Indians Win First Series On Grady’s Three Run Bomb
April 24, 2009Series Preview: Twins at Indians
April 24, 2009
- Dan Parker/Waiting For Next Year
Red Wings 6, Blue Jackets 5
(Box) – Highlights
DET wins series 4-0
I’ve been to a ton of sporting events in my life. I’ve had Browns season tickets for years, have probably been to at least 100 games at Jacobs Field (yes, Jacobs!), and have been to maybe 50 hockey games. I don’t have a lot of playoff experience, though. Three MLB playoff games. That was it. Until this week.
And, probably the most exciting event I’ve been to was Game 2 against the Yankees in 2007 (aka “The Bug Game”). Well, while the end result was not in the Jackets’ favor, I can honestly say without exaggeration that Game 4 last night at Nationwide Arena was the most electric atmosphere I have ever been a part of. The arena was alive. The Wings tried to silence us three different times, and the Jackets—and their fans—answered the bell each time. We stood most of the third period. It was so loud that I couldn’t hear whistles, the scoreboard horn… nothing. My voice sounded like Barry White on the way home.
And you know what? As sad as it is that the season is over, and that the Jackets are out of the playoffs, I am proud of this team. They could very easily have folded up shop against a very tough Red Wings team. But they didn’t. They fell behind three times in the first two periods, and each time had an answer. To put it plainly, even though they were swept last night, they finally looked like they belonged on the ice with the Red Wings in the playoffs.
By now, you’ve probably heard the controversy on how the game ended. The game was tied 5-5 going into the third period, and the referees all but swallowed their whistles for the first 18+ minutes of the period. And, that’s fine with me: I’m more of a “let them play” kind of fan for the most part, anyway. However, after several no-calls (I counted at least three fairly flagrant no-calls: boarding on Detroit, tripping on Columbus, and interference on Detroit) throughout the third period, the linesman called Columbus for a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty with 1:34 left in the game.
The merits of the call can be debated (and believe me, RockKing and I have done so over e-mail for most of the morning) until the end of time; my take is: I think that, by the letter of the rule, it *was* too many men. What I have a problem with is that they didn’t call ANYTHING the entire period, and then essentially helped to decide the game on THAT call. Mike Commodore’s assessment was a little more blunt: “To call that penalty with (1:34 remaining) in an elimination game,” Commodore said. “I’m not making excuses. We got swept, right? And Detroit outplayed us for the vast majority of the series. But to have, basically, a free-for-all the entire third period, and then end it on a call like that? It’s a borderline call in the middle of the season, let alone in the playoffs.”
I am not able to organize all of my thoughts about the nuts and bolts of the game to really put together a play-by-play recap, but rest assured that the Jackets played probably the best period of hockey I’ve ever seen them play in the second period. Down 3-1 coming into the second, they tied the game with two straight goals. And, when Detroit again flexed their muscles and pulled ahead 5-3, the Jackets rallied AGAIN and scored twice more to tie it. Kristian Huselius, Rick Nash, Kris Russell, RJ Umberger, and Fredrik Modin all scored for the Jackets, who were finally able to cash in their chances on Detroit’s Chris Osgood.
The night belonged to the Jackets fans, as well. The arena was a living entity, and the Jackets fans finally got a chance to show that they can be a force in the playoffs. Osgood was taunted mercilessly. The refs were booed vehemently. And (sadly, actually), the fans let their displeasure with the last penalty call be known by littering the ice with bottles and debris (which would now make TWO sporting events that I’ve been to where that has happened). It did not go unnoticed by The Captain and The Coach:
It was a wild game. I’m proud of the way we competed. … We were great. Our fans were great. I thought that was our best go, by far, of the series. We proved to ourselves, we proved to the whole city, that we can keep up with them. … We ended up sticking it out. I think it meant something to the fans because they were standing all game. At least we proved to them that we could stay with this team.–Rick Nash
I was really proud of the fans. The fans were great, even when we were down, they weren’t leaving us. The fans, when we were down 5-3, brought us back as much as the players brought us back. I saw the significant impact of the people in the building.–Ken Hitchcock
And, after everything that had happened on this night, in a fitting moment of recognition from both sides, the team and fans were able to show their appreciation for each other, and for this historic Jackets season:
As a fan, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
13 Comments
I’m a fan of lots of sports, but I still think that there is no better live sports experience than hockey…you rarely find the sort of I’m-here-to-be-seen fans at hockey games that you often see other places, and they usually know the sport…
glad you had a great time, and here’s to next year! (oh yeah, that’s not exactly a fresh comment on this blog)…
its still jacobs field…
nice job jackets! good season somtin to build on for next year. the gm and front office seem to be committed to building a winner. next year dp, hopefully they will win one for you in the playoffs!
