Columbus Blue Jackets defeat Detroit Red Wings 3-0

One could use the excuse that is wasn’t the Red Wings night or one could simply call out Detroit on all the missed opportunities and point out all of Columbus’ converted opportunities.

It’s no secret that I have never been a Jimmy Howard “fan” (get well soon, Ozzie, very soon, like ASAP). Of course, since he is a Red Wing, I support him but it is games like this when I want to strangle the kid. In the past two games, Howard has given up eight goals. That is simply unacceptable. Normally when he gives up more than the average number of goals, people tend to look past that because he has been able to get the “W.” Such was not the case on Friday night.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this loss was the many missed opportunities that Detroit left on the ice. Typically a 5-on-3 man advantage is a good thing, a gimme. Someone should have told Detroit that. The Wings squandered a two-man advantage in the second period, managing only a single shot on Columbus goalie Steve Mason.

Whether it was errant penalties or pucks hitting posts, it was clear that it was not Detroit’s night.

And what happened to the Wings offense–besides the obvious plague of injuries to key players. But enough with the injury excuse, this one falls on the players on the ice. It’s not realistic to expect Johan Franzen to have a 5-goal, heck, a 4, 3, 2-goal night every game. Other members of the Wings offense needs to step up in place of those injured. Because right now I worry for the offense, I truly do.

The story of the game was the play of stone-cold Mason. The Wings aimed 34 shots his way and he stopped every one of them. Give it up for Mason for his stellar performance but also criticize Detroit for not putting up a fight that could have taken down that stone-wall.

This is the Wings second shutout of the season. Let’s hope it’s the last.

Bring on the Predators?

Check out Straight Jackets for the Blue Jackets side of things.

Photo: David Guralnick/The Detroit News

GOAL SCORERS

CBJ: CBJ: A. Vermette (12:29 – 1st) , J. Boll (13:11 – 2nd) , A. Murray (EN, 18:48 – 3rd)

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MOST VALUABLE WING

I have to give this one to the fans. There wasn’t really a Red Wing that stood out–in a good way (yes, I’m talking to you, Jimmy Howard)–but those poor Detroit spectators paid hard-earned money to watch an abysmal showing by their hometown Wings. Kudos to you, Detroit, let’s hope to get a win on Monday against the Rangers.

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QUOTED

DET goalie Jimmy Howard: “I never saw the pass (from Matt Calvert). All I did was hear the shot. In that situation, you’re in trouble if you can’t see it.”

DET defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom: “We had the 5-on-3, didn’t execute. A goal would have gotten us back into the game.”

CBJ goalie Steve Mason: “Our backcheck, especially in the third period, did a good job and took away their forecheck. And that took away the momentum they were trying to build.”

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VIDEO

LIDSTROM, HOWARD AND BABCOCK ADDRESS THE MEDIA

The Red Wings face the Nashville Predators on Saturday in Nashville. The puck drops at 8 PM.