Are you sure he wasn't referring to some of the "same ol' fans" up here at HF?
Here is a cliff for all you "fans" who continually run the Blue Jackets down even though we're in the playoffs. Do the rest of us a big favor and JUMP NOW. (You know who you are)
You know, Atlanta made the playoffs a couple years back. Whoopee.
Listen, making the playoffs is nice, but I'd like to see us at least make an effort to WIN a series. I'm not going to sit silently if there are 3 more games like tonight.
You know, Atlanta made the playoffs a couple years back. Whoopee.
Listen, making the playoffs is nice, but I'd like to see us at least make an effort to WIN a series. I'm not going to sit silently if there are 3 more games like tonight.
This.
It's NOT cliffdiving when you're pointing out things that are legitly horrible.
This team played like **** tonight. I don't give a **** if they had a decent 20 minutes in the 1st. They were also given 4 power plays in that time. Any team will gain some momentum off of that.
They started to not get power plays and guess what? They played like ****!
Would you play Filatov in Detroit or wait until the series gets back to Nationwide. If he plays in Columbus, I imagine it would create quite a buzz in the building, a buzz that may be missing in the Joe. I can see making a case for him playing in Detroit for his offense, though. If he plays in Columbus, you can match up who he plays against
If and only if we lose two in Detroit we will need drastic action quickly:
I think we will win tuesday in Columbus even if we play Hitch's wife (girl friend?). The game we need to think about is #4, if we can win that one we have a chance.
I'd put Filatov in the Tuesdays game but only for 5 minutes or less to get some experience. In game four he gets top line duty. We need some scoring folks, our season could be over next week.
Methot and Russel, Peca, Manny, Chimera had bad games. Vermette didn't look great, but he may have been pressing after his penalties. Nash looked neutralized, but I think that may have had more with Detroits defense and his linemates ineffectiveness. Huselius and Modin both looked rusty (ironically Rusty did not). Boll was Boll, I didn't expect much out of him.
Torres and Williams were both just there, although Torres was a little more physical than Jwilly. Commdore was out of position a few times and Hejda was in position but was beaten a few times as well.
Tyutin was steady and Klesla was good. Umberger and Jake both had strong games and Mason could only be faulted on one goal.
I don't get this Peca hate, he hit a post in the first period. Had that gone in he would be a hero...
Look folks, Peca is on the team for two reasons, the PK and playing defense against top lines (and Detroits top lines did not score tonight).
Peca is on the team for much more than just the PK and defense, he actually got some PP time. Basically he looked soft and timid for most of the game and most of the year. Yes he hit a post and yes he would have been a hero had that gone in, but many people have said this exact same thing many a time. Peca has been ineffective in his role all year. He loses board battles, makes lazy passes and does not win nearly enough of his faceoffs. Not to mention contributing next to nothing offensively. Next year Manny will be the third line center and Peca will be looking for a new home.
Last year Peca looked overmatched playing on the 1st and 2nd lines, this year he looks overmatched playing on the 3rd line. He had a long career that he should be proud of, but he is on the decline and it is killing his team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert
Oh man, in a loss who looks good?
We need to put this one in the Grove City land fill and start over Saturday..
No one looks good after a loss, but some players still had effective games. Just not enough players were competitive tonight.
Peca is on the team for much more than just the PK and defense, he actually got some PP time. Basically he looked soft and timid for most of the game and most of the year. Yes he hit a post and yes he would have been a hero had that gone in, but many people have said this exact same thing many a time. Peca has been ineffective in his role all year. He loses board battles, makes lazy passes and does not win nearly enough of his faceoffs. Not to mention contributing next to nothing offensively. Next year Manny will be the third line center and Peca will be looking for a new home.
Last year Peca looked overmatched playing on the 1st and 2nd lines, this year he looks overmatched playing on the 3rd line. He had a long career that he should be proud of, but he is on the decline and it is killing his team.
So how many goals did Peca give up? He's a third line checking center, that is all he ever was, his job is not to score. If you want goals the book says that is the 1st and 2nd lines duty. How many did they score?
So how many goals did Peca give up? He's a third liner, his job is not to score. If you want goals the book says that is the 1st and 2nd lines duty. How many did they score?
I'm not saying the first two lines are blameless (although the 2nd line had the only goal) but to say his job is not to score is ludicrous. He's a hockey player, he needs to score. Every player must contribute in all facets of the game.
Edit: Malhotra lost the faceoff that led to the backbreaking third goal. The faceoff was on the right side of the ice, where Vermette would normally take the faceoff, except he was in the box. You'd rather have a right handed shot (like Peca) taking that faceoff to draw the puck back towards the corner.
Hitch put Malhotra out instead of Peca, and I would assume that is because he had more confidence in Manny winning the draw than Peca.
The fact is that we were below average in the faceoff circle tonight. This needs to improve if the CBJ wants to win. You can't allow a team that thrives on puck possession to win the majority of faceoffs. You'll wind up chasing the puck around instead of dictating play.
I'm not saying the first two lines are blameless (although the 2nd line had the only goal) but to say his job is not to score is ludicrous. He's a hockey player, he needs to score. Every player must contribute in all facets of the game.
