Gameday - Blue Jackets

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

5:00 p.m. MST

Nationwide Arena

Calgary @ Columbus

Sportsnet West, FSN-O (HD)

• The Flames roll into Columbus on a five game winning streak and have a chance to set a team record with six consecutive wins on one road trip...
• The Blue Jackets are in the middle of a 9 out of 10 homestand, coming of a 2-0 shutout loss to the Bruins in Beantown (which was their first away game since beating the Flames in overtime at the Saddledome on the first of this month, and their last until the 27th)...
• Calgary has actually gotten points in their last 8 games, but in my mind the 2 extra time losses are still losses (but I'll take the points!)...
• Columbus is all over the place lately, with wins and losses interspersed all over their record. To look for anything resembling a pattern would be counter-productive (although counter-productivity is a specialty of mine)...
• Its a toss-up as to who will be playing in net for the Blue Jackets tonight (well, without actually checking to see if its been posted), as Norenna is coming off the loss to Boston, but Leclaire (who looked so good to start the season), has been more bipolar than the team itself. Which bodes well for our Flames (leading to the next bullet)...
• The Flames' big guns have really been producing as of late (I'm sure everyone at least caught the box score for the Tampa game), with the top 4 (Iginla, Langkow, Huselius, Phaneuf), combining for 15 goals and 18 assists in the last three games (including 16 out of 19 points awarded in the Tampa Bay game)...
• Kipper has been showing flashes of brilliance (especially in the first two games of the road trip), but still doesn't look like he has rounded into form as of yet...
• Rick Nash is obviously the leader of the Blue Jackets, with team highs in goals (18), assists (13), and points (31). He is also in a bit of a drought, not having gotten a point in the last four games, which is either a good thing (streak continues), or a bad thing (it has to end some time). Here's hoping for the former...
• Given Columbus' 4th overall penalty kill ranking and the tendency of the Flames to give up short handed goals lately, lets hope for a relatively penalty free game (like the last one, although it did mark another Gordie Howe Hat Trick for Iggy)...

When I first saw that the game was on FSN-O, my first thought was 'Alright, Fox Sports Net Ontario! And in HD!'. Which lasted about two seconds, wherein I made the correlation between Fox Sports Net and Rogers Sportsnet. Which made me feel a little down for a second, until I realized that I'll probably get the HD feed through my Center Ice! Now I'm pumped (and seemingly as emotionally volatile as Leclaire)!

Debating a live blog, we'll have to see how my brother responds to the idea (the Habs play tonight as well, although I don't know if he's going to be home or not). It will likely be a game time decision, but if you see me start, feel free to join in!

Actually, I'd like to take a moment to thank the screenwriters way down in Hollywood for striking, thereby saving me from the contemplation involved in deciding whether to watch a new TV show episode or a live sporting event. I haven't seen this many hours of sports in a week since... ever!

Which is a point of contention for my brother, as he can't sit and watch me yell at the television for 10 1/2 straight hours on Sundays and usually has to go upstairs...

Serious lack of devotion to sports on his part, as its the best reality programming on television!

Wow, I'm feeling good right now, back in the swing of things...

Flames win in Kipper's first shutout of the season, 4-0! Goals from Tanguay, Iginla, and Lombardi x2...

Go Flames!