Columbus Blue Jackets defeat Chicago Blackhawks 5-3

The Hawks continue to struggle against the teams in there own division...I guess they should've went to that Nickelback concert Thursday night. I don't know what to say after watching this game.It's hard to believe that this team is a fourth seed. If they don't start playing any better they may wind up around 6th or 7th.Man,the defense is shoddy.....Is Columbus that good? I'm speechless...

Did anybody else notice Havlat limping off the ice at the end of the game?

BFM: I noticed that...Don't tell me he rushed back only to reinjure himself but I think he was hit though. He did the same thing with the shoulder..Eh,.the china doll will be back on the shelf.

Chances are these comments will be gone by morning...I'm out.

Tony wrote:

The Hawks continue to struggle against the teams in there own division...I guess they should've went to that Nickelback concert Thursday night. I don't know what to say after watching this game.It's hard to believe that this team is a fourth seed. If they don't start playing any better they may wind up around 6th or 7th.Man,the defense is shoddy.....Is Columbus that good? I'm speechless...

I agree, they are not playing like a 4th place team. They could very well end up 7th, or worse if they don't start winning.

Lots and lots of defensive breakdowns. I replayed the 1st Blue Jacket goal and Kane left his man uncovered to peel off to the blue line. Bad move.

Huet was left alone down low several times.

Buff was a bright spot, and Walker's tussle was a standup play. Barker's penalty that led to the 3rd Columbus goal was a bad one, and that killed us.

Shape up, kids or the playoffs will be 4 and out.

good game. blue jackets may cause some noise. Don't think I'd like them as first round opponent. Go Hawks

cash in, cash in, cash in. Try a new expression, Chris. This team is fading fast. Time to fire Q and bring back Savvy, right?:-) Typical Chicago team, get our hopes up ... crash and burn down the stretch.

Now there's the cure for playoff fever. When the hell is Sharp coming back!

If Tallon signs Marty to more than 1 year that would be a mistake.So what if he is your skill player he is the Milton Bradley of the Hawks.1year!

This maybe the best thing for the Hawks. They're in a dogfight now for home ice in the first round, but they still control their own destiny. If they can't fend off a late season charge from Vancouver and COLUMBUS (are you kidding me!) then what can we realistically expect in the playoffs? This team has some glaring weaknesses and while I would love a deep run in the playoffs I don't want the talk at the convention to be "we've got the team, another year of experience is all we need!" No.

So the boys had a meeting and decided it was time to start playing playoff caliber hockey and this is what we get? Seems the boys are well schooled on the right things to say. They need some work on the doing part. This Jeckll and Hyde act has got to stop.

With all due respect to Paul, one of the brighter and more insightful posters, I cannot fully agree with your accessment of Campbell. You brought up the fact that Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey didn't play much defence either. Bobby Orr led the LEAGUE in scoring one year and Coffey probably would have if not for his own teamates. Campbell is no Orr or Coffey. If he was, you could tie a cape to his stick and let him "ole" opponents through all game long and I don't think I'd care. Fair or not, he's headed right down Bob Murray Blvd., a talented player who will always draw the ire of the home crowd if the team doesn't do well. It's not his fault. He is what he is and DT knew what that was. We overpayed for him and if some other team was was making the same offer we should have said "he's yours, congratulations". I am not trying to taunt the Campbell fans, but he is a one dimension player making "five tool", to borrow a phrase from another sport, money.

I'm done. With respect to the goaltenders union, I'll leave my thoughts on Huet for another day.(You know the smiley face people make with the keyboard symbols? Is there a way to make a screaming face with it's hair standing up on end?)

Sorry for going ChicoHawk long.

I've got to agree with you BFM it's maddening no doubt...Would'nt a Vermette look good in a Hawk uni? I really thought the Hawks were going to take over the game in the second period but they can't seem to be able to sustain anything for 60 mins...As much as i'm on the fence with Huet I can't really blame him with all the D breakdowns but he did get faked out of his jock on I think it was the Jackets second goal but again he was hung out to dry

I just hope this team is at least healthy going into the last couple of weeks left in the regular season to at least get some kind of momentum going come playoff time but then again who knows with this group of young players...They have to beat the Islanders Tomorrow who will also be coming in off a game today...

BFM wrote:

This maybe the best thing for the Hawks. They're in a dogfight now for home ice in the first round, but they still control their own destiny. If they can't fend off a late season charge from Vancouver and COLUMBUS (are you kidding me!) then what can we realistically expect in the playoffs? This team has some glaring weaknesses and while I would love a deep run in the playoffs I don't want the talk at the convention to be "we've got the team, another year of experience is all we need!" No.
So the boys had a meeting and decided it was time to start playing playoff caliber hockey and this is what we get? Seems the boys are well schooled on the right things to say. They need some work on the doing part. This Jeckll and Hyde act has got to stop.
With all due respect to Paul, one of the brighter and more insightful posters, I cannot fully agree with your accessment of Campbell. You brought up the fact that Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey didn't play much defence either. Bobby Orr led the LEAGUE in scoring one year and Coffey probably would have if not for his own teamates. Campbell is no Orr or Coffey. If he was, you could tie a cape to his stick and let him "ole" opponents through all game long and I don't think I'd care. Fair or not, he's headed right down Bob Murray Blvd., a talented player who will always draw the ire of the home crowd if the team doesn't do well. It's not his fault. He is what he is and DT knew what that was. We overpayed for him and if some other team was was making the same offer we should have said "he's yours, congratulations". I am not trying to taunt the Campbell fans, but he is a one dimension player making "five tool", to borrow a phrase from another sport, money.
I'm done. With respect to the goaltenders union, I'll leave my thoughts on Huet for another day.(You know the smiley face people make with the keyboard symbols? Is there a way to make a screaming face with it's hair standing up on end?)
Sorry for going ChicoHawk long.

