GDT: Game 62 | Blue Jackets at Panthers | 3/6 7 PM EST

[S1N4TR4]

I might be in the minority with this opinion but I keep hearing jody and dean evason talking about how Chinakhov was rusty the other night and how he looked a step behind… I honestly thought he played fine in tampa and is the jackets’ most noticeable forward this 3rd period.

I love how these guys just don't quit.

there’s no quitting when the team is fighting for their lives to stay in the playoff hunt

 

[ViD]

Bjork scored for Tampa

Stenlund scored for Utah, they’re up 4-2 vs Wings

Let’s try to get at least a point

 

[majormajor]

And to my point, I think calling up LDBB allows for us to better arrange the talent in a more balanced lineup. He can play 3C competently imo.

IIRC, one of the biggest complaints by Wild fans against Evason was that he doesn’t change up his lines / make adjustments.

IDK - maybe LDBB can keep up - but he looked to be fading in his last games with the big club and we've seen a lot of guys fade completely now that they're up against Tampa and Florida clubs that are revving up for the playoffs. I don't think LDBB would look any better here.

 

[S1N4TR4]

IDK - maybe LDBB can keep up - but he looked to be fading in his last games with the big club and we've seen a lot of guys fade completely now that they're up against Tampa and Florida clubs that are revving up for the playoffs. I don't think LDBB would look any better here.

good observation (and memory).

over LDBB’s last 8 games with us, he only had one game where his xGF was higher than his xGA

 

[ViD]

Looks like we got another PP

That’s our last chance

 

[Cowumbus]

IDK - maybe LDBB can keep up - but he looked to be fading in his last games with the big club and we've seen a lot of guys fade completely now that they're up against Tampa and Florida clubs that are revving up for the playoffs. I don't think LDBB would look any better here.

Idk man. He had 8 points in 15 (54.5 on ice G% 5v5). Our entire 3rd line has 49 points total this season.

 

[MoeBartoli]

There’s players having tough games, and then there’s having a game like Mateychuk tonight.

 

[megandaniele]

Off topic but what are everyone’s thoughts on Steve Mears?

 

[S1N4TR4]

side note: good for ollie

 

[Cowumbus]

Off topic but what are everyone’s thoughts on Steve Mears?

100x better than McElligot

 

[S1N4TR4]

Off topic but what are everyone’s thoughts on Steve Mears?

better than rimer.
but just a step above average.
nothing special. nothing horrendous.
just eh.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Utah beats Detroit and Carolina buzzer beater on Boston. Couldn’t go better out of town scoreboard wise

 

[MoeBartoli]

Off topic but what are everyone’s thoughts on Steve Mears?

I’ve enjoyed the change to Mears. While maybe he doesn’t have any distinguishing aspect to his PBP, he calls a competent game with some variety in his repertoire

 

[ViD]

I like him much better than Reimer

Off topic but what are everyone’s thoughts on Steve

 

[NotWendell]

You know how they say, if you just make the playoffs, anything can happen? No, it can't.

 

[ClevelandJacketFan]

Tampa and Florida doing a masterclass in showing us how far we are from the top.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

We'd better do something tomorrow. I also can see why we need to wait on any pending UFAs. they need to show they are worthy of being resigned. They've earned the right to stay so far but they still need to show they are a part of the long term solution.

 

[majormajor]

Off topic but what are everyone’s thoughts on Steve Mears?

Bad goal calls, but everything else is great. He's good to listen to.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

It’s catching up to us a little bit. Everything. But these (TB & FLA) are two good teams so that’s a tough combination. The good feeling of the stadium series game aside, we kinda got it handed to us there too. That said, I think we’ll turn it back up again. We’re in this fight til the end.

Yeah they could stand to add a good player tomorrow. But it’s more about the guys who are already here playing better.

 

[Viqsi]

I only caught the highlights. I saw like four or five power plays against and at least two blatantly egregious calls that should have put us on the PP go ignored. In the highlight reel. That frankly tells me more than enough.

 

[majormajor]

I only caught the highlights. I saw like four or five power plays against and at least two blatantly egregious calls that should have put us on the PP go ignored. In the highlight reel. That frankly tells me more than enough.

The Jackets actually had a lot of powerplays too, but us failing to gain the zone over and over again apparently wasn't highlight worthy material.

 

[Forepar]

Yeah that was not my point. Concentrate to break through when nothing is working - that's the typical play. Who knows maybe spreading it would work better. Personally though I don't think there's any line to exploit vs the Panthers.

Agree with both thoughts, but this looks like typical playoff hockey. The Panthers’ 2 goals (ignoring EN) were PP goals. They hemmed us in, but Panthers weren’t doing that much 5 x 5 either. Playoffs (and playoff races) are mostly about special teams, not 5 x 5. CBJ excels at 5 x 5, but that dries up when defensive screws get tightened this time of year. PP all about elite skill, and we are missing Monahan big-time. That and KJ/Fantilli are struggling. Which from my eye makes Marchenko attempt plays that aren’t there, and Voronkov (other than one tip early) somewhat invisible. Not giving up, as part of the flop in Florida trip is hangover from last Saturday, but they have not shown enough PP skill lately.

 

[KJ Dangler]

Last few games have been a showcase why the Front Office loves Cole Sillinger , when many of our fans nitpick his game forgetting he’s a 21 yr old developing center .. the energy hasn’t been there .. Cole also elevates the line with his speed.. Boone is winning faceoffs, but I can see why they prefer him at Wing with his size ..

 

[MoeBartoli]

?

That’s my point? We have 4-5 top 6 level players and they are all on lines 1 or 2. Thus, Barkov/Panthers can focus on the one good line. Second line is too slow to play together. Which is why we need to have more balanced lines and get someone into a matchup where they can have success/a chance.

looks to me like that slow 2nd line was the least of our issues:

 

[Cowumbus]

looks to me like that slow 2nd line was the least of our issues:
View attachment 989446

So you feel they were good when you watched? Playing against Mackie Samoskevich, Evan Rodeiguez and Sam Bennett. Bennett is a good two way guy but idk about the other two.
Maybe they were better than my eyes saw (I am dumb ) but I can’t think of a scoring chance anyone had outside of Fantilli and Lebate. Jenner had the one where there was a penalty but idk.

That line has a 42% Corsi, 2.46 G/60 rate. That’s half a goal worse than ZAR-Danforth-Olivier. 3.36 GA/60 which out of 50 CBJ line combinations ranks 10th worst.
None of them have pace, which makes transition so hard. KJ can take the puck up ice, but if the other teams focuses on him and plays physical, who’s getting to the puck on dump ins?