Welcome to the 500 club

          On October 10th 2002, the Chicago Blackhawks rolled into Nationwide Arena for the first game of the season. In the locker room a young rookie put on his pads and laced up his skates in anticipation of his first NHL game. This will be the first time he walks down the tunnel to the bench. The first time he high fives the fans surrounding the entrance of the tunnel. The first time he sets foot onto the ice for warm ups. This will be the first time he will look into the crowd after the National Anthem and hear them cheering for his team.This game is his chance to prove to everyone in the NHL why he was drafted above all other players in the draft that year. In the second period the young rookie did just that. At the 7:35 mark of the second he redirected the puck with a backhand and watched it sail in pass Blackhawks goalie Jocelyn Thibault. The crowd rose to their feet in jubilant fashion and deafeningly cheered for their new favorite hockey player Rick Nash.

          9 years and one month later Captain Nash made Blue Jackets history again. Yet again the Chicago Blackhawks got to be apart of the moment. In the third period Nash passed to Letestu who then scored on Crawford. Letestu's goal gave Captain Nash his 500th career point. The crowd didn't go quite as crazy for him but I teared up a little because I was proud of my Captain.

Congratulations Rick Nash!

Welcome to the 500 club! 

Are we playing the same sport? Blue Jackets fall to the Blackhawks 6-3

Blue Jackets you don't get an awesome wrap up. You just get one question asked. Are you playing the same sport as everyone in the NHL? The University of Akron hockey team has better chemistry than you and they are a club sport.  I know little girls that skate better than some of you. Arniel what's with the scratching the boys who produce? Is the new goal song "FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK WE SALUTE YOU now go sit down because you are going to be scratched next game as a thank you for scoring"? Oh my dear sweet CBJ I love you but you really need to go to rehab before you end up the joke of the NHL. O wait....


3 Stars:
1) Clitsome: The man scored two goals one of which was scored on a power play something the Blackhawks fail at epically.
2) Nash: 500th career point. I live in Ohio and like Ohio sports teams therefore I have low standards.
3) Montador: Gordie Howe hat trick. An incredible feat involving scoring, assisting, and fighting. Sounds like just another night out for my family. 



Random Observations:

* The crowd is quiet during the national anthem which leads me to believe not many Chicago fans traveled for this game
*In the first period Kane started staring down fans pounding on the glass. Looks like Bolland and his trolling is rubbing off.
* Every time someone gets sent to the penalty box Nationwide Arena feels the need to play the punk version of why can't we be friends. If I was on the ice during that song I would start throwing punches until the song stopped. So annyoing.
* Just when I thought Carcillo couldn't get any uglier he takes a puck to the mouth.
* Before the game Jared Boll said he wouldn't play as physical as last season since he's returning from an injury. So obviously he gets sent to the sin bin for roughing in the first period and tries to fight John Scott in the second.
*Mackenzie either needs to learn how to skate or stop hitting the bottle before periods.
* There always seems to be some sort of eye injury when these two teams meet at Nationwide Arena.
* When your team is down 5-1 doesn't it seem like a good idea to put in a goalie? O wait this is an Ohio sports team we are talking about THEY LIVE FOR THE PAIN!
* Fox Sports Ohio is the bane of my existence for three reasons: 1) they cut away to commercials during powerplays. 2) They talk about random stuff while the refs are announcing a call. 3) With five minutes left in the game they go to a half screen so they can interview a veteran. I love the military and all they do for our country but maybe that interview should have been saved for in between periods when you were having a raging boner for Patrick Kane. 
* The arena decided to play songs written by great american songwriters, about america, or about american songwriters. I'm a music nerd so this was highly entertaining for me.