OFFICIAL Columbus Blue Jackets Thread - Page 51

OSUBasketballJunkie · #**751** (**permalink**) 10-22-2006, 07:32 AM

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PENGUINS 5 BLUE JACKETS 3
Blue Jackets stumble out of gate, lose to Penguins

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

PITTSBURGH ? Better effort, same sad result.
The Blue Jackets showed a pulse last night, which is more than could be said for their previous two games.
But the finishing of checks, the fighting for pucks and a willingness to get dirty weren?t enough to overcome their special teams deficiencies, and the Blue Jackets lost 5-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in front of 14,637 in Mellon Arena.
The Penguins, a budding dynasty, scored three powerplay goals and two short-handed goals, both by 18-year-old rookie Jordan Staal, and capped their scoring with a penaltyshot goal with 7:49 left in the game.
"It?s tough when you give up two short-handed goals like that," Blue Jackets coach Gerard Gallant said. "On top of that, you can?t give them 10, 12, 13 power-play chances, whatever it was. You can?t do that. That was the whole game."
The Penguins were 3 of 9 on power plays. It only seemed worse.
The Blue Jackets (2-3-1) got goals from Gilbert Brule, Fredrik Modin and Nikolai Zherdev. But they have lost three in a row, with one of the NHL?s best clubs, the San Jose Sharks, coming to Nationwide Arena on Monday.
Ugh.
"The guys in here (the dressing room) want to win," captain Adam Foote said. "That?s not the issue. We just have to keep going."
As a member of the Western Conference, the Blue Jackets won?t get a glimpse at the Penguins again until the 2009-10 season.
That might not be such a bad thing. Pittsburgh?s wealth of talent ? Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Staal, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury ? is a sight to behold.
Last night, it was the magic of Crosby and Malkin, mostly, that led to two power-play goals for the Penguins in the first 7:51.
Sergei Gonchar, meanwhile, licks his chops on the blue line, waiting for a one-timers to show up on his doorstep, and they did. His first blast was deflected by Penguins winger Michel Ouellet, sending it through the pads of Blue Jackets goaltender Fredrik Norrena, who made his first NHL start. It was 1-0 only 123 seconds into the game.
Gonchar?s second tee shot found the net on its own, putting the Penguins up 2-0.
"They throw pucks in a lot of odd places on the ice where you?re never going to be," Blue Jackets penalty killer Jason Chimera said . "They try stuff no one else really tries. It?s one of those teams you have to be on your toes for a lot more. Especially on the power play. They try anything, and you?re not used to that."
Brule?s first goal of the season, on a power play at 17:51 of the first period, made it 2-1.
Modin?s first as a member of the Blue Jackets, at 7:58 of the second period, made it 2-2, but that was all.
Staal scored off a rebound from a Mark Recchi shot at 14:43 of the second, giving the Penguins the lead for good.
aportzline@dispatch.com

OSUBasketballJunkie · #**752** (**permalink**) 10-22-2006, 07:33 AM

Dispatch

Quote:

BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK
Brule rewarded for play by moving to top line

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> The Penguins? Sidney Crosby slides into Blue Jackets goalie Fredrik Norrena during the second period of Pittsburgh?s 5-3 win.

In the wake of the ugly 4-2 loss on Friday night to Toronto, Blue Jackets coach Gerard Gallant scrambled the lineup last night against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Mellon Arena.
The changes weren?t subtle, either.
Rookie center Gilbert Brule, who had played on the No. 4 line, was promoted to the top scoring line, between left winger Rick Nash and right winger David Vyborny.
"Gilbert has played good and he?s played hard (the past two games)," Gallant said. "He deserves a chance up to play up there.
"He?s feeling better about his game, more confident. This will be a good challenge for him against some of the young kids Pittsburgh has. He?s the same caliber as those kids."
Gallant also made a switch in goal, turning to Fredrik Norrena for his first NHL start.
"This date has been in the back of my mind for a while," Gallant said. "He hasn?t started a game yet, and it?s a good chance to get him in there.
"It isn?t because of (Friday?s) game, really it isn?t. If we would have won, I probably still would have given (starter Pascal Leclaire) a night off."
Brule?s promotion had a ripple effect through the forward lines. The other lines were: Fredrik Modin-Mark Hartigan-Anson Carter; Jason Chimera-Manny Malhotra-Nikolai Zherdev, and Jody Shelley-Alexander Svitov-Jaroslav Balastik.
Gallant also made a healthy scratch of defenseman Anders Eriksson, giving Aaron Johnson a spot in the line. Johnson had been scratched the past three games.
On the defensive

Six games into the season, Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby is taking heat from an opposing coach for diving.
Earlier this week, after a 4-3 overtime loss to Pittsburgh, New York Islanders coach Ted Nolan lashed out at Crosby, saying he flopped to the ice to draw penalties.
Crosby seems unaffected.
"Coaches are smart," Crosby told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Ted Nolan is smart. He knows that he plays us seven more time. He wants to plant a seed and probably figures he can do it early and see what happens.
"There is a competitive edge everybody is trying to gain, whether it is a player or a coach. I can look at myself in the mirror and tell myself that I?m an honest player."
It should be noted that Crosby hasn?t been called for diving this season.
Fedorov update

Brule may have a short run playing between Nash and Vyborny.
Injured center Sergei Fedorov (shoulder) is hoping to make his 2006-07 debut Monday when the Blue Jackets play San Jose in Nationwide Arena.
Fedorov made the trip to Pittsburgh and skated with the Blue Jackets yesterday morning.
"He skated real hard," Gallant said. "But whether it?s Monday or Friday (vs. Los Angeles), who knows? "
aportzline@dispatch.com

jimotis4heisman · #**753** (**permalink**) 10-23-2006, 01:37 PM

mark hartigan has been placed on waivers.

Fungo Squiggly · #**754** (**permalink**) 10-23-2006, 02:07 PM

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Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

mark hartigan has been placed on waivers.

Not particularly surprising. He seemed very hesitant out there. I'm a bit disappointed. I was really expecting him to thrive on one of the top lines this season.

Time to get things straightened out this evening. Avoid the dip[censored] penalties and play with some fire!

jimotis4heisman · #**755** (**permalink**) 10-23-2006, 03:05 PM

i really havent seen much of the boys play the last three games less than ten minutes on the ice. ive been disappointed, maybe its cuz jo isnt watching?

the hartigan deal is essentially if he clears good he goes to cuse, if not good luck somewhere else mark, youve been a great career ahler but you have yet to prove an ability to translate that to the nhl as you push close to thirty

Fungo Squiggly · #**756** (**permalink**) 10-23-2006, 08:36 PM

It's time to start making an example of some of these guys.

It's only 7 games into the season and I'm sick and tired of the stupid and lazy play. Penalties galore because the dips can't be in proper position, so they hook and hold and slash anything and anyone within reach. And get out-hustled. Constantly. Again and again and again. It looks like San Jose is on a power play when it is 5-on-5 hockey. It looks like even strength when Columbus is on the power play.

Start with Nash. Teach the team that it is NOT acceptable to wait at the offensive end for a long pass attempt while Leclaire gets peppered with shots.

I wish they could scratch the entire effing team for a game.

[/rant]