GDT: Game 77: Columbus vs. Chicago | 4/4 7PM EDT

[nhldiedinthe90s*]

Not saying Bob should be criticized too much. He wasn't bad.

But its worth repeating that he's our best player, and he has to be our best player if we're going to do anything.

He was mediocre last night. That's just not gonna do it.

Last week he let in a softie late in the 3rd that cost us two. Tonight, not that simple, no true howlers but he could have and should have done more.

It's all about Bob in the end.

 

[Dumais]

IMO, last night is a perfect example of why this team needs a crease-clearing, shutdown dman. This team has way too many 2-way dmen. Every goal BOB let in, he was screened and by the end of the game, the entire team was playing goalie...just like when Mason was here.

 

[CBJx614]

Am i the only one who felt that goal should have possibly been reversed?(the last one) it looked from the overhead camera that the puck left the crease as the Chicago player camped himself in the crease, and then somehow the puck bounced back in and obviously he got a stick on it. I really am not to current on rules, but i remember years ago when goals would get reversed for crease violations.

 

[DJA]

Am i the only one who felt that goal should have possibly been reversed?(the last one) it looked from the overhead camera that the puck left the crease as the Chicago player camped himself in the crease, and then somehow the puck bounced back in and obviously he got a stick on it. I really am not to current on, but i remember years ago when goals would get reversed for crease violations.

That is no longer a rule (as long as you don't make contact with the goalie).

 

[Heinze 57]

That was the biggest gut punch loss in a long long time.


I'm a huge Cincinnati Bengals/Reds fan also. Last night hit me harder than their most recent playoff flameouts.

 

[CBJx614]

That is no longer a rule (as long as you don't make contact with the goalie).

Thanks, thats what i figured when nobody said anything. But I still think that should be a rule. Thats the goaltenders area, there shouldn't have to be a battle inside the crease for him to gain position. Maybe because i grew up playing goalie, but i remember plays being called dead all the time for players just being in the crease but i alwayd figured that was just a youth/hs thing.

 

[GhostofBoomer]

Thanks, thats what i figured when nobody said anything. But I still think that should be a rule. Thats the goaltenders area, there shouldn't have to be a battle inside the crease for him to gain position. Maybe because i grew up playing goalie, but i remember plays being called dead all the time for players just being in the crease but i alwayd figured that was just a youth/hs thing.

I'm alright with the current rules, but if you watch the replay from last night, you'll notice Regin's stick rake across Bobrovsky's mask not once but twice prior to the puck entering the net. Considering some of the phantom interference calls that are made in this league(including the one against the Hawks last year), it's kind of frustrating to see that go undetected. Oh well, we've got a must win Sunday. Time to refocus.

 

[Jyrki]

Not saying Bob should be criticized too much. He wasn't bad.

But its worth repeating that he's our best player, and he has to be our best player if we're going to do anything.

He was mediocre last night. That's just not gonna do it.

Last week he let in a softie late in the 3rd that cost us two. Tonight, not that simple, no true howlers but he could have and should have done more.

It's all about Bob in the end.

I don't really disagree with you. Though part of the 4 goals against's story was our D-men failing to give him clear looks at the puck, he was also giving up a lot of bad rebounds.

With that said, we STILL should've had it in the bag and that's not really Bob's fault. Hawks looked very vulnerable through much of the game but we just didn't take advantage enough. Arty wiring it way high with half the cage open and Raanta flopping around due to having made two saves did us in.

 

[cbjfaninmo]

That was a tough one to take. This is a young team that still needs to learn how to close out a game. Another valuable lesson. This team is going in the right direction overall. I think with Foligno and a HH (Healthy Horton), we win. They need to keep their their heads up and spank the Isles on Sunday.

 

[Xoggz22]

First, Frattin had no business being in the game yesterday. Dude sucks. Second, if he is in the game, why is he on Johansens line? Best center paired with the worst player... Ouch! Lastly, if Skille isn't recalled I have to question management. I don't care where he plays but get someone else on Johansens line.

 

[DJA]

First, Frattin had no business being in the game yesterday. Dude sucks. Second, if he is in the game, why is he on Johansens line? Best center paired with the worst player... Ouch! Lastly, if Skille isn't recalled I have to question management. I don't care where he plays but get someone else on Johansens line.

I agree with you, but they seem content to just keep swapping Tropp in and out of the lineup. I expect the same thing to happen tomorrow.

 

[CBJfan4evr]

I agree Jarmo failed as a GM at teh trading deadline. But there is no excuse to put Frattin in there when Tropp was available. I am not a big Tropp fan, but Frattin played the biggest pansy game I have ever seen. As soon as he touched the puck, the Hawks just knocked him off of it adn took it away.

You get no disagreement from me there. As people move off IR it has given Richards 4-5 scratches per night. It also gives him room to meddle with the lines and opportunities for fans to criticize. My view it's sort of like a stock, buy it, hold it. Richards has been doing alot of matching up lately, don't recall seeing that as much as we have lately. One last point; I think Richards was really second guessing the way he managed the end of the game; at least that was my read of his comments in the presser.

 

[jackets4life]

My biggest takeaway from last night is simple: this team needs to get better at decreasing traffic in front of Bobrovsky. If we can't do that, we will get trounced by Boston as others have predicted. The Blackhawks do a great job getting guys to set up screens, we really need to give Bob a better look than what we are currently providing.

