Morning Skate: Black & Blue Jackets Friday

by J.J. from Kansas on Nov 26, 2010 5:00 AM CST in Game Preview

Welcome back everybody. Hope those of us to the north enjoyed their regular Thursday and everybody who celebrated American Thanksgiving had a happy one. Tonight at 7 EST, the Wings resume their schedule with a game against the Blue Jackets in Columbus. The BJs have been the hottest thing going since they unseeded the last hottest thing going when they crushed the Blues 8-1 back on the 10th. If logic serves me correctly (which it rarely does), this means beating Columbus should make Detroit the hottest thing going.

That would be a good thing, because (using the sliding scale), Detroit has lost two of three games, including a stinker on Wednesday in Atlanta. The home-and-home series this weekend will help decide who's going to be at the top of the Central division standings going into next week. Detroit and Columbus are tied with 28 points apiece with the Wings holding a game in hand.

The Cannon is your SB nation blog for the Blue Jackets

More after the jump

The Jackets will be wearing their new third jerseys tonight. I have to admit I kind of like the cannon, but we've seen the theme everywhere. I'm so tired of this same look on every team's third jerseys. What do you think?

Jimmy Howard has allowed four goals in each of his last three games. We'll need him to flip the switch back on for the weekend as he's expected to start both games against the Jackets. Their 2.90 goals per game is only good for 14th, but they're the third-best team defensively, allowing only 2.35. Detroit is basically the opposite there with the 14th best goals against average of 2.74 and 2nd-best goals for at 3.53.

Blah blah numbers - bottom line, can Detroit put up goals against the hot Columbus defense while keeping the puck out of their own net? Rumor has it that this is a very effective strategy for winning hockey games.

Steve Mason still hasn't found the game that made him the Calder trophy winner two seasons ago, but he's been better. Driving that, his backup Mathieu Garon has shutouts in three of the eight games he's played this year and a save percentage of .950.

I think I'm obligated by law to say something about how I'd like to have Rick Nash on my team if it were a perfect world. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world and he has a cap hit of $7.8M per year. He has 13 goals to lead Columbus and a minus-1 rating. Only one of his goals have come with the man advantage.

Maybe that's why Columbus' power play is only 11.4% effective on the season. Of course, since the hot start, Detroit's PK has dropped to 16th-best by only killing 82.2% of penalties. Can we stop giving up goals, please?

Score Prediction: I'm going to say that Detroit struggles early to get on the same page, but is actually able to find near-playoff intensity in time to pull out a tightly-contested game. 3-2 Detroit.

Player of the Game: Know who has a knack for scoring clutch goals? Johan Franzen has a knack for scoring clutch goals. I think he pots the game-winner and makes Mike Commodore cry.

Get your score and player of the game predictions in the comments. We'll see you at 6:15 for the game thread.

Unrelated: go read Lisa McRitchie's article over at The Copper and Blue about her trip to Detroit to watch the Oilers/Wings game from November 11th. You know, that game that Robert Tychkowski introduced in his post by saying the weather forecast was "muggy with a chance of murder". It's an honest outsider's opinion that doesn't sugarcoat the truth, but also doesn't resort to low-blows. Really fantastic read.

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Also in Blue Jackets' news

When they unveiled their third jerseys, they also unveiled their newest mascot, Boomer.

Now I’ll let you make up your own mind about what it resembles, but I want to share this comment from Ryan31 over at The Cannon:

We are called the "BJs" around the NHL and just added a cannon mascot that resembles……

Sorry Jackets fans, it’s not your fault, but I’m not letting ol’ Dick Cannon the BJ Salesman go.

by J.J. from Kansas on Nov 26, 2010 8:50 AM CST reply actions

Too easy.

Which is the opposite of too hard.

by Rat A Tat on Nov 26, 2010 9:00 AM CST up reply actions

Wow, they couldn’t make it a little more inconspicuous?

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Nov 26, 2010 9:58 AM CST up reply actions

Hahahah

Who want’s a mustache ride?

by Nate A on Nov 26, 2010 1:26 PM CST up reply actions

Should be a good series

The BJs have given the Wings a hard time in the last couple of years (giggity). However, after that stinker on Wednesday night, I think the Wings come out with some fire, and it’s not from Grandma’s Spicy Green Bean Casserole.

Wings win 4-1 with Pavel Datsyuk being the player of the game.

by Amerinadian on Nov 26, 2010 9:22 AM CST reply actions

give me 4-3 wings....ill take Z

I hope they show up tonight…last game was not enjoyable

by HockeyGuy9125 on Nov 26, 2010 9:25 AM CST reply actions

I saw no reason to make any low blows. I truly enjoyed my trip to Detroit, even the eye opening parts. Detroit fans are amazing though, they were the best part.

writer for The Copper & Blue and newsgirl of HFboards, well when I'm not working for the man

by Lisa McRitchie on Nov 26, 2010 9:59 AM CST reply actions

great read, Lisa

The Journey song is awesome to hear in person, TV audio doesn’t do it justice.

(also, we’re last name cousins haha)

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Nov 26, 2010 10:18 AM CST up reply actions

So true we are! Long live the MacIntosh clan huh?

