10 replies to this topic

[CoyoteQ]

Pick Your Winner!

[Cold Steel 2010]

I predict the hawks will be 6-0 b4 losing its 1st game , bluejackets will be lucky to score 3 while not givin up less than 7.

[cbj10]

The last 2 games have been hard to watch. I'm thinking tonight will be a close one

[Erik C.]

January 26, 2013
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio

Television:



Radio:

From NHL.com.

Season series: Saturday marks the first of four meetings this season between the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets. Chicago swept the six-game series with Columbus in 2011-12, outscoring their Central Division rivals 31-10.

Big story: Each of Columbus' losses to Chicago last season came by three goals or more. The Blue Jackets look to snap a three-game winless skid, and the Blackhawks try to keep their undefeated record intact.

Team scope:

Blackhawks: Four games into the 2012-13 campaign, the Blackhawks lead the League with 17 goals and were one of five remaining unbeaten clubs entering Friday's action. Their first three games of the season saw strong play in the first two periods dictate the pace in eventual victories, but Thursday night's game against the Dallas Stars didn't come as easily.

The Blackhawks trailed the Stars 2-0 midway through the second period but were fortunate enough to receive -- and cash in on -- numerous special-teams opportunities from that point forward. After Patrick Sharp scored on a man advantage to close out the second, and Jonathan Toews quieted the home fans with a power-play equalizer late in the third before Marian Hossa blasted his fifth goal of the season to beat Kari Lehtonen in overtime

"It was a big win for us," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville told NHL.com. "We didn't change too much, didn't get away from our game, just tried to get on the offensive side of things, drew some penalties and the power play cashed in."

Blue Jackets: After kicking off the new season with a 3-2 road shootout triumph over the Nashville Predators last Saturday, the Blue Jackets took a step back in their next three games. Columbus suffered a shootout defeat at the hands of Damien Brunner and the Detroit Red Wings on Monday before being outscored 9-1 in losses on consecutive days to the Phoenix Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche.

The Blue Jackets, despite being without top-line winger Cam Atkinson due to injury Thursday, outshot the Avalanche, 33-28. Semyon Varlamov stole the show by keeping Columbus off the scoreboard for his first shutout of 2012-13. It also didn’t help that the Blue Jackets allowed a goal in the opening minute of a game for the second time this season.

"We have to have better starts," Blue Jackets forward Ryan Johansen told the team's website. "It's tough to come back from deficits in this league. We've got to be more sharp to start games. We have to have our focus a little stronger and everybody has to be on the same page."

Who's hot: Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, who assisted on Hossa's overtime winner in Dallas, had two assists to give him a team-leading seven points. … Blue Jackets defenseman Fedor Tyutin has been a point-per-game player so far, with a goal and three assists.

Injury report: Daniel Carcillo (lower body) is out indefinitely for Chicago. … Atkinson (lower body) is day-to-day, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Expected In Goal:

[cbj10]

Ahh, Mason's in net. I could see this turning into a very high scoring affair for chicago

[Cold Steel 2010]

The last 2 games have been hard to watch. I'm thinking tonight will be a close one

How do you figure , the Hawks have annihilated the BlueJackets last 2 yrs ,and uh.... the Hawks are SHAMOKIN ! Blackhawks 7 Jackets with a very late goal end up with 2.... 7-2 yup you heard it here.

[cbj10]

How do you figure , the Hawks have annihilated the BlueJackets last 2 yrs ,and uh.... the Hawks are SHAMOKIN ! Blackhawks 7 Jackets with a very late goal end up with 2.... 7-2 yup you heard it here.

The Jacket's have been killed the past two games they won't be an easy opponent tonight

[cbj10]

That was ridiculous . That was a GOOD goal

[cbj10]

Not quite that 7-2 prediction you had... Lol but hawks still win. Close game with some controversial stuff. But a win is a win. Congrats chicago

[Cold Steel 2010]

That was ridiculous . That was a GOOD goal

As I was in front of a big screen , at Buffalo WW in Louisville I will attest to this , the call was ridiculous and should have been good. The Columbus team met up with a dog-ass tired bunch of guys tonight.

And I will not hesitate to point the obvious out. 5 games in 8 days and about 5000 air miles to start the season off. A flight tonight and a game tomorrow against a Detroit team , that will play their 5th game tomorrow and have not traveled out of the Midwest yet this year.
Jackets held their own , but against a very wary team right now. Any thing less would have been a complete embarrassment to them. Well done Columbus and again , yes you guys got screwed on the one that was waved off.
I expect tomorrow night the Hawks will get whipped but good , I'd figure Emery will be in the net , but our Defense and offense I expect will be asleep behind the wheel from the opening puck drop. Emery will have to be magical for us to win. I doubt that will happen. 7-1 Wings and I won't even be upset cause it's bound to happen with scheduling like this.

[Cold Steel 2010]

Not quite that 7-2 prediction you had... Lol but hawks still win. Close game with some controversial stuff. But a win is a win. Congrats chicago

Yeah , the 7 was way off , I was however spot on about the 2nd goal coming late. The ref's decided to make me look good by waving a good one off.
As I watched closely the 1st period told me my guys are spent. Just simply too much in too little time the air miles they have put on in this short season so far is close to 5000 miles , this in an 8day period and 5 games. The league is treating hockey players as they play a fluffy sport like baseball. Good game by the Jackets , had it not been for the one waved off we may have lost our 1st one tonight.