Blue Jackets 4, Predators 3: Not the same old BJ's
by Dirk Hoag on Nov 19, 2011 11:09 PM EST
in Nashville Predators Game Recaps
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The new guys played a major role in lifting Columbus to their first win in Nashville after 17 straight losses, with Jeff Carter scoring early, and James Wizniewski scoring late, to beat the Preds 4-3 in overtime. Vinny Prospal added a power play goal as well, meaning 3 of the Blue Jackets' scores came from players acquired over the summer, guys who were unfamiliar with the long history of Columbus failure in Nashville.
Follow after the jump for all the details...
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First the highlights:
Post-game audio is available from Barry Trotz, Mike Fisher, and Shea Weber (part 1, part 2).
- Just like Elton John sang, Saturday night's alright for fighting... those opening seconds of the game featured Tootoo vs. Dorsett (revenge for Marty?), then McGrattan vs. Boll, and when Dorsett got back on the ice he tried to go with Hillen, too.
- One thing I liked about the opening goal was the movement by all the Preds on that power play. As Shea Weber snuck down from the right point to the far side of the goal, Antoine Vermette sagged down to follow him, opening up that much more space for David Legwand at the point.
- Columbus fans had to have been thrilled to see Jeff Carter get his first goal to tie the game up early in the second, courtesy of a Hillen pass that got intercepted at center ice and immediately turned into a Blue Jackets rush.
- You're not going to earn that $7 million+ salary from the penalty box, Sutes. Those two early 3rd-period penalties were brutal.
- Just moments after I noted in the Game Thread that in 6 games this month, Sergei Kostitsyn had 0 shots on goal, he finally took one in the 3rd period. Step it up to about 2 per game, OK, Sergei?
- This was the Preds' second game this season with multiple power play goals (they went 2-for-5), the first being October 8 at St. Louis.
- Give Columbus credit for a fine play to win it in OT. Antoine Vermette fought to win the draw cleanly back to the point, and Wizniewski's shot was just inside the far corner, there was little Pekka Rinne could do.
- David Legwand played 18:28 in his first game back in the lineup, and appeared pretty effective out there. The lines are definitely a work in progress, but I'm hopeful that 3 lines with some decent scoring punch can be cobbled together.
- All in all, certainly not a great effort from the Preds tonight, but getting a point out of the loss softens the blow...
NHL BoxScore - Game Summary - Event Summary
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Not a terrible effort against a team that had to win here again at some point
Preds were out of sync for sure. I’m still feelling good about our play though. Grinding out a point on a night like this still feels like we are keeping the train rolling. Hey, if you’re going to give a point away, might as well be to a team that has already managed to tank it.
Columbus brought a huge group that sat in the 200’s…pretty quiet considering the size but managed to make some noise after the win. I actually saw a couple of guys teared up and hugging it out on the concourse. I kind of feel for the BJ fanbase. The direction of that team would be hard to live with if I was in their shoes.
I love Tootoo.
Legwand looked a little tenative but it’s great to have him back.
Suter got hosed on the hook in the 3rd.
by Marcus Newman on Nov 19, 2011 11:47 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Toots is an amazing player – and one tough hombre. That is coming from a guy who thinks fighting in hockey is dumber than dumb. I’ll take the punishing hits that are part of the flow of a game any day. That said, Toots has some unique skills for sure. Fun to watch.
by predsbelonginblue on Nov 20, 2011 3:49 PM EST up reply actions
I have to disagree about Legwand.
He did not look that good this evening, particularly on the pp. His passes just weren’t there, and he didn’t appear all that “fast” (even for Legwand’s traditional “fast”).
Just my opinion.
There is no one here that could convince me that Klein should be on our roster.
No one.
The fans are standing up to them! The security guards are standing up to them! The peanut vendors are standing up to them! And by golly, if I could get down there, I'd be standing up to them! - Slap Shot
Yes, I think you’ve gotta use him as trade bait for some team that needs a d-man. I think Josi could do a good job in his spot, and at least he’d contribute.
We need someone that kind sort of produce, offensively.
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
who would step up and fill his defensive role? cube, blum, hillen, lakkso? ujosi has been compared to zidlicky, which wasn’t much on the def end when here.
What defensive role?
The role of being on the ice for an inordinate amount of goals against? Oh, Kevin Klein, I love to hate you.
This is probably not news to anyone but if we sign Suter and Weber, 3rd tier defensemen like Klein, Hillen, and Cube are going to fill out the rest of the roster.
by Marcus Newman on Nov 20, 2011 2:32 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
i thought klein sucked, but if he would be traded for nash. i’m coused by the value you have givenklein.. who in all seriousness would you trade klein for? i know he has turnover issues. he has 44 blocked shots where weber and suter have a total of 47. klein rarely puts the team in jepeordy by staying out of the box.
