Ah, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Oh, how Viktor Stalberg loves to hear your name. When they see #25 walking into the arena, they must have panic attacks. The Jackets have been playing "better", but "better" isn't exactly "good". They were 5-5-0 in their previous 10 games, but 1-4-0 in the previous 5. Goalie Steve Mason has apparently found his mojo, after just learning that goalie equipment can be tailored to his exactly specs. Makes you wonder what sport he was playing, because every kid has dreams of his own custom gear. Not only that, but whoever the Vaughn rep is for the Jackets needs to be hung, drawn and quartered. Colossal FAIL!
The Hawks came out on fire, for the third game in a row. Three Hawks goals in the first half of the first period, took any sliver of emotion out of the Jackets. Columbus actually out shot the Hawks 11-10 in the period, but it did little good. The second period was a snoozer with both teams combining for EIGHT shots. TOTAL. With the help of a few stupid Columbus penalties, the Hawks scored a couple of third period powerplay goals, but they couldn't hold on for the shutout. An easy 5-1 win will work, with a big game tonight.
- Shaw scored just over 4 minutes into the game, to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. This was another nice puck control shift by the third line of Bickell, Bolland and Shaw. Bickell pulled the puck out of the corner and literally hit Shaw in the leg, and the puck bounced into the net. This was Shaw's 10th goal overall, and 3rd in 2 games. The kid just keeps overachieving. He might be this year's Ben Smith, but lets ride this streak until the well goes dry.
- Two minutes after the Shaw goal, Sharpie scored a godawful goal along the goal line. 99 out of 100 times that puck goes wide or is saved. Pathetic effort by Mason, just fucking terrible. He needs to be a backup somewhere else next year.
- Seabrook put the Hawks up 3-0 with a 55 foot wrist shot from the Jackets blue line. I don't care what vile horseshit Edzo spews; it was a weak shot and Mason had time to get in the way. Maybe the bigger equipment didn't help.
- Sharpie opened up the third period with a quick one-timer powerplay goal, with under a minute gone. Pretty simple, and just the way you draw it up. Not a fuck was given by the Jackets, at that point.
- Hoss got his 900th NHL point on a powerplay when the Jackets decided to run to the ever dangerous Andrew Shaw and left some guy name Marian Hossa wide open in front of the net. As I said on twitter, The Hawks should have scored that powerplay goal, and sat the money guys, with the big game against Vancouver tonight. That powerplay was a result of Darryl Boyce planting Nick Leddy head first into the boards. In a 4-0 game, is that really necessary? Your team didn't give a fat rats ass for 43 minutes, and NOW it's necessary to check a guy from behind? Bush League! That's why I said run up the score. You can either take an ass kicking like men, or you can be made an example of. The second you pull a dangerous move like that, you should be made an example of.
- The Hawks were 2 for 3 on the powerplay. Even against a bad team, we'll take that number. Have to spank the bad teams before they can slap the good ones, right? Baby steps.
- If I were coaching that god awful team, Steve Mason would have been on the fucking bench after Sharpie's terrible goal, but I guess they are just mailing it in, and don't want to bother with the effort.
- Overshadowed in the big win, the Hawks centers were anally probed at the dots. all were under 50% with Bolland taking three fingers at 31%. I'm surprised that there isn't more concern about this because, as opposed to the hit stats, this is an important figure come playoff time. If we ignore it, it's just not there, right?
- Speaking of hits, Los Meatballos, the Hawks were out hit 38-10. Tells the take of the game, doesn't it? I'd still like to have someone, anyone, tell me what qualifies as a "hit". I've watched players go out and throw two solid checks in a shift, and be credited with none for the game.
- Off night for Viktor Stalberg. Only one assist against his favorite team.
- I'm so tired of hearing how Brandon Bollig "knows his role". What is this, the WWE? Is the Rock standing in the ring telling people to "Know your role and SHUT your mouth" ? Bollig jumps on the ice and grabs the first cementhead that will dance. He just fights for the sake of fighting. There is absolutely no point to these scraps. If his role is to do something completely unrelated to what is going on in the game, he succeeds every time. Why don't they just have a full line brawl at the puck drop, like the Rangers and Devils? Get it all out of their system, so we can actually watch hockey being played.
- Leave it up to the deplorable Blue Jackets to fuck everything up, including Crawford's shutout. Fuck off! Seriously! Enjoy your first pick in June, shitheads!
