (Jackets goaltender Marc) Denis. Otherwise, it would have been a pretty high-scoring game."
Calder’s winner came only 2 minutes, 15 seconds after Nash tied it.
Zherdev left the defensive zone a few seconds early, leaving Calder to buzz alone through the slot, with David Vyborny giving chase.
Calder took a pass off the boards from Jim Vandermeer and fired it past Denis, who had no chance.
Game over.
"We made two turnovers that led directly to two goals," Gallant said. "That, and we didn’t bury our chances.
"But overall, I thought we played a pretty good game. And it’s a game we should have won."
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top