I put zero value in blocked shots. I am from the Scotty Bowman school of thought, which is let your goalie see it. Especially when that goalie is named Pekka Rinne.
blocked shots
I put great value in blocked shots because pucks that get to your goalie, even one as gifted as Peks, means more rebounds and more goals against.
My hockey team is better than your hockey team
by Predator Don on Nov 20, 2011 4:03 PM EST up reply actions
Also, more shots blocked means more shots taken against us while he is out there, Weber and Suter don’t allow as many shots. Weber’s corsi is more than ten points better than Klein on the season and that’s against tougher competition.
On-Ice Team Goals Against per 60 Minutes
Klein 3.69. The worst amongst our d men and 2nd worst on the team behind Bergfors, who barely plays.
Weber 0.93 The best amongst our d men.
0.93!
I’m sorry? You are missing out one great skating dman… You might ought to look at the d-partner he has and realize he has to make up for Cube’s costly mistakes. I wish he’d be back with Blum again so that we can have a 2nd pairing that can move the puck.
by utmfisher19 on Nov 21, 2011 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
Make that 5 assists. Just hope the Oilers leave all that offense in Edmonton. Yikes!
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 12:25 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
This is the Blue Jackets that I expected this season.
They still do boneheaded things at times (Marc Methot for example), but they’ve got some talent over there. We deserved to lose in regulation, so getting a point out of the deal isn’t a bad thing.
Short having a talent advantage over us like some teams do, the way the Jackets played this game is how I’d go after us if I were the other team. They got in our face pretty good and disrupted Trotz’ ability to manage the game the way he likes to do. Not a bad game plan.
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 12:31 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I refuse to agree with GB, on principle.
So, ummm, forget all that stuff I said in the GDT about this being a different team from the one that sucked pond water over the past six weeks; about them finally getting Wiz and Carter back; about them finally having reliable goaltending; and about them taking the Bruins, who had won six in a row at the time (they’re at 8 now—blech!), to a shootout. I didn’t mean any of it.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
But you agreed anyway. :p
Just admit defeat, it’s the only thing left to do. ;p
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 12:53 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
It never happened. (Whew! I feel better.)
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
It’s right there in black and white for all to see…….all resistance is futile. :D
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 9:20 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
It’s right there in black and white for all to see…….all resistance is futile. :D
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 9:20 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
A reply you felt so strongly about it posted twice. :)
(And also, I got the Star Trek reference. I feel so plugged in.)
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
I don’t get it, I only hit the post button once. Darn mobile version!
That was an unintended Star Trek reference…….but I’m glad you liked it. :)
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 11:14 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Is anyone really surprised??
For as long as I’ve been watching the Preds, which is for at least 10 years, anytime they put an injured player (in this case, Legwand) back into the line up, they are almost guaranteed to lose. Usually, it always comes after the lines have “firmed up” and they’ve gotten use to playing with one another, and usually they’ve been winning. As soon as the injured guy is reintroduced, the lines get shuffled and everyone plays like crap. Tonight was no exception.
Try as I might, I can’t understand why the coaches do this. Sure, Legwand is well paid, and sure, Columbus has been playing like crap, so if you’ve got to put him back in the line up, tonight might have seemed like the right night to do it. But it seemed to me, and apparently to others, that Legwand was definitely not ready for prime time. Except for the Fisher, Erat, Kostitsyn line, the others, especially Legwand’s, were pretty ragged in their play. Yes, these lines did score, but they also had a lot of turnovers resulting from some pretty poor passing.
And while our defense corps is supposed to be our strong suit, I’ve been really underwhelmed by their play lately, and that includes our “stars”, Weber and Suter. Boullion’s tossing the puck over the glass to get a delay of game penalty and Suter’s two penalties, pretty much cost us this game.
I noticed
Trots inserted leggy for honey badger and we played poorly. With 10 minutes left in the 3rd, trots got honey badger back with horny and Wilson and we were a different team.
I blame this loss on trotz. Leggy should have been eased back into action on the 3rd line. Teams can’t defend both the badger and fisher line……they must make a choice which group will get the oppositions top dmen.
With that said, we were average tonite. Can’t be on top of your game every nite, so I’ll take the point.
Also quit counting how many shots Erat and tits passed on. The dman always plays off because they know there will be no shot. Shoot the damn puck.
My hockey team is better than your hockey team
I am with you. I do not know why in the world Leggy was thrown in there on that second line. He should have been started back on the 3rd line. And what has to be done to get these boys to just shoot the puck at the net? I mean some of the passes they make when they should just fire that puck….geeeeessshhh!
Exactly.
I was so absolutely irritated with Trotz screwing that line up, I just kept cussing at him all night. He absolutely cost us this win.
I’m a Trotz supporter. I like him, I think he’s a good coach and I’m in no way calling for his head. The epic amount of stupid penalties killed us also, but with 33-15-27 I feel we could have won that game.
We'll miss you Belak...
Go Predators!
