Aggressive

The Jackets win again on home ice against a solid opponent. The team downed the Kings 4-2 in a chippy, fight-filled game. Mason faced only 19 shots as the team has hunkered down. Hopefully the inspired play will continue as Columbus has a long way to go to even get to a competitive level in the tough Western conference.

Coach Scott Arniel "When we play with a little bit of any edge, when we play like we're pissed off, when we play in the hard areas and go there first ... that's usually when better things happen for us."

4-2 loss in Buffalo comes down to special teams. While the hapless Blue Jackets went a horrid (even for them) 0 of 6, the Sabres went 2 for 3. Conveniently, the margin of victory. Columbus is an unworldly 10% with the man advantage on the season. Despite peppering Ryan Miller's stand-in for 43 shots, the team just cannot score on consistent basis. Jeff Carter is still out. What a mess.

Off the schneid

The Jackets outhit, out hustled, out scrapped and outscored the Red Wings to earn their first victory of the season. The home crowd was given the rare opportunity to see a focused squad playing with a determination unseen this season. The team wwas desperate and played like it.

It was a game of firsts:

• Wisniewski made his debut after serving an eight game suspension and logged an impressive 27 minutes on the blue line.


• Umberger scored only 21 seconds into the game to net his first goal of the year


• Ryan Johansen's shot knuckled off a Red Wing glove into the net for his first goal


• John Moore joined the "first" party with his goal in the second period

The worst possible scenario

Still looking for the first win of the season. The team looked outmatched, and they were, by the Red Wings. No end in sight as the team is misfiring in all possible ways. The embarrassing 1-on-4 goal given up the other day is just indicative of a rudderless team.

Still think firing Ken Hitchcock was a good idea, Howson?

The same old song

People starting talking up the Jackets based on some exciting off-season signings. The expensive and yet-to-play-due-to-suspension James Wisniewski and Jeff Carter. The signings cannot hide what people who follow the team know. The team lacks scoring punch, the power play is horrid, and Steve Mason is usually the only hope for victory. Less than 9,000 people came to see last night's game, a shootout loss to Colorado.

The power play is 0 for 5. Not in chances, in games. No conversions by the unit in the five games. O for the season... Good times!

Off & stumbling

Would've been nice to get off to a good running start, but Columbus has stumbled out of the gate heading into turn one. The loss at home to Vancouver (and Cory Schneider, not Mr. Luongo) drops the team to 0-3; a solid effort not rewarded with a win. 0 of 5 on the power play... seems vaguely familiar.