So sorry that I didn't write recaps on the past three games I just didn't feel like writing them because it was my spring break so here's the post about all three.
3/28/12 Red Wings @ Blue Jackets
So from the start the game got off to a rocky start with Steve Mason being injured during the morning skates so we signed Shawn Hunwick a standout goalie out of the University of Michigan to a professional tryout contract to backup Allen York. Luckily Ty Conklin was starting in goal for Detroit.
Early on Conklin let in a weak goal off the stick of Vinny Prospal and Derek Dorsett scored on a break away to give the Jackets a 2-0 lead early on. The Jackets clearly were hustling out there trying to help York out they killed off a really key 5-on-3 but for all their hustle they still let in a PP goal off the skate of Jack Johnson that was scored to Henrik Zetterberg. But Allen York stood tall and held his own in the crease and recovered for a solid 2nd. 15 minutes into the 2nd Nikita sprung Brassard on a breakaway and Brass made no mistake in putting the puck past Conklin to make it 3-1. Only a minute later Atkinson and Umberger found themselves with a 2 on 1 going into the Detroit zone and Umby easily put it past Conklin to make it 4-1. The Jackets kept their defensive game going until halfway through the 3rd when Niklas Kronwall. But the Jackets held up against the wings late 3rd period push for the 4-2 win which was Allen York's first win in net.
My Three Stars:
Allen York: Stood tall in net for his first win
R.J. Umberger: Had a goal and an assist to keep on his hot streak
Nikita Nikitin: Had two key assists and was solid on defense
3/30/12 Florida Panthers @ Blue Jackets
Another game versus a good playoff team with Allen York in net for the Jackets. With Hunwick still on the bench to backup York if need be.
The Jackets got off to another quick game with Umby converting a 2-on-1 with Brassard. The rest of the period was a tight defensive game with the Jackets locking it down. 12 minutes into the 2nd period Nikita scored from the point on the PP. The rest of the 2nd was dominated by the Jackets and they carried that momentum into the 3rd period with Nikita scoring again from the point 4 minutes in. But 4 minutes later a rebound off of York's pads found the stick of Tomas Kopecky and he made no mistake potting the goal to make it 3-1. Then with one minute left in the game and the Panthers net open Umby scored the empty-netter to make it 4-1 and that ended the scoring to give the Jackets a two game winning streak.
My Three Stars:
Allen York: Again played well in net to get his second win
Nikita Nikitin: Had two key goals and played great defensively
Jack Johnson: Didn't have a point but played over half the game with over 30 minutes logged on the ice
3/31/12 CBJ @ STL
This was bound to be a tough game for the Jackets with York still in net due to Mase and Sandman being injured they faced off against one of the top teams in the league right now and they stood tall.
The game started off quickly with Boll scoring after charging into the crease 7 minutes in for his second goal of the season to make the score 1-0. But the Blues fought back to score a quick goal only a few seconds later off the stick of David Backes to make it 1-1. The rest of the period was a back and forth defensive battle until Umberger intercepted a STL pass at the point and brought it in for a break-away and put it past Halak to make it 2-1. The 2nd started with back in forth action for about half of it but Umby finally broke through again scoring on the PP to make it 3-1. The Blues then made a late period to try to tie it up with David Perron scoring off the post to make it close at 3-2. But it was the Jackets who carried momentum into the 3rd period with Derek Dorsett scoring on the PP halfway through to make it 4-2. And with the period rounding down and desperate to score the Blues pulled Halak for the extra skater, but it backfired and Vinny Prospal shot a laser across the ice for the empty netter. And that's all she wrote for the Jackets past three wins.
My Three Stars:
Allen York: Continued to play confidently in net for his third win
R.J. Umberger: Continued to stay hot with 2 goals
Rick Nash and or Cam Atkinson: Both had 2 key assists tonight.
And My Three Stars for this win streak:
Allen York: Came in with no good NHL experience but played great without him we'd definitely be 0-3 in these 3 games.
R.J. Umberger: Stayed hot after his hat-trick night with 5 goals and 1 assist during these 3 games
Jack Johnson: Granted he only had 1 point in these three games but he also had 86 shift over those 3 games and played a total of 88 minutes and set franchise records for ice time.
Again sorry for the tardiness it was just spring break and I was being lazy.