Speed, passing, offense?
Columbus is a terrible defensive team, yet they managed to stand us up on the blue line time after time, and not with anything more than a 1-2-2 forecheck. We were skating in jelly tonight, and if we do that next week against Edmonton, they will flat run circles around us.
Plus, the fights at the beginning—stupid. I get the hockey rules, but the team showed no appreciably different jump or grit. Waste of time and players in the box.
Didn’t see or feel it last night.
by HumanVacuumCleaner on Nov 20, 2011 9:49 AM EST reply actions
Well, Dorsett was the guy who hit Martin Erat in the head last game, so Tootoo was sticking up for him. I’m OK with that.
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
by davisca on Nov 20, 2011 12:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Standing us up at the blueline is the best way to play against us, just what the Canucks did in the playoffs to us.
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Nov 20, 2011 12:57 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
heh
In the recap on NHL.com, they called Nick Spaling ‘’Jeff Spaling.’’ What??
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
by davisca on Nov 20, 2011 12:20 PM EST via mobile reply actions
assists?
suter passes to weber he shoots and it is blocked. the scrum in front of the net turns it into a goal. twice. suter and weber are touted for assists, but come on. i think after blocked, you should be out of the points.
Yeah, why?
They are putting shots towards the net at least. Creating a scoring chance that leads to a goal.
then why not give an assist to each player who touches the puck. i think putting it on net is essential, but you don’t credit failure. the goalie stops the initial play and the goal scorer is fully resposible. if suter passed to weber who passes to hornquist for a goal, thats an 2 assists and a goal worth of points.
You should start a petition to get how the NHL has scored assists for years changed. Good luck with that.
it isn’t failure when the puck ends up in the back of the net. A lot of times the reason for the point shot is to get it on net, force the goalie to leave a rebound and get off balance, so a player can put the rebound in the net. The initial shot isn’t a failed goal, it’s part of the play, essentially a pass off the goalie.
Keys to the game: GA<GF
what?
Of course passes should be taken from the point. Nothing i said would negate that. I don’t follow you’re reasoning for your following comment:
no passes only shots should be taken from the point then.
Keys to the game: GA<GF
Great fights!
Toots beat Dorsett and McPounder transplanted Boll’s nose onto his cheek. That was awesome (flexing muscles).
We played about the deadest game I’ve seen us play all year. For us to get a point is a blessing.
Quit hating Klein. He does OK for us. Not great but OK. He’s a great PK guy and that’s as important as being a good PP guy only in the opposite direction, right? And he flies the flag when he has to. Pred fans just have this allergic response to every bad play he has. Weber and Suter make bad plays too, but they have the other to bail them out now and again. Suter sucked tonight…not gonna dwell on that, but he just did.
And it looks like Smith has been relegated to Trotz-hell for missing the eng. No wonder Leggy never misses those. I thought they should have kept the Smith-Wilson-HornQ line together. But then, I do know everything and cannot expect Trotz to.
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 20, 2011 4:22 PM EST reply actions
Also, I am just sayin...
On-Ice Team Goals Against per 60 Minutes
Klein 3.69. The worst amongst our d men and 2nd worst on the team behind Bergfors, who barely plays.
Weber 0.93 The best amongst our d men.
0.93!
PK numbers
On-Ice Team Goals Against per 60 Minutes
Klein – 6.64
Weber – 2.26
Suter – 2.18
Interesting.
Klein does play more PK time than Weber and Suter, but still… that’s gotta make you wonder. That is a REALLY high number…
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
Actually,
Ice Time Per Game on the PK
Suter – 3.06
Weber – 2.96
Klein – 2,83
Huh! I never noticed that… dunno why. I guess I just always see when Klein’s out on the ice.
Hah! Now, you can take THAT observation and run with it. That says a whooooole lot.
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
On-Ice Team Goals Against per 60 Minutes
Kelin is the 6th worst in the league amongst d men of players that have played more than 7 games.
Weber is the 3rd best of d men in the entire league.
On-Ice Team Goals For
Weber – 20 Leads the team
Suter – 18 2nd on the team.
Klein – 9 8th
Blum – 8 11th
Cube – 6 14th
Hillen – 5 15th
In this category - On-Ice Team Goals For
Weber is tied for 3rd in the league amongst all forwards and d men.
So you admit Klein is third best defenseman?
World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer
How can he be third best on the team, if...
On-Ice Team Goals Against per 60 Minutes
Kelin is the 6th worst in the league amongst d men of players that have played more than 7 games.
On-Ice Team Goals Against
Klein – 16 Tied for worst
Blum – 16 Tied for Worst
Bouillon – 11 He has only played in 12 games
Suter – 8
Weber – 5
Hillen – 4 Shocking, I know, but he barely plays on the pk,l and plays the least minutes against the worst competition.
In this category, Klein is tied for the 6th worst in the entire league. Forwards and d men included.
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