First Period:
Fourty seconds in the Jackets were almost scored on and were called for off sides. Just the way anyone dreams of starting a game. The next four shifts consisted of four different lines. Then five minutes in the Jackets got a glimpse of hope. Johansen fired a clean shot into the goal. Happiness and cheers all around until the refs disallowed it because Dorsett was in the crease. With 11:05 left in the period Nash was set up for a great shorter and just when we all got excited he whiffed. Yes, he whiffed right there in front of the net. During the next shift, in comedic Jackets fashion, not only did a Stars high stick Mason so did Martinek. Good thing the high stick went without notice or else that would be the most embarassing penalty in the league. With 8 minutes to go Ott take a trip to the sin bin for tripping and shocker a wasted power play. A little over 3 minutes left in the period and both Dowell and Bass were handed five minute majors for getting in a knock down wrestling match. Period ended with no goals and the Jackets out shooting the Stars 12-4.
Second Period:
The period started off slow with a bunch of missed connections from both teams. Until about four and half minutes in when Ott wins the face off and scores on Mason. The Jackets first line did a great job on coverage and Mason just missed it on the glove side. First time I have ever seen Mason falter so bad. About six minutes in Johansen gets pushed into Lehtonen and was sent to the sin bin (2 minutes) for interference. Yet again another dumb call the refs made. Then Robidas high sticks Paulson and gets sent to the sin bin (2 minutes) nullifying the power play. In a moment of craziness Dallas puts too many men on the ice. Morrow takes the penalty and gets two minutes in the box causing a 4 on 3 which after twenty seconds turned into a 5on 3. Yet again, POWER PLAY WASTED for both teams. The rest of the period plays out like this: no goals, the post got a lot of action, a few scuffles in front of the Jackets net and more wasted power plays. Period ends with the Jackets down 0-1 and out shooting the Stars 12to7.
Third Period:
Within the first two minutes of the period Jamie Benn knocks the puck out of the air, bounces it off the boards to himself, laterals, and the scores for his second goal of the season and Dallas' second of the night. They should have credited Benn with the assist for his goal because that was just one of the most beautiful utilization of the boards I have ever seen. 2 minutes after that Souray heads to the box (2minutes) for cross checking Nash. This lead to a beautifully executed pass from Nash to Brassard for the Jackets first goal of the season. Shortly after that a shot attempt by Souray is deflected by Ryder and tipped in past Mason giving the Stars a 3-1 lead. Souray holds Nash on the next shift and is sent to the box for 2 minutes which of course leads to nothing. With 3 minutes left in the game Russell fires and scores on a lateral move. At this point the Jackets are getting fired up. With 1:28 left in the game the Jackets pull their goalie. The frenzy begins. Shot after shot after shot is fired upon Lehtonen. Denied, wide and posts. 18.5 seconds left Jackets call a time out to make one last attempt at winning this game. Umberger wins the faceoff but the Stars went hard blocking every attempt at a perfect pass or shot. Thus the game ended with Columbus falling to the Stars. This game with haunt the Jackets for awhile. There were too many near misses and almost made shots in this game.
3 Stars
Lehtonen: I was really hoping to have all three stars be Jackets but alas Lehtonen is just too beastly to not be allowed on this list. He only allowed 2 goals after being shot at 40 times.
Brassard: You have to give props to the man who first got past Lehtonen. He really stepped in for Carter last night. Also, with that goal Brassard scored the 2,000th goal in franchise history. Multiple stick taps to you buddy.
Russell: A beautiful unassisted wrister in the third to helped set the team on fire. A little too late for the fire to happen but Russell's goal definitely pumped up the whole team, something that Nash was trying to do all game.
Random Observations
- I like the Umby, Brassard and Nash line it just took them a while to get their flow on.
- If you take a shot everytime the announcers say "Jackets, yet again, missed the mark" it makes watching more tolerable
- Does anyone really know how to pronounce Lehtonen?
- I dislike Ott immensely but he and the puck have some weird creepy love affair. They always seem to find each other.
- The Refs of tonights game are the Stars dirty sleazy skank
- I really like the Jackets new goal song (the whip by locksley) unfortunately think it's been used by other teams.
- The way Nash constantly sacrificed his body for the team was hot. I've never been attracted to Nash in anyway until that game.
- Nash's mouth guard looks like a grill. "SMILE FOR ME DADDY"
- Fox Sports Ohio always zooms in on the Jackets play board. Apparently all the other teams are paying the cameraman. O who am I kidding no one wants to know what the Jackets next move is.
- I'd really love to see a cage match between Ott and Dorsett. Dorsett got under Otts skin and it made me about as giddy as a kid on christmas morning.
- My wrap up is a little disjointed and not flowing together.... don't worry that's just an homage to the Jackets
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