Peca has never been a scoring center, he is a defensive checking center, always was and always will be. He is what he is...albeit near the end of his career.
I'll add this as an edit (when he was 25):
ASSETS: Is one of the best open-ice hitters in the game, a gifted penalty-killer and face-off man. Has excellent leadership skills and always has his game-face on.
FLAWS: His kamikaze approach to the game leads to a multitude of injuries. Isn't a natural goal-scorer, and goes through stretches without points.
CAREER POTENTIAL: Two-way center.
Peca has never been a scoring center, he is a defensive checking center, always was and always will be. He is what he is...albeit near the end of his career.
I'll add this as an edit:
ASSETS: Is one of the best open-ice hitters in the game, a gifted penalty-killer and face-off man. Has excellent leadership skills and always has his game-face on.
FLAWS: His kamikaze approach to the game leads to a multitude of injuries. Isn't a natural goal-scorer, and goes through stretches without points.
CAREER POTENTIAL: Two-way center.
When was the last time he threw an open-ice hit? And yes his points come in "bunches." One look at his game log will tell you as much. And what sort of respectable defensive minded center finishes at -6?
Regardless, I don't want to drag this thread further off topic, because there is PLENTY of blame to go around.
Regardless, I don't want to drag this thread further off topic, because there is PLENTY of blame to go around.
I'll agree, but man, lets look at Malhotra and Vermette to if we are looking at centers. Is all I know the Detroit top two lines where ineffective tonight, I don't have the skill to know who stopped them from scoring but I'd bet it wasn't our #1 line.
It has been a while since I've seen so many posters rush to grab CBJ players and throw them under the bus.
Did you think the CBJ would win this series in a four game sweep?
Did the Jackets play anywhere near their best possible game tonight? No, but maybe, just maybe the competition had something to do with that. Did you all really think the team as a whole understood the level of intensity needed to compete in the playoffs and against arguably the best team in the playoffs? Last I looked the Blue Jackets had the longest odds of any team in the playoffs with the Las Vegas books.
Can this team come back and win? Can they still win the series? Sure, they have a chance. What they have to do is win all of their home games and win ONE game out of four in Detroit. They can lose two more and move on.
I'll agree, but man, lets look at Malhotra and Vermette to if we are looking at centers. Is all I know the Detroit top two lines where ineffective tonight, I don't have the skill to know who stopped them from scoring but I'd bet it wasn't our #1 line.
Mainly our top defensive pairing tonight. After the many times the Klesla haters posted their garbage, he was dominant against the #1 line.
It has been a while since I've seen so many posters rush to grab CBJ players and throw them under the bus.
Did you think the CBJ would win this series in a four game sweep?
Did the Jackets play anywhere near their best possible game tonight? No, but maybe, just maybe the competition had something to do with that. Did you all really think the team as a whole understood the level of intensity needed to compete in the playoffs and against arguably the best team in the playoffs? Last I looked the Blue Jackets had the longest odds of any team in the playoffs with the Las Vegas books.
Can this team come back and win? Can they still win the series? Sure, they have a chance. What they have to do is win all of their home games and win ONE game out of four in Detroit. They can lose two more and move on.
Come on, WERE YOU REALLY EXPECTING A CBJ SWEEP?
Lee, I understand what you're saying. I really do understand.
But by what I saw from the players tonight, they didn't show anything that was even remotely promising. The D was lackluster. The offense just didn't know how to finish on some brilliant opportunities. As the game went on, their passing abilities disappeared. Detroit kept the puck for the entire second/third period and we only ended up with 21 shots.
That's. Sad. I don't care if we're playing the Detroit Red Wings. There is no reason for that effort tonight. I expect them to come out flying for more than 20 minutes in the second game. Or else this series will be very close to ending because I don't think they would have the resiliency to come back from a 2-0 game deficit in their first ever playoff run.
It has been a while since I've seen so many posters rush to grab CBJ players and throw them under the bus.
Did you think the CBJ would win this series in a four game sweep?
Did the Jackets play anywhere near their best possible game tonight? No, but maybe, just maybe the competition had something to do with that. Did you all really think the team as a whole understood the level of intensity needed to compete in the playoffs and against arguably the best team in the playoffs? Last I looked the Blue Jackets had the longest odds of any team in the playoffs with the Las Vegas books.
Can this team come back and win? Can they still win the series? Sure, they have a chance. What they have to do is win all of their home games and win ONE game out of four in Detroit. They can lose two more and move on.
Come on, WERE YOU REALLY EXPECTING A CBJ SWEEP?
No, but any loss is hard. My personal problem with this bar is that I expected a closer match. I really expected a tie or one goal difference with 1 minute to go.
In the end it was not even close, we got blown out after 30 minutes. That was hard to take. It was hard for Hitch to if you saw his post game.
BUT, Saturday will be closer. By Tuesday we should be one goal ahead..
I'll agree, but man, lets look at Malhotra and Vermette to if we are looking at centers. Is all I know the Detroit top two lines where ineffective tonight, I don't have the skill to know who stopped them from scoring but I'd bet it wasn't our #1 line.