I honestly hadn’t heard the Journey song on TV before, and I can’t believe it. Maybe it usually ends at the end of a commercial break, or the announcers are talking too much?

writer for The Copper & Blue and newsgirl of HFboards, well when I'm not working for the man

by Lisa McRitchie on Nov 26, 2010 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip

and very glad you were able to put everything into words so well. I’ll probably end up linking your article several times. Thank you again for such a great writeup!

by J.J. from Kansas on Nov 26, 2010 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it.

writer for The Copper & Blue and newsgirl of HFboards, well when I'm not working for the man

by Lisa McRitchie on Nov 26, 2010 11:22 AM CST up reply actions

Thanks for the real 'eye-opener'

I celebrate Festivus!!!

by bharatwaj5 on Nov 26, 2010 2:35 PM CST up reply actions

Honesty is always welcomed...

its the needless insults that accomplishes nothing which pisses me off…good article

by HockeyGuy9125 on Nov 26, 2010 3:21 PM CST up reply actions

3-2 Detroit in OT. Datsyuk? Sure, why not.

I’m in the middle of watching the Atlanta game…i’m really tempted to just turn it off

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Nov 26, 2010 10:01 AM CST reply actions

I tried watching the replay...

at midnight, ugh. I gave up

by onevilklown on Nov 26, 2010 10:32 AM CST up reply actions

3-2 wings

rafalski

by onevilklown on Nov 26, 2010 10:39 AM CST reply actions

won't be around for the game tonight...

still doing thanksgiving stuff, so i thought i’d drop this off here for everyone to see

going with a civil war theme

by onevilklown on Nov 26, 2010 11:20 AM CST up reply actions

has filppula been a little quiet the last week or so?

by Eric @ PRBU on Nov 26, 2010 10:41 AM CST reply actions

he certainly has

LETS GO RED WINGS!

2011 will be the year....better be....

Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."

by TuLoRocks2008 on Nov 26, 2010 10:47 AM CST up reply actions

he's gunna score a trick sometime soon.. i can feel it.

by kylegroombridge on Nov 26, 2010 11:48 AM CST up reply actions

Leave his personal life out of this!

by Brion on Nov 26, 2010 2:35 PM CST up reply actions

4-3 Wings in OT

Player of the game….Dats

LETS GO RED WINGS!

2011 will be the year....better be....

Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."

by TuLoRocks2008 on Nov 26, 2010 10:48 AM CST reply actions

Classic look on the 3rd jerseys

is so overdone. I would have loved for the cannon to be bigger and more 3D/perspective looking, more of a warlike appearance.

by onevilklown on Nov 26, 2010 11:27 AM CST reply actions

Light the Lamp had one up that I would have really liked to have seen.

by J.J. from Kansas on Nov 26, 2010 11:51 AM CST up reply actions

wow

I really like that one… the red stripes are sick

by kylegroombridge on Nov 26, 2010 11:53 AM CST up reply actions

Talking about 3rd jerseys

I would have loved to see the Wings keep their Winter Classic jerseys and played random games with them like the hawks do.

by kylegroombridge on Nov 26, 2010 11:54 AM CST up reply actions

thats closer

but not quite what im thinking.

more in this kind of style, with corners and working with shadows

by onevilklown on Nov 26, 2010 11:53 AM CST up reply actions

I like 4-1

Although I hope the real Jimmy shows up for that to happen.. Does anyone know if Jimmy is suiting up tonite or if Babs is givin Joey the go-ahead?

POTG: Bertuzzi

by kylegroombridge on Nov 26, 2010 11:40 AM CST reply actions

4-2 the good guys win. PoG = Abby

by Red, White and a Mile high on Nov 26, 2010 12:00 PM CST reply actions

off topic

Stupid NHL.com is abysmally stupid: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/moving_on2/

I will guess a 4-2 loss for Detroit, with Lidstrom player of the game.

#pessimism #jinxattempt #illpickthemtowinwhentheystopsuckingdefensively

Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind

"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

by Baroque on Nov 26, 2010 12:04 PM CST reply actions

I can't believe NHL.com

Kukla is among the most respected writers in the whole hockey community and they treat him like crap. Such a stupid decision.

by J.J. from Kansas on Nov 26, 2010 1:12 PM CST up reply actions

3-1 BJs

And I’ll go with Bertuzzi as PotG

The Lions have turned me into a pessimist for the rest of the week.

by AriTwice on Nov 26, 2010 1:17 PM CST reply actions

I'll be at this game with my old man

but he’s a jacket’s fan so he says he’ll be heckling someone, I think mule or the tuzz. I might wear my wings jersey, but I’ve had it for like 15 years and it’s getting pretty grody. go wings!

No Limits.

by arkanfel on Nov 26, 2010 1:20 PM CST reply actions

4-2 Wings, redemption led by Datsyuk

Oh, and it’s amusing to see that readers can really have, however small, an influence on content of this blog. JJ knows what I’m talking about :)

Unfortunately, I’m not gonna be able to take advantage of that information, what with going to the Michigan hockey game tonight. Hey, if they’re going to take the time to come out to my neighborhood, I’m definitely going to make the long, arduous (ten minute) trek over to the Kohl center to root them on.

Down with the CeeBeeJeebies!

I'm expecting 100% improvement from the Lions this season.

by ahtrap on Nov 26, 2010 1:24 PM CST reply actions