Why This Season is Unlikely to Go South

Bjorkstrand

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the Blue Jackets sit one point out of first place in the Metro and 3 points out of a tie for first place in the league.  Rarefied atmosphere to be sure.  On the other hand, as of this morning, the Penguins sit out of playoff contention, but only 5 points out of a tie for first in the Metro.  That puts the CBJ and 3 other Metro teams between them and a tie with the surprising NJ Devils.  So the Division is super tight, and likely to remain that way for some time to come.

We have seen this before, the old timey Blue Jackets fans.  The times of yore, when the CBJ faced the Red Wings of a different era in a back to back for Central Division supremacy just after Thanksgiving.  A money on the board game at home, followed by the loss on the road and the dreaded December swoon as the team lost 8 straight to fall out of playoff contention for good.  So what's to keep this year's team from following the same pattern?

Defense, mostly.  And Bob.  In the aforementioned scenario we were looking for Steve Mason to recreate his awesome performance of 08-09, and it just didn't happen.  It this case, well, Bob.  And Seth, and Zach.  And Murray and Nutivaara emerging to challenge Johnson and Savard for the second pair role.  With Harrington and Carlsson as spares, the CBJ defense is deep.  In the aforementioned scenario, Lidstrom was still patrolling the blue line for the Winged Wheel, at the height of his awesomeness (dammit).  Fortunately we have the reincarnation of said Lidstrom, in the form of Werenski, carrying the puck up the ice.  Not to mention Seth Jones.  Oy!  What a player!

So yeah, this team looks and functions a lot better than those old Western Conference teams ever did.  As evidenced by how the team skillfully managed the dreaded December swoon last year by winning ALL of the games in December.  While it is unlikely to happen again this year, there are two things that make me hopeful.  First of all, the Cleveland Indians went on to put together two ridiculous streaks, in back to back years.  The CBJ players were in town preparing for camp and were able to observe the record setting run by the Tribe.  At some point they will think, 'why can't we do that?' Secondly, they have a nice little run going now, to be sure, but importantly they are starting to play the kind of smothering forecheck and defensive game that this team can play when it has it going.

During last year's streak, the CBJ were allowing less than 2 goals per game, a tremendous defensive feat.  To AVERAGE less than two goals per game, you need to hold people to 1 goal or no goals lots of times, especially for every 3 goals surrendered game you might have.  But in the last two games, Calgary and Ottawa, that smothering defense has emerged again, and it seems like the other team doesn't have a chance to turn around and there is a Blue Jacket on the puck.  That defensive effort was the foundation for The Streak.

So we'll see.  Les Habitants tonight in Montreal.  That ought to be a fun game.  Carey Price in goal tonight, instead of the time they rolled Montoya out and surrendered 10 (ten!) goals.  It should be a hard fought, close checking affair.  Dubois and Savard back on their home turf, and I hope the Jackets come away with more badly needed points to keep pace in the Metro!

GO JACKETS!!
GO MONSTERS!!
#SaveTheCrew