Going off the faceoff summary I posted earlier:
Malhotra was matched up for 12 faceoffs against Zetterberg and 3 each against Datsyuk and Filppula.
Vermette was matched up for 14 faceoffs against Datsyuk (#50 only won 4) and 1 each against Zetterberg and Filppula. So yes it was the top two lines of both teams were matched up against each other quite a bit.
But I agree, the team did not have good play from anyone at the center position tonight, and that MUST improve if the CBJ are going to win a game, let alone advance to round 2.
Going off the faceoff summary I posted earlier:
Malhotra was matched up for 12 faceoffs against Zetterberg and 3 each against Datsyuk and Filppula.
Vermette was matched up for 14 faceoffs against Datsyuk (#50 only won 4) and 1 each against Zetterberg and Filppula. So yes it was the top two lines of both teams were matched up against each other quite a bit.
But I agree, the team did not have good play from anyone at the center position tonight, and that MUST improve if the CBJ are going to win a game, let alone advance to round 2.
It's detroit. They get the lead, and they squeeze the life outta ya.
I don't think it was so much bad effort, as Detroit playing us to a T.
I also think Voracek's mild success carrying the puck shows we need speed skill players to possess the puck against Detroit. Filitov might become a necessity by game 3. I think Dorsette and Murray play an important part of the Jackets game. They don't score goals, but they disrupt flow.
Lee, I understand what you're saying. I really do understand.
But by what I saw from the players tonight, they didn't show anything that was even remotely promising. The D was lackluster. The offense just didn't know how to finish on some brilliant opportunities. As the game went on, their passing abilities disappeared. Detroit kept the puck for the entire second/third period and we only ended up with 21 shots.
That's. Sad. I don't care if we're playing the Detroit Red Wings. There is no reason for that effort tonight. I expect them to come out flying for more than 20 minutes in the second game. Or else this series will be very close to ending because I don't think they would have the resiliency to come back from a 2-0 game deficit in their first ever playoff run.
We must have watched different games. The Jackets were the better team for the first 25-30 minutes. Clearly at least the Red Wings fans were getting very frustrated by the end of the 1st period. If they score 1 or 2 goals in the first half game, it might have been a different story. The Wings scored on what looked like a bad turnover and a mistake in coverage by our defender. Yet, the Jackets came back in 52 seconds and scored to tie the game, proving they are resilient.
I saw a young team that didn't know how much the Wings could elevate their game when challenged. Having a few guys with playoff experience TELL them about it is not the same as actually experiencing the intensity needed to compete. Hell, Peca, Commodore etc. have been telling all of us in interviews what's needed. Do you think any of us fans actually know? Neither did the players who haven't been there before. Now they know.
If you all want to see a team who's fans should worry more than Jackets fans, the Sharks were shut out, at HOME tonight.
If you all want to throw the team under the bus, be my guest. Maybe the only way some of us can be happy is by being unhappy and angry. I am looking for the team to improve from this game and give themselves a chance to win the series. Most importantly, I'm looking for the team to build into a perennial contender and this year is but a step in the process.
It has been a while since I've seen so many posters rush to grab CBJ players and throw them under the bus.
Did you think the CBJ would win this series in a four game sweep?
Did the Jackets play anywhere near their best possible game tonight? No, but maybe, just maybe the competition had something to do with that. Did you all really think the team as a whole understood the level of intensity needed to compete in the playoffs and against arguably the best team in the playoffs? Last I looked the Blue Jackets had the longest odds of any team in the playoffs with the Las Vegas books.
Can this team come back and win? Can they still win the series? Sure, they have a chance. What they have to do is win all of their home games and win ONE game out of four in Detroit. They can lose two more and move on.
Come on, WERE YOU REALLY EXPECTING A CBJ SWEEP?
There's nothing wrong with discussing what roster changes we think should be coming when the coach himself said there will be changes for the next game.
I don't think anybody is packing their bags and heading home. But Hitch knows it and you know it, you go down 2-0 to Detroit in the playoffs and you're not likely to make it to the next round.
Clearly Hitch is perturbed with all of his centers. He can't be pleased with Hejda or Commodore - and Tyutin was completely ineffective.
As far as the wingers go - there were only three that I thought looked comfortable and like they belonged in a NHL playoff game - Umberger, Voracek, and Vermette. Mostly Umberger and Vermette.
I have no idea which "personnel changes" he intends ... I mean what is there to do? Throw Filatov on the power play and insert Gratton for ?? and Picard for Boll? Seems sorta pointless, no? Well, except for the Filatov thing.
Would have been nice to have Brassard - yep, yep. Maybe a d-man other than Russell who could complete a pass ... other than that? Not sure there is much personnel to play around with.
I believe discussing changes to the lineup was Robert's intent. Unfortunately many posts were about throwing the team under the bus, hence the cliff comments.
I think the best chance is to merge the CBJ and the Flyers. I'd love to see:
I believe discussing changes to the lineup was Robert's intent. Unfortunately many posts were about throwing the team under the bus, hence the cliff comments.
I think the best chance is to merge the CBJ and the Flyers. I'd love to see:
