The Columbus Blue Jackets start their chase towards the Stanley Cup Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. It has been three years since the Jackets have been in the playoffs. Columbus is facing the same team that bounced them in the first round in 2014. Here’s what to watch for tonight.
The Columbus Blue Jackets make their return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight. Folks in Jackets Country have waited three years for this rematch with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It has been a tumultuous journey for Columbus to return to this very spot. This is not the same team from three years ago, and that is a very good thing. The story lines are different. The attitude on the ice is different. The intensity between these rivals, that is still the same.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Fast Start Needed
Not having home ice is going to be a big hurdle for the Jackets to overcome. To have any chance at winning the series, Columbus will have to win one of the first two games in Pittsburgh. What better way of taking care of this than landing a stiff punch in game one. The Jackets are always at their best when they are playing on their toes and getting pucks to the net. The Jackets have scored first in 50 of their games during the regular season, winning 33 of those. If Columbus can take advantage of Pittsburgh’s banged up blue line, they might be able to steal a goal early.
Top goal scorers like Cam Atkinson, Brandon Saad, and Nick Foligno have to be the guys to get it done. In the Playoffs, your best players have to be at their best. How well these guys do will be indicative of how the team as a whole plays. The Jackets have the offensive talent to win. Getting the most out of the greasy scoring opportunities on Matt Murray will be the deciding factor.
Zach Werenski Returns
I’ve been quick to downplay the importance of Zach Werenski leading up to this series. I did not want our saving grace all season to be a young rookie fresh out of one year of college. That said when he wasn’t on the ice at the end of the season, and by God was it noticeable.
Having Werenski back after missing five games could revitalize our once great power play. Werenski’s cool demeanor when controlling the blue line has been missed. Without him just getting into the zone has been difficult and the set up is often rushed. Werenski is mature beyond his years with the puck on his stick. A power play goal could change the entire momentum of the series at some point.
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Keep Bobrovsky out of Trouble
A dark subplot that has found its way into the narrative of this series is Sergei Bobrovsky’s struggles in the playoffs. I for one am willing to forgive all things in Bobrovsky’s past because the defense in front of him was always abysmal. If he has a rough game or two, watch out, the season might be over sooner than we’d all like.
I don’t want to admit this but the Jackets are not going to be able to out score the Penguins in high scoring games away from Nationwide. If they win a game or two in Pittsburgh it will be because they played them tight and worked them down low. Hockey can be a simple game like that. By doing this they should be able to limit the rushes and elongated times Pittsburgh has in the offensive zone. You give Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin opportunities to beat you and you are going to lose. Only rely on Bob in brief moments and the Jackets will have a fighting chance.
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Don’t get too high, Don’t get too low
This has been the message from John Tortorella all year. This is a first to four series. Every game matters and it has a heightened sense of intensity. But it is still just game one. If the Jackets come out and win, great; still a lot of work to be done. If the Jackets lose and look over matched, there will be more chances to right the ship…albeit few, but still a fair amount of guaranteed hockey left.
As Columbus Blue Jacket fans, we are often looking for signature moments or turning points in the franchise, because we have so few. That’s okay; it is a young organization that in the past five years is just starting to be operated like a productive major league franchise. What ever happens, good, or bad, needs to be kept in perspective. Yes, the Jackets need to win a series to gain more respect in the league. But if you were told at the beginning of the season the CBJ would be in the playoffs, you’d take that. Let’s take this in right now and be excited. Let the boys on the ice handle the rest.
Next: CBJ Staring Down the Barrel: Pens Labyrinth Conversation