Blue Jackets Gaining Confidence

By Rick Gethin

 

     “There’s no reason to not play like this for the rest of the year” ~ Head Coach Ken Hitchcock after Columbus shutout Dallas 2-0

     Maybe it was the fresh Canadian air. Or was there something in the water in Alberta? Whatever the reason, the Columbus Blue seemed to have found their winning ways by getting back to the basics. While the jury is still out on the need for change in Columbus, their play over the last three games has gained them a reprieve in my eyes. I penned the following seven short days ago; “Something has to change with this team.I hope that I’m wrong and they can pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. But, failing that, it’s time for the coach to go.” But I can’t drink the Kool-Aid, just yet.

     Over the holidays last month, t-shirts were made for the team with the saying “It Starts Now” on them. They missed the start date by a few games, but as Hitchcock said “the whole season changed with the 3rd goal in Edmonton (Thursday)“. That was when, in the coaches eyes, the make or break point of the season was reached. No one knew if the tying goal by the Oilers that night would lead down the same road of recent losses for this team, or if the fortitude to win again would assert itself. The Blue Jackets have now won three straight. And they have done it by getting back to what Hitchcock has been preaching since coming to Columbus. While none of the wins were pretty, they were all basically grounded in good defensive play.

     The line combination of Torres/Vermette/Voracek has been outstanding during this stretch of play. Raffi Torres has gone 3-2-5 over the last five games while notching his 13th goal of the season Sunday. Since coming to the team, Columbus is 18-2-2 when Torres scores a goal. Watching Voracek, you can tell that he is doing his best to emulate power forward and team captain Rick Nash. The coach stated that for a 20 year old, “he’s a pretty dynamic player”. It has been said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Jake, you picked one heck of a role model.

     Antoine Vermette has been on an almost point a game pace for the last 12 games, going 5-6-11 in that time. “What I like about the game right now,” said Vermette, “is that we’re on the same page. We’re very effective and well positioned”. This line has combined for 5-7-12 over the last 3 games, and one hopes that Hitchcock doesn’t tinker with it any time soon. With Vermette on pace for a career season and netting his 101st goal Sunday, he likes what he sees with his line-mates. “Raffi’s always a threat; he’s got a good shot. And Jake, he uses his body and has great speed. He’s a full package guy. We’re going to have to keep going here,” said Vermette.

     Watching the boys in Union Blue over the last week, you can see the similarities to the way the team was playing at this time last year. It was about this time that they were icing half of an AHL team and started on the run that would eventually lead them to their first playoff appearance. The attitude seems to have changed for the better in the locker room and they all believe that they can make a similar run again this season. They are still within striking distance of the 8th spot in the Western Conference. The team hasn’t given up and by virtue of them playing better, they might have saved Ken Hitchcock’s job.

     But I still haven’t drank the Kool-Aid.

Rick Gethin is the Associate Editor of The Hockey Writers and also the Columbus Blue Jackets correspondent.

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