Record Setter: Jackets POUND Red Wings

Blue Jackets 8, Red Wings 2
(Box Score) – Highlights

Record: 33-27-6 (72 points)
Sports Club Stats Rank: 6th, 62.1%

I don’t have a lot of time or a lot to say that the score doesn’t already tell you about this one–seriously, just click the “Highlights” link above if you want to know that particulars. Columbus bounced back in a HUGE way from their loss Thursday night to Nashville, Detroit goalie Chris Osgood was hella-bad (7GA on only 23 shots), and Rick Nash was wicked good.  Several things happened that could be considered franchise records:

The Jackets scored eight goals—a franchise record.

The Jackets won by a margin of six goals—a franchise record.

Rick Nash netted his fourth career hat trick  (third against Detroit), and now stands alone in Blue Jackets history with the most career hat tricks—in other words, a franchise record. All three of Nash’s goals were unassisted, which I can’t ever remember happening. I’m sure it has somewhere in the annals of NHL history, but no one calling the game on FSOhio could recall it, either. UPDATE: Apparently, this has happened before. Puck-rakers has it from Elias that it happened last in 1948 by none other than The Rocket:

Last night, Blue Jackets’ captain Rick Nash became the first NHL player to record an unassisted hat trick since Maurice “Rocket” Richard did it for the Montreal Canadiens on March 14, 1948, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Richard scored four goals in a 6-3 win at Madision Square Garden.

Some other notes, though not records: newest Jackets Chris Gratton and Antoine Vermette each notched their first points as Blue Jackets, each with an assist. Vermette looked solid, contributing in many areas, including several key penalty kills. Detroit’s league-leading Power Play unit was shut-out (0-6), and one of Nash’s three goals came short-handed against that same PP unit. Nash also got to the 30-goal mark for the season, his fourth such 30-goal year in the past five seasons.

Steve Mason stopped 44 shots, and admitted after the game that: “From my point of view, I haven’t been great for the past month or month and a half. I wanted to step up and I think I did, and the team has been struggling in certain areas and tonight we were solid all around.” RJ Umberger had two goals of his own. Columbus was 1-for-2 on the PP themselves. Most importantly, the win pushed the Jackets back into sixth place in the conference.

There really isn’t much else to say, other than it was a complete whomping. And one the Jackets sorely needed, especially with Edmonton (70pts) winning as well, and Nashville (70pts) losing. The Jackets head back home to face the eastern conference-leading Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

[Photo Credit: Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press]