GDT: Game 73: Columbus at Washington | 3/23 7PM

[MAHJ71]

I think the doom and gloom is the feeling that home ice will be critical for us in these playoffs. No one wants to dig out of a 0-2 hole against WSH/PIT.

Can it be done? Sure can... but I think it's reasonable for some people to feel doubtful about heading into the playoffs as a likely 3 seed on the tougher side of the bracket.

At this point we just look so damn tired - all I'm thinking about is hopefully us gaining a new year come playoff time.

 

[vertigo1061]

I think the doom and gloom is the feeling that home ice will be critical for us in these playoffs. No one wants to dig out of a 0-2 hole against WSH/PIT.

Can it be done? Sure can... but I think it's reasonable for some people to feel doubtful about heading into the playoffs as a likely 3 seed on the tougher side of the bracket.

At this point we just look so damn tired - all I'm thinking about is hopefully us gaining a new year come playoff time.

Part of it is wanting home ice,but also just wanting to be playing well going into the first round. I don't like heading into the playoffs playing worse than we were in December.

 

[Heinze 57]

playing at Washington on the second night of a back to back was a tough ask. They didn't look fresh. I have more faith in a healthy, rested CBJ team than the one last night. Bob is my hero.

Also, the crowd seemed really dead in that first period. Both teams looked flat and so was the arena.

 

[MAHJ71]

playing at Washington on the second night of a back to back was a tough ask. They didn't look fresh. I have more faith in a healthy, rested CBJ team than the one last night. Bob is my hero.

Also, the crowd seemed really dead in that first period. Both teams looked flat and so was the arena.

Well half of crowd didn't arrive until mid to late first, evidently traffic is an isssue.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Our underlying numbers are heading off a cliff. Bob going into full-on Vezina mode is only reason we're ahead of the Rangers. Where are the forwards?? Hartnell, 0-5-5 in last TWENTY FOUR games. Wennberg, 0-2-2 in last 12 games. Foligno 2-2-4 in last 13 games. Etc. etc.

What happened to the swarming, hard-on-the-puck forechecking team? Looks like we peaked way too soon and are scraping by here in March because Bob is rested/a cheat code.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

I'm sure this was already mentioned earlier in the thread (not gonna go back and read through it all), but we were atrocious in our own end last night. The last two games our defensive zone coverage has been quite weak and we've had a tough time getting the puck out and through the neutral zone.

Powerplay needs to get back to the bread and butter. What worked at the beginning of the season was moving it with speed/decisiveness and quick zone entries. Didn't see that once last night on the man advantage, nor the night before against Toronto. I hate it how Jones just dumps the puck in deep to enter the zone...makes no sense.

Not sure if it was because of it being the second game of a back-to-back, but it felt like we had zero forecheck or sustained pressure. I'm praying that we don't face Washington in the first round, as they are clearly a tier above us right now.

 

[pete goegan]

Well half of crowd didn't arrive until mid to late first, evidently traffic is an isssue.

Oh my, yes, traffic in DC is awful and it was a late-arriving crowd. Game was tight, tense, and sloppy for much of the time; but a hell of a lot better than last game here - 5-0 streak-buster! Glad to get the point. Bob was spectacular, as was Holtby, but Oshie remains a shootout mystery for him. Since the CBJ remains the only team in the league to have avoided three losses in a row, I'd like to see a winning performance vs. the Flyers, tomorrow.

As for the GDT comments: as usual, "Wow!"

 

[major major]

Our underlying numbers are heading off a cliff. Bob going into full-on Vezina mode is only reason we're ahead of the Rangers. Where are the forwards?? Hartnell, 0-5-5 in last TWENTY FOUR games. Wennberg, 0-2-2 in last 12 games. Foligno 2-2-4 in last 13 games. Etc. etc.

What happened to the swarming, hard-on-the-puck forechecking team? Looks like we peaked way too soon and are scraping by here in March because Bob is rested/a cheat code.

If you want to see bad underlying numbers look at the Rangers. The Jackets shot plus minus is even.

 

[DarkandStormy]

If you want to see bad underlying numbers look at the Rangers. The Jackets shot plus minus is even.

We were a net positive team when looking at most underlying numbers (EV CF%, xGF, SF, scoring chances, etc.) and those are now teetering on even and in some cases negative, especially if you look at the month of March or the last 15-20 games. We continue to win at a high rate mainly because Bob has gone into Vezina mode.

I'm not one to make too much of possession stats, but this is a terrible formula for the playoffs. In 2013, this was our only chance because of personnel, but we showed in the first 3 months of the season we could be a positive possession team and play well. So it's concerning that the trend is now reversing.

