At the start of last week, things seemed rough for the Columbus Blue Jackets and their fans. The lack of execution and chemistry led to many questions on how the end of the season will shake out.
Even The Cannon Cast had a bit of an ominous tone.
So, were they able to turn it around? The answer is yes!! In fact, it was a good week for hockey in Ohio. From the Blue Jackets to the Cleveland Monsters to the Cincinnati Cyclones it was an exciting week for the sport of hockey.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Things were a little dicey on Tuesday when the Jackets took on the Binghamton Devils New Jersey Devils. A game which should have been an easy win went into a shootout. Thankfully, the Jackets closed it out with goals from Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson.
Thursday was a game that happened. We really don’t want to rehash it again. However, it’s Cannon Blasts so we have to give you a little preview of what happened. The flightless birds blanked us in Pittsburgh.
Then, something glorious happened. The clouds parted, the good hockey gods shined upon us, and the angels could be heard singing from heaven. Our playoff dreams were saved with a huuuuge 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Cleveland Monsters
As discussed in the last Cannon Blasts, the Cleveland Monsters had a bit of a rough time after trade deadline. You can read up on how each member of the team played during that time in our State of the Monsters Address here.
Now onto the great news!
The Cleveland Monsters swept the Belleville Senators to keep their playoff hopes alive.
On Thursday, they snapped the Senators 17-game point streak with a close regulation win, 2-1.
The next night was a very ugly win, 4-0. However, the Monsters were able to give the fans a glimpse of hope and beauty as they left the arena.
If the Monsters keep this up, they’ll be able to leap frog their way into the playoffs.
We talk about their push towards playoffs here.
Ohio Hockey News
Cleveland St. Ignatius High School took down Dublin Jerome to win their fourth straight OHSAA Championship.
The Youngstown Phantoms beat the Green Bay Gamblers in a huge come from behind win on March 9th. They scored three goals in the third period to make it happen.
Defenseman Marcus Crawford is putting up big numbers in his rookie season with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.
The Cincinnati Cyclones clinched a spot in the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs after the Wheeling Nailers lost to the Ft. Wayne Komets on Wednesday night. This is their third trip to the post season in the last four season.
Sports News Around Ohio
The Columbus Crew SC took down the New England Revolution, 2-0, this weekend.
In an attempt to keep their offensive line in tact, the Cincinnati Bengals extended tender offers to five players.
The Cleveland Browns traded Kevin Zeitler for Olivier Vernon this week. The trade was a tad bit risky.
Fear the Sword has a podcast too! On this week’s episode they discuss how Kevin Love is making the Cleveland Cavaliers fun again.
Nick Senzel, Derek Dietrich, and Jose Iglesias are looking for a roster spot with the Cincinnati Reds this upcoming season. Why do they deserve one? Where could they possibly fit in? Red Reporter answers those questions here.
A piece from Let’s Go Tribe on why the Cleveland Indians should wait until the trade deadline to make any moves.