That’s right, fighting for a playoff spot.
The Jackets hope to carry the momentum they possessed leading into the break into the second half of the season. They were 3-1-2 in the six games before the break, and were playing as good as they have all season. Sometimes a break can be a good thing for a team, giving them a chance to recharge before carrying on right where they left off. Sometimes however, having a break can derail a team. Momentum (the key word here) is lost, the team loses sight of their goals-even temporarily-and in some cases, a team can never recover.
The hope here in Jacketland is that the boys enjoyed themselves, but are right back to work, and are ready to perform at the level they were at.
As I’ve said before, even as the team was winning before the break, they can still be better. The goaltending still isn’t where it should be, and the defense corps just isn’t…right. Outside of Fedor Tyutin, there is no offense being generated from the back-end, and the transition game is sketchy.
All that said, the plumbers in the bottom six are contributing again. It’s no secret that when they supply offense and excel at shutting down the opposition the team earns points in the standings. The scoring lines are chipping in, but Juice needs to start lighting the lamp. He’s lost if he’s not playing with Nasher or Brass.
Chicago is still a lethal team. For the Jackets to emerge with a “W”, they will need to be the more physical and energetic squad. Steve Mason, the starter tonight, needs to be Sharp.
Go Jackets.