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The Mighty Blue Jackets
5-16
Especially in a shortened season, this record after twenty-one games was completely contradictory to any aspirations of competing in the post-season in the NHL. This was the Columbus Blue Jackets’ record on March 2nd, no less. It was abysmal.
And yet, with one away and one home match-up remaining, the once-last-place-in-the-entire-league Blue Jackets are potentially two victories from making the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history. Wow! How did this happen?
Let”s start with two words: Jarmo Kekalainen.
No, this isn’t a Finnish delicacy, but the name of the Blue Jackets’ current general manager. In fact, according to the Associated Press’s “Jackets hire Jarmo Kekalainen as GM” on ESPN.com from February 13, 2013, the general manager shift mid-season was quite a big deal.
“Just more than 24 hours after firing Scott Howson, they announced the hiring of Jarmo Kekalainen of Finland as the first European to be a general manager in the National Hockey League.”
Hard to believe, but it’s true. What seems even more unlikely is that Columbus could be playing hockey in May. And yet, on April 24th, it’s still a possibility.
Following the entrance of Kekalainen, the Blue Jacket’s continued with their losing ways, temporarily. There was a three-game and a four-game losing streak. Then came their battle at home hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Including this March 3rd victory versus the Avalanche, Columbus has achieved two five-game and two three-game winning streaks. Currently, they have won nine of their last twelve. An away game at Dallas this Thursday and the home finale against Nashville on Saturday will determine whether or not their hope of earning the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference will even be attainable.
The Columbus hockey faithful know a third three-game winning streak to end the regular season is a must.
The Blue Jackets have played in seventeen (17) overtimes and nine (9) have gone to shootouts this season thus far. They have won five of the shootouts. While Sergei Bobrovsky continues to play sensationally down the stretch, he is 5-4 in shootouts. For Jacket’s fans though, having Bobrovsky conclude the regular season with a potential 7-4 record would be viewed as a tremendous and celebratory achievement.
If the Blue Jackets are to make the playoffs, then their mission has to continue to be met: win nearly every single game starting in late March. So far, the summit is still visible. It’s cloudy with some gusting winds and blinding snowfall, but the top is still within reach.
And by reach, I literally mean that of Sergei Bobrovsky. Hopes of earning a spot in the playoffs may come down to a shootout.
I wonder if Bobrovsky is a fan of Julie “The Cat” Gaffney?
The Most Fun Way to Say #1
“quinn-uh-PEA-AKK”
“quinn-uh-PEA-akk”
These are two of the more popular attempts of pronouncing the name of my collegiate alma mater: Quinnipiac University (FYI-“QUINN-uh-pea-ack” in one smooth breath). My first visit to the university was in the middle of winter and it was so frigidly cold the temperature had to have frozen somewhere in the single digits. There was snow, but not the 40” avalanche that recently descended on the Hamden area. I loved it then and continue to love it today with nostalgia.
Speaking of which, I was a broadcast journalism major, focused in sports, and covered numerous sports teams during my four year residence, one of which was men’s ice hockey. This team was particularly exciting because it was the most popular sports team on campus and therefore created an incredibly electric atmosphere for each of their icy battles against the best of the Ivy League and others in the ECAC.
Memories are coming back of midweek player and coach interviews, game day dinners in the arena with my fellow press corps, recording the game for highlights, post-game interviews and the hours spent in the editing room in the School of Communications. These reports were not only for school projects and school television shows, but also for The Palestra online, for which I was a paid reporter/One Man Band. Good times indeed! If only I could be covering the team this season…
While there were some thrilling moments from my time as a student, those teams may have been more responsible for building the foundation for what is transpiring during the 2012/2013 season thus far with the same head coach at the helm, Rand Pecknold.
As declared today, February 11, 2013, the Quinnipiac University Men’s Hockey team has, for the first time in school history been ranked…
(USCHO.com)
Quinnipiac is currently the #1 college hockey team in the country! For all of us alums, this is not only amazing, but also quite a bit surreal. To see them listed in the top spot atop the giants of college hockey from around the United States is truly a sight to witness.
Here is a quick statistical rundown:
–The longest unbeaten streak in America (21)
–Undefeated in their ECAC league play (14-0-2)
–Four of their last six regular season games are at home
To quote from a local Ohio favorite of mine, “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good®“. To my fellow Bobcats past and present, we all could substitute our beloved college into that phrase and it too would be a perfect fit.
For those who are studying and have graduated from this university, the word “Quinnipiac” signifies many things: Relaxing on the quad on a Saturday or Tuesday afternoon, studying in groups at the iconic Arnold Bernhard Library, ordering a mouthwatering bacon, egg and cheese sandwich from the cafeteria after an 8:00 a.m. science class, adventures in New Haven on Friday & Saturday nights (Toads!), socializing in the many dorms, dressing up in a pink skirt and a tight pink tank top and singing “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” in front of all the fraternities and sororities with two happy backup dancers (my picture made the yearbook!) and so on.
Now, Quinnipiac also means the best men’s college ice hockey team in the country.
Go Bobcats!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 