Game #61: Blue Jackets vs. Oilers
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Team: Columbus Blue JacketsRecord: 23-31-6
At home: 14-14-3
Last 10: 3-6-1
Bloggers and local media:
Death Cab for Woody
End of the Bench
The Jacket Times
Evaluating the Blue Jackets - Columbus Dispatch (Portzline/Arace)
Synopsis:
Well, I'm back from the dead now. Kind of. I'm still feeling under the weather, but I won't bore you folks with a woeful recounting of my coughing, sneezing, and achy feelings.
So what did I miss out writing on? Oh, just the majority of that six game homestand which went a depressing 2-4 overall. Despite beating Calgary, then shutting out San Jose, the Jackets still lost to -- wait for it ... -- the Coyotes, the Blackhawks, the Blues, and then also a Montreal Canadiens team that had been on one of its worst losing streaks all season long.
But that's not the worst of it. No, as if to add insult to injury, the Blue Jackets then went on to drop a heartbreaker against the Blues just the other night in the shootout. Fredrik Norrena, for all the good he is capable of (and that was certainly one of the uglier games he has played, even factoring in a wretched penalty kill that continues to vex the Jackets), just can't buy a save when it comes to the shootout. Whatever his problem is, this team has to do everything humanly possible to avoid having to go in to the shootout if Norrena happens to be in net.
Then there's other bad news, such as the recent revelations that something is bothering Leclaire in his knee. I made a mention of this at HFBoards, and it was mainly of the tongue-in-cheek sort of comment ... but the more I think about it, the more I wonder. Just how awful is the strength & conditioning staff on this team? Consider how susceptible certain players have been to injury, or the fact that other players have been the target of scrutiny for how they appear. Rick Nash and what apparently has been his being out of shape around the start of the season leading up to now (which is mentioned in the Dispatch's own scouting report), and then how last year when Sergei Fedorov was traded for, Francois Beauchemin was the target of criticism for his conditioning when he first arrived in Anaheim.
Don't forget the slew of other injuries that have ailed this team for the past couple of years, as well. And what about these injury "complications"? Leclaire had swelling in his knee this time around, but what about more serious "complications"? Think of how Bryan Berard's more severe, other back disc injury was grossly overlooked until it was way too late. Just who is the Blue Jackets' organization relying on for prognosis reports and the operations on their players as a whole? Were Leclaire and Berard going to the same place? It makes you wonder just how much of a physical wreck the team could very well be at times.
Presumptions about strength, conditioning, and medical team aside ... the fact of the matter is that Leclaire is now out for at least a week (probably longer), and Norrena is once more going to have to play long strings of games in his stead, starting tonight against Edmonton.
At home: 14-14-3
Last 10: 3-6-1
Bloggers and local media:
Death Cab for Woody
End of the Bench
The Jacket Times
Evaluating the Blue Jackets - Columbus Dispatch (Portzline/Arace)
Synopsis:
Well, I'm back from the dead now. Kind of. I'm still feeling under the weather, but I won't bore you folks with a woeful recounting of my coughing, sneezing, and achy feelings.
So what did I miss out writing on? Oh, just the majority of that six game homestand which went a depressing 2-4 overall. Despite beating Calgary, then shutting out San Jose, the Jackets still lost to -- wait for it ... -- the Coyotes, the Blackhawks, the Blues, and then also a Montreal Canadiens team that had been on one of its worst losing streaks all season long.
But that's not the worst of it. No, as if to add insult to injury, the Blue Jackets then went on to drop a heartbreaker against the Blues just the other night in the shootout. Fredrik Norrena, for all the good he is capable of (and that was certainly one of the uglier games he has played, even factoring in a wretched penalty kill that continues to vex the Jackets), just can't buy a save when it comes to the shootout. Whatever his problem is, this team has to do everything humanly possible to avoid having to go in to the shootout if Norrena happens to be in net.
Then there's other bad news, such as the recent revelations that something is bothering Leclaire in his knee. I made a mention of this at HFBoards, and it was mainly of the tongue-in-cheek sort of comment ... but the more I think about it, the more I wonder. Just how awful is the strength & conditioning staff on this team? Consider how susceptible certain players have been to injury, or the fact that other players have been the target of scrutiny for how they appear. Rick Nash and what apparently has been his being out of shape around the start of the season leading up to now (which is mentioned in the Dispatch's own scouting report), and then how last year when Sergei Fedorov was traded for, Francois Beauchemin was the target of criticism for his conditioning when he first arrived in Anaheim.