As far as Matt Frattin goes, I thought he was ok last night, he and Tropp are virtually interchangeable in my opinion. Now should he have been on Johansen's line? No. But does he have something more to show on perhaps the 3rd line? Maybe. I say leave the lines the way they were last night and see how it plays out tomorrow. Interesting to see what Richards does. I can tell you one thing, if he takes Umberger out I'm going to flip, 18 did an awesome job sacrificing the body to block shots last night and added an assist.

One final takeaway, I paid close attention to Johansen last night, and perhaps what continues to impress me more than anything is the way he plays defense and the way he backchecks. The kid is the complete package. Offense, Defense, Faceoffs, you name it. Well done XGMSH!

 

[MoeBartoli]

You get no disagreement from me there. As people move off IR it has given Richards 4-5 scratches per night. It also gives him room to meddle with the lines and opportunities for fans to criticize. My view it's sort of like a stock, buy it, hold it. Richards has been doing alot of matching up lately, don't recall seeing that as much as we have lately. One last point; I think Richards was really second guessing the way he managed the end of the game; at least that was my read of his comments in the presser.

I totally agree. Whether it's Tropp or Frattin, it was inexcusable to put the plow horse with the thoroughbred like RyJo. The simple and obvious solution was to keep Letestu on the that line and Frattin on the fourth line. It may be Jarmo should have made a move, but it remains the coach's job to make the most effective use of the players he has.. Richards hasn't. He takes Frattin out of the freezer and plops him on line one, reminding me of doing the same with Atkinson (clearly a far better player) when going from purgatory to immediate use in a shootout.....while online, let me also say that unlike many I still would prefer to have Boll in the press box. I had no interest in the return to Slap Shot style hockey we saw when Dorsett and Boll both roamed the ice. This is not an endorsement of Tropp, it's just that he's next in line.

 

[Jackets Fan]

This stung so much. 3 seconds away from getting a huge point in the standings, but blow it. About 10 seconds before the goal, we had a chance to clear it, but instead turn it over.
And to add insult to injury, 70% of the arena was filled with Hawks fans ( probably 50-60% bandwagoners, but still, Ohio needs to get behind the CBJ ). I hate that whenever we play the Hawks, Pens or Wings at NWA it feels like a road game. It's really pathetic.

Also, are like 90% of the shots that beat Bob long slappers/softies? He needs to play the way he did against the Flyers on a more consistent basis.

 

[Cash for Nash]

This stung so much. 3 seconds away from getting a huge point in the standings, but blow it. About 10 seconds before the goal, we had a chance to clear it, but instead turn it over.
And to add insult to injury, 70% of the arena was filled with Hawks fans ( probably 50-60% bandwagoners, but still, Ohio needs to get behind the CBJ ). I hate that whenever we play the Hawks, Pens or Wings at NWA it feels like a road game. It's really pathetic.

Also, are like 90% of the shots that beat Bob long slappers/softies? He needs to play the way he did against the Flyers on a more consistent basis.

That figure 70% is way too high. It was almost exclusive Chicago fans in the lower bowl shoot once zone. But still.....

Agree about Bob on the long shots/softies from the perimeter. Our guys either need to sell out and block the shot or get the hell out of the way. Too many unintentional screens from especially our defensemen (see Jack Johnson).

 

[Jackets Fan]

That figure 70% is way too high. It was almost exclusive Chicago fans in the lower bowl shoot once zone. But still.....

Yeah, I may have exaggerated there, out of frustration. It just pissed me off whenever I looked in the crowd and all I saw was red. Damn bandwagoners...

 

[Robert]

I have not read this whole thread so I dont know if there are any other comments about the lines. Last nite was the worst job Richards has ever done. The Calvert, Letestu, Comeau line was totally ineffective. Adding Frattin to Joey's line killed the effectiveness of that line (Joey's goal came when he was with Dubi and Cam). We played last nite with two effective lines. Richards poor coaching is partially to blame for last nite.

The Jackets are ok right now but if they miss the playoffs Richards free pass won't be free any longer... and this game roster will be reviewed.

If the CBJ make the playoffs this game will be forgotten, as well as several other game roster head scratchers.

 

[major major]

The Jackets are ok right now but if they miss the playoffs Richards free pass won't be free any longer... and this game roster will be reviewed.

If the CBJ make the playoffs this game will be forgotten, as well as several other game roster head scratchers.

The guys go to war every night for Richards. A Coach like that gets a free pass until the players quit on him.

 

[Cash for Nash]

The guys go to war every night for Richards. A Coach like that gets a free pass until the players quit on him.

Agreed. There's still some chemistry there. Gotta let it run the course.

 

[cbj21]

That is no longer a rule (as long as you don't make contact with the goalie).

Well he did hit Bobrovsky in the face with his stick.

 

[DJA]

Well he did hit Bobrovsky in the face with his stick.

Right, that part was missed - however, simply being in the crease (which is what the original poster was questioning) is not a rules violation.

 

[Bobcat110]

The Jackets are ok right now but if they miss the playoffs Richards free pass won't be free any longer... and this game roster will be reviewed.

I think Jarmo shouldn't get the free pass. He downgraded the roster at trade deadline. Richards has squeezed what he probably can out of this team.

 

[Cash for Nash]

I think Jarmo shouldn't get the free pass. He downgraded the roster at trade deadline. Richards has squeezed what he probably can out of this team.

No doubt. I'm all for the long term, brick by brick "insert cliché" but dumping a guy and not replacing him was pretty lame. Especially for a team and fanbase starving for postseason action. You would think the extra revenue of hosting a couple playoff games would be advantageous as well.

Still hard to understand I guess....