Columbus Blue Jackets at Chicago Blackhawks
January 10, 2012 – 8:30pm EST
United Center – Chicago, Illinois
Radio – WWCD FM 102.5 – TV – Fox Sports Ohio
Opponents Blog: Second City Hockey
I know I usually save the music references for my recaps, but since my new baby prevents me from doing those for the most part, we’re going with one for this preview. And I think it’s an apt one. With the firing of Scott Arniel, what more can be said than it’s a new day rising? And, what’s also fitting is that the song of the same name by Hüsker Dü is really nothing more than aggressive, organized chaos over the repeated refrain of “new day rising.”
In other words, let’s not assume that Arniel’s departure is going to do any more than re-arrange some deck chairs on the Titanic. Who knows? My favorite Todd Richards quote in the aftermath was this: “I don’t owe anybody anything at this stage.” Damn right, sir. I want to see the lineup that best gives the team a chance to win. I don’t want personal vendettas and opaque discussions about a guy’s play to relegate him to the press box or the fourth line (Brassard, Johansen). Whether that comes through, who knows?
On to the game. The Blackhawks are scuffling a bit, having lost four straight and five of six (1-4-1), and also having lost Patrick Sharp to injury on Sunday. Not that that matters much. The Jackets will be without Jeff Carter, who is added to the list of walking wounded after having his shoulder separated on Sunday in Anaheim. Holy hell, what will the lines look like *this* time?
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
(11-25-5, 27 Points; 5th division, 15th conference)
(Lines based on Shawn Mitchell’s morning lines Tweet)
| Vinny Prospal | Derick Brassard | Rick Nash |
| Ryan Johansen | Antoine Vermette | Tomas Kubalik |
| R.J. Umberger | Samuel Pahlsson | Derek Dorsett |
| Ryan Russell | Derek MacKenzie | Jared Boll |
| Fedor Tyutin | Nikita Nikitin |
| Marc Methot | Grant Clitsome |
| John Moore | David Savard |
| Curtis Sanford |
| Steve Mason |
Chicago Blackhawks
(24-13-5, 53 Points; 3rd Division, 5th Conference)
| Viktor Stalberg | Jonathan Toews | Patrick Kane |
| Andrew Shaw | Michael Frolik | Marian Hossa |
| Bryan Bickell | Dave Bolland | Ben Smith |
| Andrew Brunette | Jamal Mayers | Jimmy Hayes |
| Duncan Keith | Brent Seabrook |
| Nick Leddy | Niklas Hjalmarsson |
| Steve Montador | Sean O`Donnell |
| Corey Crawford |
| Ray Emery |
Season Series
10/29/11 – Columbus 2 at Chicago 5 – RECAP
11/10/11 – Chicago 6 at Columbus 3 – RECAP
12/26/11 – Columbus 1 at Chicago 4
01/10/12 – Columbus at Anaheim
02/18/12 – Chicago at Columbus
03/20/12 – Chicago at Columbus
By The Numbers
Scoring
CBJ – 2.34 G/G (27th)
CHI – 3.10 G/G (6th)Defense
CBJ – 3.24 GA/G (27th)
CHI – 2.86 GA/G (20th)Power Play
CBJ – 14.5% (23rd)
CHI – 17.9% (15th)Penalty Kill
CBJ – 75.7% (29th)
CHI – 78.0% (26th)
I sat here staring at my “Game Notes” heading, and couldn’t think of a single thing that really mattered to me. Scott Arniel is out. Todd Richards is in. This Jackets club is totally banged up both physically and most likely emotionally. Chicago is ticked off and desperate. It’s going to get ugly, methinks.