11-12-11 Jets @ CBJ

[ionthesparrow]

 Why this game is interesting?

This is Carter’s first game back following his foot injury (out 10 games)

They won.  Okay, so it’s against the LOLJets, but still

It’s the first game of the season where CBJ has both Carter and Wish.

Pretty sure this is Nikita Nikitin’s first game with Columbus

 

Other than that, man, it’s really not.  It’s really sort of actually terrible

 

Sorry Columbus.

 

Lines:

 

18 Umberger – 7 Carter – 61 Nash

22 – 17 – 19

50 – 15  - 26

24 – 40 – 11

 

51 – 6

21 – 3

 

Notes:

 

Oh god, Mason is down to a .866 save percentage.  SOMEONE HELP THIS MAN.

… on the other hand, Winnipeg has Pavelec btw the pipes and he’s at .890, so they have THAT going for them

Carter out for the opening faceoff then off

Oh CHRIST, what are they WEARING?

23 TOTAL S-o-G… for both teams…

 

In the opening 2 minutes the rookie Johansen scores a massive slapper from the point (mind you this is a kid that was a healthy scratch in the last game).  Nice work, kid.

 

(Johansen (19) sending it past Winnipeg)

There is still, however, a shit ton of bunching going on, especially in the second and third line shifts.   The differences is that Winnipeg isn’t taking advantage of it the same way Nashville was.

 

(wow, good thing the Jet's other point is MIA)


… and letting EKane set up for a breakaway.

(see #9, in the low left?  The guy with no one between him and the CBJ goal?  Yeah, that would be Kane)


Oh Columbus.

 

Carter is slow, taking faceoffs, but short shifts

 

Columbus can get one forward to the net with the puck, hey just can’t get anyone else there with them at the same time.

 

Second period power play:

 - Nikitin dangles through traffic, but let’s note that CBJ players would rather do almost anything than pass to one another, and in fact Nikitin ends up dangling through these three players, briefly losing control of the puck then passing to himself.  Because he is a badass.

(work it, Nicki.  Later, the CBJ head coach is quoted as saying he "doesn't know much" about Nikitin.  Who they have JUST TRADED FOR. *throws hands up*) 

- As soon as one than one CBJ player is involved in the play the puck gets cleared. 

 - Carter and Nash manage to connect (!) to bring the puck across the line, but the Winnipeg goalie makes the save on Carter’s shot and covers it.

 (It should be noted that this is not a Columbus-sadface.  this is a "my-breakaway-got-turned-aside sadface".  He made this face all the time in Philly.  And look, they gave him an 'A'  aww...)

Actually, 2 really nice topline shifts back to back where everyone manages to get back to the net and actually, like, pass to each other.  Carter’s second shot turned aside and he gets into with Oduya.

 

(hard to tell here, but Carter is right behind the Winnipeg #25, taking the puck to the net, Umberger (18) has found some open ice, and Nash (low side of the circle) is set up right where he needs to be to catch the rebound.  Yes. You can do this, Columbus.  Just more than two shifts a game would be nice).


(Carter mixing it up with Oduya)


But they don't manage to put it in, either attempt....


(this is a "watching-my-failure-on-replay sadface" combined with a "I-hate-it-when-people-touch-me-and-I-don't-get-a-whistle sadface." Also not unique to Columbus)




Skipping ahead to the third, let’s focus on the positive.

One of the CBJ players remembers that this is actually a checking league

 

(hip check FTW.  Also hilarious: the announcer calls this a "lost art."  Pfft, maybe in Columbus, sir.  You clearly haven't been watching Flyers games)

And the rookie (19) scores again! (from Prospal (22), who slings him a perfect pass before eating it after a collision with Big Buff, and who is leading team w/ 14 points)

 

(HOLY SHIT - LOOK AT THAT.  EVERYONE IS WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.  Also, check out Buff on his knees in the background)


The game ends with Winnipeg finally getting on the board when legitimately ALL of the Columbus players forget to play defense.  Okay, you could make an argument that at least Jeff Carter got back and is boxing SOMEONE out in front of the net.  But let’s be honest: Carter (bless his heart) should never be trusted with defense. 

 

(Mason: Guys?  Guys?  Anyone?)


Unfortunately neither should the CBJ goalie.

So, uh, overall, for a game they actually, you know, won – that was objectively a pretty terrible hockey game.  But the topline had its moments.  Johansen put up some numbers, and Vinny Prospal should be handed the fucking key to the city, as he seems to be the only player on the CBJ aware that hockey is a team sport.

Comments

[puckling]

I also enjoy how you're qualifying sadfaces.