You are absolutely correct Campbell is no Paul Coffey and I doubt that there ever will be another Bobby Orr,at least not in the forseeable future. I guess I made a bad choice of analogies but I was just trying to make a point that sometimes the most renouned d-men are known for offence rather rhen defence. Of course when Orr was on the ice it was the other team that had to worry about defence.Thanks for your comment on my post.Getting feedback from the other guys is what these blogs are all about.
Regards
Paul

Tony wrote:

I've got to agree with you BFM it's maddening no doubt...Would'nt a Vermette look good in a Hawk uni? I really thought the Hawks were going to take over the game in the second period but they can't seem to be able to sustain anything for 60 mins...As much as i'm on the fence with Huet I can't really blame him with all the D breakdowns

on I think it was the Jackets second goal but again he was hung out to dry
I just hope this team is at least healthy going into the last couple of weeks left in the regular season to at least get some kind of momentum going come playoff time but then again who knows with this group of young players...They have to beat the Islanders Tomorrow who will also be coming in off a game today...

Tony what I found interesting is that the Blue Jackets decided to rest Mason and play their back up goalie against us. I don't know if that was Hitchcock playing head games with us or whether he felt they could beat us playing number two goalie.In any case the strategie worked.
I agree with the comments that our own end puck management has cost us dearly lately.I wouldn't want us to become a Wild type team and play a boring style of hockey but if we don't soon get a better committment to defense in our own end the play offs will be short and bitter for us. As one poster mentioned Kane peeled off early and left a key offensive man free in our zone, If he had done that on a Lemaire coached team he would have got an early shower. Not a knock on Kane, he is young, enthusiastic and talented but his mistake was symptamatic of the defensive break downs we are having lately.

Bobby Orr played about 20 or 30 games with the Hawks on one leg and he was still the most electric player on the ice. Once in a lifetime hockey player. Amazing!
I was driving to work and heard on the radio that Orr announced his retirement and almost broke my steering wheel in a fit of frustration and sadness. I think I knew even then that something had passed that I would never see again.

I was talking to BFM at the game last night and we were both talking about how fustrating it was during the 1st period. They had a meeting to talk about the importance of every game. Then show it, talk is cheap except for that crappy announcer at the game last night (who the heck is that guy and I hope he isn't back).

From top to bottom they played bad. Everyone should have had an extra bounce in their step but they didn't. Campbell, Keith, Big Buff, Versteeg all had several bonehead plays and Huet......UGH!!!! Stop giving up the rebounds. I am just getting fustrated and to the guy that says to only sign Havlat for 1 year are you crazy. He is still one of the best players on the team so cut it out, they need to sign him to a LTD. I can't wait till Khabby is back, and so is Sharp, and the new kid

Bummer...I suppose in a way it's not all that surprizing the Hawks are struggling. This is a team which hasn't been to the playoffs in years, so to expect them to go from there to the Cup is a little farfetched. However, the way the team was playing the first 2/3 of the season spoiled us to the point where it almost became expected, so the current dropoff back to reality seems more alarming i think. Even though a 4 seed seemed like a lock just a few weeks ago, the truth is i just dont want to see a complete el foldo where the team misses the playoffs altogether. Get in the playoffs this year, do as well as they can, hopefully Tallon continues trying for upgrades to the team, and perhaps they can become a consistent playoff team.

Brian Campbell was horrible last night....I'm so glad I decided to go to the game.... The play were Campbell lost the puck at the point, the puck exited the zone, he knocked it even further back and then pealed off to let Huet handle it with a rushing Jacket and no one else....I nearly lost my lunch.....unreal...
Huet's play was also very disheartening..... I will try again Sunday and see if I can't witness a win......

Bryan wrote:

Brian Campbell was horrible last night....I'm so glad I decided to go to the game.... The play were Campbell lost the puck at the point, the puck exited the zone, he knocked it even further back and then pealed off to let Huet handle it with a rushing Jacket and no one else....I nearly lost my lunch.....unreal...
Huet's play was also very disheartening..... I will try again Sunday and see if I can't witness a win......

Bryan - if you want to you can meet me and BFM before the game outside of section 331 just let us know ok.

I personally was mad at the bad passes by Keith that led to 2 seperate goals.

I'm sorry Tim but I don't share your enthusiasm in regards to signing Havlat to LTD...1yr at a time for the man of glass..

Paul: Pretty gutsy of Hitchcock to start Wade Dubielewicz who started the season in the KHL and has only about 40 games in his NHL career. I too wonder why he started in an almost must win game for the Jackets. Steve Mason has a shot at both the Vezina and the Calder and he was on the bench. Frankie Brimsek of the Bruins in '38-39, Tony O in '69-70, Tom Barasso in '83-84 of Buffalo (the only goalie in NHL history to come straight out of HS to the NHL) and Eddie Belfour are the four goalies who have won best goalie and rookie of the year in the same season. Notice 2 of them are Blackhawks? Mason has a shot at it. They got rid of Pascal Leclaire to keep this 20 year old kid who basically came "out of nowhere". After he left Midget hockey, he just about couldn't find a Junior team to take him! Was told he would never make it. The kid is 6-4 with long legs and a wingspan of an eagle. Amazing story. I bring this up because it is another in the crapshoot called goaltending. You just never know. It's dumb luck I tell you! The Bladckhawks may have the same thing waiting; a guy who just needs a chance. Maybe what we need now while we wait for some kid is a healthy Khabby. Just some opinions from the Goalie's Union. Chico