Great effort from the Blue Jackets. They were outplayed by Detroit most of the series, but Detroit also was on the receiving end of a lot of favorable bounces. As a Wings fan its good to see, because it seemed like the last month of the season they got none. As far as that call at the end. It had to be made. The refs wanted to let the game play out in the third, and yes a lot was let go both ways. But that is a black and white call. Just like puck over the glass and high sticking. It has to be called. If Modin didn’t touch the puck, Samuelsson would have had a breakaway. That was just a bad change. Voracek completely ignored what was going on, and coasted to the bench. Had he been watching, he would have hustled more. That’s why they tell you not to coast to the bench. If that was Detroit in a bad change, I would expect nothing less. Sure it sucks to lose that way, but it was the right call. I hate seeing games decided like that too, even though it benefitted my team, it stills sucks seeing the game end on that note. Especially after how hard Columbus had worked until then. Just remember Jacket’s fans, this is an inexperienced team that didn’t really have much of a chance. BUT, you need experiences like this to grow as a team. The Jackets will remember this feeling and now they know what it is trully like. They have a good young core, and don’t forget about Bressard. The future is looking pretty good for this team. They have shown all year that they aren’t pushovers anymore. Hats off to the Jackets and their fans, even though their team lost, the fans know the effort the Jackets gave and they are thankful for it. That’s a lot more than what can be said about some other fans like say in Montreal.
As a Leafs fan watching the game last night and cheering for Columbus I couldn’t help but smile when the fans rained down plastic bottles and soda cups.
Bittersweet to go out like that, but Columbus is still young and with Filatov and Brassard next year could be even better.
I love how they thank the fans without calling them out for their atrocious behavior. Tons of trash was thrown on the ice and then there was this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC_d8cH9zAQ&feature=channel_page
Two things, Fanpuck33:
1) The angle that video is being shot from is down behind the goal that Columbus defends twice. It also just so happens that the referees leave the ice from that very same corner.
2) I was at the game, and the booing you hear is people booing the refs.
I mean, not as classy as throwing dead octopi on the ice, but hey… we’re new to this.
your team is not that good. the series was really really boring.
-Wings Fan
I have to say, as disappointed I was in the outcome of that game, I really did have a great time. The Jackets played hard, and the fans were crazy, from the lower bowl all the way up to the nosebleeds. Everyone was screaming and on their feet for most of the game. I’ve never been to any type of playoff game, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I could tell that even for a playoff game, this was pretty special. And to think that I always laughed at all those messages on the scoreboard that said, “Get Loud” and “Your team needs you!” But evidently, it really does mean something. I’m already looking forward to next year!
[…] • Reviewing last night’s Columbus Blue Jackets‘ loss to the Red Wings from the C-Bus perspective, including how the BeeJays were treated by fans as they left the ice. [Waiting For Next Year] […]
Well, thank you #7 for your honest assessment. If you couldn’t find the excitement in last night’s game, however, I don’t know what to tell you.
#8, yeah I always scoff at that stuff too, because I’m one of those sports snobs that thinks if you don’t know *when* to cheer, you probably shouldn’t be there. But man, oh man, did the arena take it to heart last night.
Just want to say, im a huge huge hockey fan and a die hard new jersey devils fan (from jersey). I was at game 7 in 2003 when the devs. won the cup at home, and it was the greatest experience of my life. When the jackets first came into the league i thought it was a stupid place for a team and that no one would ever go to there games. I was in columbus on a business trip about a year and a half ago and i couldnt believe how into the team the city was. Just going to a random bar asking random people about the team and alot of people were excited about them then. I was totaly rooting for you guys, cause I realy realy was shocked at how knowledgable and intense you fans were for the few games that I actualy got to see of you guys out here in Jersey. Unfortunitly, you had to play the Wings who are just a jugernut. I wish your team the best of luck next season and hope they can get into the playoffs again and get a win. The jackets fans are great, and you totaly deserve it. It took our team (the devils) 7 years to make the playoffs for the first time, and it ended up turning out pritty good for us.
Again, best of luck next year, and you guys had a great run this year and should totaly be proud of yourself and your team. I see a very bright future ahead for the Jackets!
I agree. The Jackets played great that last game and went out winners in my book. BUT– that too many men call? Commodore was completely wrong. They make that call 99% of the time. It was a bad, lazy penalty. Sucks they lost on it, though, after all they did in that game. But you gotta hustle and get off the ice. That’s how the game is played.
[…] It was officially “The Best Season in Franchise History”. Granted, 4th place in the division isn’t something to shout about, but the division was so stacked last season (and looks to be this season as well) that 4th in the division was good enough for 7th in the conference. They tied in points with 3rd/6th place St. Louis, but finished below them by virtue of head-to-head record. But, the Jackets finally made the playoffs, and have laid the foundation for what should be a return trip this year, hopefully with better results due to the experience gained last year. And, despite the loss, Game 4 against Detroit still is and will always be one of my favorite sports memories. […]