Don't forget the slew of other injuries that have ailed this team for the past couple of years, as well. And what about these injury "complications"? Leclaire had swelling in his knee this time around, but what about more serious "complications"? Think of how Bryan Berard's more severe, other back disc injury was grossly overlooked until it was way too late. Just who is the Blue Jackets' organization relying on for prognosis reports and the operations on their players as a whole? Were Leclaire and Berard going to the same place? It makes you wonder just how much of a physical wreck the team could very well be at times.
Presumptions about strength, conditioning, and medical team aside ... the fact of the matter is that Leclaire is now out for at least a week (probably longer), and Norrena is once more going to have to play long strings of games in his stead, starting tonight against Edmonton.
Team: Edmonton OilersRecord: 28-26-6
On the road: 10-15-4
Last 10: 4-4-2
Bloggers and local media:
The Battle of Alberta
Hot Oil
Covered in Oil
Tjarnqvist back on blades - Edmonton Sun
Synopsis:
FERNAEEAAAAAEEEEEEENNNNNDOOOOOO PEEEEEIIIIISSAAAAANNNNNNIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
I still find your in-arena announcer's way of saying things laughable, Edmonton. And I intend to remind you of how lame he sounds every time your team meets mine for the rest of my blogging days. Too bad this is our last meeting this season ... alas, parting is such sweet sorrow.
Anyway. The Oilers aren't exactly doing much better as of late, and look to be spiraling right out of any chance of being in the playoffs. Don't believe me? Consider that St. Louis, our rivals from down in Mizzou, are a measly one point behind them. Yes, the same St. Louis Blues that were dead last in the league last year, now find themselves within 9 points of the playoffs. Of course you could spin it to say "But Edmonton's only 8 points out!", but bear in mind they're on a slump just slightly better than the Jackets. Even their schedule is laughing at them!
Yeah, not the funniest of jokes, but with a loss tonight, their recent miseries would go from an "LOL!" to an "LOLOL!" And who doesn't like to see a team like the Oilers get mocked with Internet shorthand?
It's pretty easy to tell that I'm still mildly delusional with fever, huh? Mad rambling put to the wayside, I'm expecting the worst tonight. The Oilers are beyond desperate to stay in the hunt, and are most likely going to do all they can to crush the Jackets early, knowing well that the CBJ have the worst time trying to come from behind.
FERNAEEAAAAAEEEEEEENNNNNDOOOOOO PEEEEEIIIIISSAAAAANNNNNNIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
I still find your in-arena announcer's way of saying things laughable, Edmonton. And I intend to remind you of how lame he sounds every time your team meets mine for the rest of my blogging days. Too bad this is our last meeting this season ... alas, parting is such sweet sorrow.
Anyway. The Oilers aren't exactly doing much better as of late, and look to be spiraling right out of any chance of being in the playoffs. Don't believe me? Consider that St. Louis, our rivals from down in Mizzou, are a measly one point behind them. Yes, the same St. Louis Blues that were dead last in the league last year, now find themselves within 9 points of the playoffs. Of course you could spin it to say "But Edmonton's only 8 points out!", but bear in mind they're on a slump just slightly better than the Jackets. Even their schedule is laughing at them!
Yeah, not the funniest of jokes, but with a loss tonight, their recent miseries would go from an "LOL!" to an "LOLOL!" And who doesn't like to see a team like the Oilers get mocked with Internet shorthand?
It's pretty easy to tell that I'm still mildly delusional with fever, huh? Mad rambling put to the wayside, I'm expecting the worst tonight. The Oilers are beyond desperate to stay in the hunt, and are most likely going to do all they can to crush the Jackets early, knowing well that the CBJ have the worst time trying to come from behind.
Labels: Blue Jackets, injuries, Oilers, player analysis, pre-game
I'm pulling for your boys because one of them is mine. But love aside, pleasepleasepleaseiambeggingyou beat the greasy punks tonight.