Jackets continue to dominate

[yave1964]

Last night the Jackets bested the Lightning 5-1. It was not even that close.

 

  The Bolts starting goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy entered the night with the best goals against in the league and was hung with a five spot and the Bolts were frustrated at every turn.

 

 I watched the game last night and loved everything that I saw, the defense took away the middle of the ice forcing the lightning to the outside where the forwards backchecked forcing bad passes and low percentage shots. Tampa rarely had a chance at setting anything up, little Cam Atkinson who if not the smallest guy on the ice is certainly on the short list (bad pun intended) is a point a game player and leads the way in forcing puck carriers to the outside with hard clean checking. When your leading scorer is also your most responsible defender it forces other forwards to play that way.

  Josh Anderson chipped in with a goal and two assists and continues to set up shop in front of the net, a big body who refuses to be moved with some offensive skill who fits in nicely on the Hartnell line, the two of them have jelled and Anderson gushes in interviews about Scotty and his leadership qualities.

  The team lacks a true number one center and is up against the cap but they play hard every night and are killing teams.

Wins over the past month include scores of: 5-1 (Lightning) 8-4 (the Blues) and an insane 10-0 (Montreal) have helped the Jackets to a goal differential of plus 19 which is the second best in hockey.

  They are not going away.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

As a Bolts' fan, I was VERY frustrated by not only this loss to the Jackets, but just how TB has been playing in general the last few games.

I thought the Bolts needed to go at the Jackets a bit harder than they were....maybe ramp up the checking game to try and break the cycle of "skating along the boards and perimeter shots".

 

That all said, it doesn't take a genius to see that Columbus simply did a very good job for their part, in making sure TB had very few quality chances....just like they've been doing to a bunch of other teams on the current run they are on.

If Tampa Bay had a bad day, it was most certainly was because the Blue Jackets CAUSED them to have a bad day.

 

Going away? No, I don't expect they will.

The ONLY thing that could derail the Jackets is the SAME thing that has derailed them in the past: massive injuries.

 

Let's face it: the way Columbus is playing now and the wins that are accompanying it...well, it's the way the team SHOULD have been the last couple seasons.

Cept of course, the mounting injuries sabotaged those seasons. If the team can somehow steer clear of that this year, then they not only have a shot at the playoffs, but a real chance to make some noise once in.

 

Also, @yave1964 , in addition to the players you mentioned, other guys like Alex Wennberg, Nick Foligno, Zach Werenski, and Brandon Saad have simply been unbelievable, not only in the TB game, but in general, this season.

 

I am particularly impressed with Wennberg. A guy I knew literally nothing about till this season. Started thinking he was some guy who was just having a good streak...only to find out he was a 1st round selection by the Jackets, is on pace to having a career year, and is just turned 22 years old!

 

And it's more than just about the goals and assists with this guy.

He seems very smart on the ice, always either finds the open players or can stick handle himself out of trouble, is usually in good position to back check or at least fall back like a D-man if need be.  Just seems to do it all.

And like I said...22 years old. Not even in his prime yet.

 

Columbus may really have something in this guy.

Cam Atkinson may get more press than Wennberg, but #10 may ultimately be the overall better player once he hits his prime years.

[OccamsRazor]

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Just goes to show how dominant the Jackets really are lately.

Even the water bottles can't stand up to them.

 

Besides...that is how ALL championship caliber team captains drink their water.....

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

Just watching Columbus and the way they play has been impressive. Everyone is buying into what Tortorella is selling and more important, Tortorella seems to have settled down a bit. He's got lots of youth he's working with and he seems to be getting through to them and that's exactly what this franchise needed. I look at a guy like Wennberg and out of the 2013 draft in which Columbus also selected Marko Dano and Kerby Rychel, he's the only guy around, something I honestly didn't expect. 

 

It really is amazing what happens when everyone buys into the coach's plan. The other thing that needs to be discussed is just how that young defenders have really taken over. Who would have thought Werenski would be the best defender drafted from 2015? I thought he was going to need an extended trip to the minors, but he's been a revelation.

 

This is a good thing what we're witnessing in Columbus, especially when you consider the Doug MacLean years and just how badly he messed this franchise up.