 

[hardkorejackets]

Watched the game last night.. Was pretty much dominated by the Capitals, but Bob stole us a point.

I think our scoring touch has been lacking for quite some bit, but it helps with our pretty good defense and having Bobrovsky in net. Good lord, he has been lights out.

P.S. Next time, I'm at a Blue Jackets game and I hear someone complain about Bobrovsky.. I think I'm going to lose my mind. I know being at a sporting event, you'll hear complaints/outlandish negativity/people that just want their voice to be heard.. But, goodness..

I don't want to critique how we will be in the playoffs based on our play the last 2 games.. Let's keep in mind, Washington is a pretty good team that we had to play on the back end of a back to back against a "goonish" Leafs team. Come playoff time, we won't have these back to backs.

The Jackets are still a pretty good hockey team.. We were like 7-1-2 or something in our last 10 games entering Wednesday.. Not sure where people are getting this "we absolutely suck" talk.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

Oh my, yes, traffic in DC is awful and it was a late-arriving crowd. Game was tight, tense, and sloppy for much of the time; but a hell of a lot better than last game here - 5-0 streak-buster! Glad to get the point. Bob was spectacular, as was Holtby, but Oshie remains a shootout mystery for him. Since the CBJ remains the only team in the league to have avoided three losses in a row, I'd like to see a winning performance vs. the Flyers, tomorrow.

As for the GDT comments: as usual, "Wow!"

We're you sitting in the first row behind the Jackets' bench? I saw a guy in a CBJ sweater there and thought that might be you.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Watched the game last night.. Was pretty much dominated by the Capitals, but Bob stole us a point.

I think our scoring touch has been lacking for quite some bit, but it helps with our pretty good defense and having Bobrovsky in net. Good lord, he has been lights out.

P.S. Next time, I'm at a Blue Jackets game and I hear someone complain about Bobrovsky.. I think I'm going to lose my mind. I know being at a sporting event, you'll hear complaints/outlandish negativity/people that just want their voice to be heard.. But, goodness..

I don't want to critique how we will be in the playoffs based on our play the last 2 games.. Let's keep in mind, Washington is a pretty good team that we had to play on the back end of a back to back against a "goonish" Leafs team. Come playoff time, we won't have these back to backs.

The Jackets are still a pretty good hockey team.. We were like 7-1-2 or something in our last 10 games entering Wednesday.. Not sure where people are getting this "we absolutely suck" talk.

Well, as you noted...we kind of suck without Bobrovsky.

Not so much "we absolutely suck" but more so we played a really great possession game for the first 3 months of the season, just swarming teams. We can't/don't do that anymore, combined with an atrocious power play the last 2 months.

 

[major major]

I think the heavy "swarming" game should be back in the playoffs. The team is built for it, I think they just need the motivation. The regular season is too damn long - doesn't matter how much they get paid, the body will only produce so much adrenaline.

That powerplay though.

Time for a PP reboot, entire setup. Build it around our best shot - the Jones one-timer.

 

[Socks]

I think the heavy "swarming" game should be back in the playoffs. The team is built for it, I think they just need the motivation. The regular season is too damn long - doesn't matter how much they get paid, the body will only produce so much adrenaline.

That powerplay though.

Time for a PP reboot, entire setup. Build it around our best shot - the Jones one-timer.

I've wondered about that. Seth has a bomb. We need to just plant him at the point and feed him one-timers.

 

[MAHJ71]

I've wondered about that. Seth has a bomb. We need to just plant him at the point and feed him one-timers.

Seth or Zack.. either/or/hell maybe both.

 

[Socks]

Seth or Zack.. either/or/hell maybe both.

Stick Fligs or Scotty in the goalie's grill for tips with Cam coming in from down low and you'd think we'd be golden.

 

[major major]

I've wondered about that. Seth has a bomb. We need to just plant him at the point and feed him one-timers.

Zach at the top of the 1 - 3 - 1, teeing up Jones on the side, Jones in the same spot as Ovechkin and Laine.

 

[Socks]

Zach at the top of the 1 - 3 - 1, teeing up Jones on the side, Jones in the same spot as Ovechkin and Laine.

That works too. Anywhere he can release the boom.

 

[pete goegan]

We're you sitting in the first row behind the Jackets' bench? I saw a guy in a CBJ sweater there and thought that might be you.

I was in the arena, but I was just about as far from that guy as humanly possible! Our seats were at mid-ice, but in the next to the last row, with no legroom, and directly under an AC vent. The torture I endure for our team!