Let's take a look at the Columbus Blue Jackets

by FrankD on Oct 30, 2009 8:00 AM EDT in 2009-10 game previews Comment 6 comments

Let's see if the Pens can make Steve Mason look over his shoulder a few times tonight.

[SBN Blue Jackets site - Jackets Cannon]

During Wednesday night's Montreal broadcast we all received a little idea of what we can expect tonight against the Blue Jackets: Bob Errey is going to say "The Monster Nash" at least once, likely 20 times. Given the timeliness of this name, we can at least breathe easy knowing it only has a lifespan of less than 30 hrs. Then it's just irrelevant for another 362ish days.

But let's get down to the heart of the matter here; the Columbus Blue Jackets. What can we say about them this early in the season as they sit 6-5 in the Western Conference's Central Division? Well for starters, Rick Nash is a beast. His six goals and nine assists for 15 points over 11 games puts him right up there with Sid's 14 total points. Help from legendary "Penguin killer" R.J. Umberger only helps, although his 2 goals and 4 assists can easily be overlooked. For the record, Umberger was kept off the scoresheet last season in the Pens' 4-1 win over Columbus back in February.

Former Penguin Mathieu Garon is the backup goaltender in Columbus, but it's likely we'll see last season's Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason between the pipes. Mason is 5-4 this season and currently riding out a two game skid. Hopefully the Pens make it three tonight.

Other names around the Jackets you want to keep an eye on: Antoine Vermette (3g, 7a), Kristian Huselius (5g, 4a) and Jakub Voracek (4g, 4a).

As you know tonight starts the Penguins' two to three week run without Evgeni Malkin, as he joins Sergei Gonchar and (likely) Tyler Kennedy on the list of injured Pens. Let's see if Pittsburgh can get out of this one with a W. Staying healthy in the process can only help.

Puck and thread drop at 7pm.

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Is this the first time Sid has been in when Geno is out for an extended period? Let’s see how much Sid steps up in Geno’s absence. Geno did pretty good when the roles were reversed.

The last game proved, not that we had any doubt, that our first line can EASILY carry us to a many wins. Now lets see them do it every night for 3 weeks!!

by Ulf Murphy on Oct 30, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Malkin’s only missed the first 4 games of his career so this will be the first stretch where it’s all gonna fall on Sid. Hopefully Crosby can be as good solo as Malkin was last season.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Oct 30, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

On paper the blue jacket don’t seem like much of a match for the Pens, but the 2 games the Pens lost were against team the that played strong defensively aka the dreaded trap. CBJ are the same the execute the Hitchcock 1-2-2 very well. Our D are again going to have to very smart with the break out passes tonight. The long stretch pass to the far blueline is probably not going to be available tonight. No Geno either to just say F-it and skate thru 3 guys in neutral zone and setup thing on the O.

by genomachine-O on Oct 30, 2009 12:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

and I’m going to take the over on the 20 “monster nash” comments tonight. I’ve heard them use that quite a few times before let alone 2 days before Halloween.

by genomachine-O on Oct 30, 2009 12:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

well then, you choose wisely. Admittedly I’ve only seen maybe half a dozen Jackets games, but I’ve always been a fan of Nash’s personal highlight reels.

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by FrankD on Oct 30, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

up to now Mason has been shaky to say the least… the only reason he has 5 wins is that Columbus have played much better in front of him in all of those games. So I expect a tight game.

I also think Nash in a “monster”;) and I like how the Blue Jackets have build their small-market fan base slowly and now have one of the loudest crowds in the NHL… I normally root for them if they don’t play against the Pens…

You have to see it for yourself...

by Bla Razor on Oct 30, 2009 2:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs