Running the table: Week 19.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Well, I think most everyone can agree that anything that could go wrong last week, did go wrong. Columbus lost two of three, their only win was achieved via the shootout, and Minnesota -- who Columbus is desperately trying to chase -- is now a whole 15 points ahead of them in the standings. The team is also now six games below .500, after managing to claw their way to just four games under that magical spot with that SO win over Vancouver.
Oh, and don't forget how bad the penalty kill is right now. Not that we need any more of a reminder, mind you.
I'm still raging about the fact that Minnesota won all three games on the road last week. If it wasn't for the fact that they were playing other bottom rung teams such as the Blues, the Avs, and the Coyotes, I really think they should have lost at least two of those games. Just ... argh! Aaaarrrrrrgggghhhh!!
... ::Deep breath.::
The Blue Jackets have two -- count 'em, two -- games this week to kick off their six game homestead. The first one is going to be against the 'yotes on Tuesday. The only good news to look forward to at the moment is that Fredrik Norrena is looking healthy again after a week off, and is ready to get back to action starting with that game. That much is obvious from Tomas Popperle's re-assignment back in Syracuse.
Pascal Leclaire, meanwhile, continues to recover at a better than expected pace. The projected, most earliest he could make a return? Thursday for the game against those damned Calgary Flames. But the last thing that this team needs to do is rush Leclaire back in to action. Keep in mind just what happened in December, when Leclaire went down with an injury in his very first game back (vs. the Senators) after Norrena played out the bulk of that five game winning tear.
While all of this plays itself out, 8th seeded Minnesota has another trio of games this week. First they wrap up their five game road trip with a visit to Dallas, which better crush them under some Texas-sized cowboy boots. After that, the Wild return home for a game against the Southeast Division doormat Florida Panthers, and then wrap up the weekend against the not-so-Southeast Division doormat Carolina Hurricanes, who unfortunately look to be swooning pretty hard in their past ten games, just going off of the standings alone.
It's unfortunate, but don't expect to get any closer than 13 points behind Minnesota in the standings by the end of the week, Jackets' fans. And that's only if Minnesota drops two and the CBJ win two!
With that in mind, it's time for me to go have a drink.
Oh, and don't forget how bad the penalty kill is right now. Not that we need any more of a reminder, mind you.
I'm still raging about the fact that Minnesota won all three games on the road last week. If it wasn't for the fact that they were playing other bottom rung teams such as the Blues, the Avs, and the Coyotes, I really think they should have lost at least two of those games. Just ... argh! Aaaarrrrrrgggghhhh!!
... ::Deep breath.::
The Blue Jackets have two -- count 'em, two -- games this week to kick off their six game homestead. The first one is going to be against the 'yotes on Tuesday. The only good news to look forward to at the moment is that Fredrik Norrena is looking healthy again after a week off, and is ready to get back to action starting with that game. That much is obvious from Tomas Popperle's re-assignment back in Syracuse.
Pascal Leclaire, meanwhile, continues to recover at a better than expected pace. The projected, most earliest he could make a return? Thursday for the game against those damned Calgary Flames. But the last thing that this team needs to do is rush Leclaire back in to action. Keep in mind just what happened in December, when Leclaire went down with an injury in his very first game back (vs. the Senators) after Norrena played out the bulk of that five game winning tear.
While all of this plays itself out, 8th seeded Minnesota has another trio of games this week. First they wrap up their five game road trip with a visit to Dallas, which better crush them under some Texas-sized cowboy boots. After that, the Wild return home for a game against the Southeast Division doormat Florida Panthers, and then wrap up the weekend against the not-so-Southeast Division doormat Carolina Hurricanes, who unfortunately look to be swooning pretty hard in their past ten games, just going off of the standings alone.
It's unfortunate, but don't expect to get any closer than 13 points behind Minnesota in the standings by the end of the week, Jackets' fans. And that's only if Minnesota drops two and the CBJ win two!
With that in mind, it's time for me to go have a drink.
-
At 12:48 PM,
said…
-
Don't worry, Nancy; I'm a masochist. I'll bother with this team even if it kills me!
In any event, I think 13 points is actually realistic, so long as things go right. I have faith in Carolina and Dallas putting the hurt on Minnesota, and Norrena standing tall against Phoenix and hopefully stealing a game against Calgary. It just depends on a lot of intangibles at the moment. -
At 11:04 PM,
said…
Mike, Buddy, I hope you at least waited until noon (not that I'd blame you if you didn't).
Seriously, though, we have to maintain some optimism. Otherwise, why bother with the team at all?