My 2011-12 Columbus Blue Jackets season

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My 2011-12 Columbus Blue Jackets season; How far can I carry the flag?
Tweet Topic Started: Oct 7 2011, 03:25 AM (5,905 Views)
Eriksson40	Jun 7 2012, 12:01 AM Post #211
Retired season reporter Posts: 1,087 Group: Members Member #51 Joined: April 6, 2011	trent,6 June 2012 9:24 PM I was already waiting for this. Excellent win. Good luck for game 5. +1 to that. Nice and well-earned win! Now get ahead in the series will you? For the fans?
	My 1993-1994 Flyers Season(Finished) My 1996-1997 Flyers Season(Finished) My 1997-1998 Flyers Season(Finished) My 2012-2013 Rögle Season(Finished)


Nashfan	Jun 7 2012, 03:34 PM Post #212
Charter Member Posts: 391 Group: Members Member #38 Joined: April 6, 2011	Western Conference Semifinals: Game 5 Anaheim at Columbus Here is what the playoff tree looks like going into game 5: You can see Detroit pulled one back in San Jose but still faces elimination, while Philadelphia and Montreal ran roughshod through the Eastern Conference portion of the Round. So after winning two at the Honda Center, it was back to Columbus for Game 5 with some momentum. Dorsett was out with the flu, so Huselius was back in there, but otherwise the lineups for the teams remained more or less the same. It goes without saying that the winner of this game is firmly in the driver’s seat for the series, because the losing team will have to win 2 in a row in different cities to close the series out. So against the backdrop of as much pressure as I have ever felt in a hockey video game (yes, more than I felt in Game 7 against Nashville), it was off to the Nationwide Arena to see who could take control of this series. INJURIES: ANAHEIM: Beleskey, Beauchemin out COLUMBUS: Dorsett out GOALIES: ANAHEIM: Hiller COLUMBUS: Sanford Unlike a lot of the previous games, neither team struck early. Instead, the first 12 minutes were just like the entire last game had been, primarily a defensive affair with little offensive pressure. Then, as if a switch got flipped…disaster struck. First at 12 minutes, Gordon found Cogliano with a cross-ice pass that set him up perfectly in front, and he banged home a hard one-timer to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead: This development was not a huge deal to me, I was behind early in the last game as well. However 5 minutes later Foster slid a nondescript pass to McMillan, who sent a relatively routine shot at net that Sanford botched and allowed in to make it 2-0 Anaheim at the 17 minute mark: Then a minute later it got worse, as Ryan sent a shot to the net, which Sanford gave up a horrible rebound to, and then Ryan flipped a backhander with no power that still beat Sanford easily to make it 3-0 in front of a stunned partisan crowd: I was shocked…it was the worst goaltending by far of the playoffs and was even worse than Mason was earlier in the year when he couldn’t stop anything. Fans were already headed to the exits and the first period wasn’t even over yet. For me, I had seen enough and Dekanich was off the bench and into the game: I managed to limp through the final minute of the period, but as the horn sounded it brought little solace. I had been blown out of my own building in the most crucial game I have ever played, and in only one period no less. Shots were 11-4 Anaheim and it seemed worse, and despite winning faceoffs I barely had the puck and I couldn’t get anything going. One thing was certain, I needed to do something to at least stop the bleeding before the next game, because otherwise I would limp in with virtually no chance of staying alive. So against the backdrop of utter humiliation I started the second period, hoping to be able to just show a bit of fight. Dekanich made a couple of nice saves early, and that seemed to energize my players, as they really responded to his presence in the game. I started turning the momentum around a bit, and at the 5 minute mark I even got on the board, as Johsnon drilled one from distance, which Pahlsson hammered in from point blank range as he was crashing the net, cutting the deficit to 3-1 with still 35 minutes to play: Less than a minute later, things got a whole lot more interesting. The top line moved the puck around, and then somewhat without warning Nash fired a precision shot through a couple of defenders that beat Hiller and cut a seemingly insurmountable deficit to 3-2: Now the Ducks knew they were in for a war in the second half of this game. Just as I was starting to take the game over, my aggression cost me dearly, as I took not one but two penalties within 6 seconds of each other, sending me to a 5-on-3 situation for an entire 2 minute stretch: Valiantly, my PK units fought off the 2 man advantage, repeatedly frustrating the Ducks top weapons with a series of checks and clearances. Nash especially got a lot of good work in, and the entire 2 minutes went by as the Ducks slammed their sticks down in disgust at being unable to beat Dekanich a single time after having their way with Sanford. Buoyed by the PK and the strong play in net, I completed the dramatic comeback at the 16 minute mark, as Nikitin hit a shot towards net and little-used Atkinson from the checking line chipped in the rebound to tie the score at 3 and send the crowd into a frenzy: Now it was the Ducks who were reeling on the defensive and were just trying to get to the period break with the game tied. I kept the pressure on, hoping to use the momentum to get the lead before the break. With about 90 seconds to play in the period, Smith-Pelly took a penalty and I had a man advantage and a golden opportunity to seize the game: However Getzlaf and the Duck PKers fought me off and got to the horn without conceding the go-ahead goal. At the break we were tied at 3, and I had owned the second period as the Ducks had owned the first. Shots were only 9-8 Jackets in the period, but I had the better chances and had converted 3 of them. I was also walloping them on faceoffs and was generally controlling the puck much better in the second. Heading into the third, it was anyone’s game, and the free-for-all was about to commence. The first 15 minutes of the third went, game-flow-wise, exactly how I wanted them to go. There were very few scoring chances, but the ones there were I got. Hiller was excellent in net as he seemed to recover well at the break, but I was still out-muscling and out-maneuvering the Ducks at most times and had the lion’s share of the puck. At 16 minutes, Savard got whistled for a ridiculous hooking call at center ice, and I was down a man at the most critical of times: I was determined not to lose this game to a BS power play, so I doubled down on the PK and played a few of my best shifts of the season in killing it off. Unfortunately the downside of that is that there are plenty of tired guys trying to get off the ice. Such was the case with 90 seconds to go as the top line for the Ducks hit the ice and pressured the zone. I blocked 2 passes, but the second deflected and slid straight in front of the net, where it was sitting on a platter for Getzlaf, the last player you want to see in that situation. Calmly he took the sitting puck and hammered it past Dekanich with authority, giving the Ducks a 4-3 lead and breaking my back in the process: I yelled out the loudest curse words I have probably ever screamed, and though I recovered enough to get a couple of good shots on net, Hiller unsurprisingly turned them away and I was left to watch the Ducks celebrate as the horn sounded. Shots were 10-4 Jackets in the third (23 apiece for the game), but the Ducks had converted the only one that mattered. That Anaheim was 0/3 on the PP and that I had come back from such a large deficit after a period were little consolation now. All I could do was scream and fire my controller in disgust as it had all been for naught and I was now one game from elimination. This was one of the toughest and most heart-breaking losses I have ever endured playing a game of any kind. I crafted the last 2 periods better than I have done in almost any game ever, and I still came up on the losing side at the very, very end on a puck that I deflected twice. This one is really hard to swallow and I now have to go back to Anaheim to try and win a third playoff game there in order to just get the series back to Columbus, where I haven’t won any this series. Sanford went from unstoppable to atrociously bad, and I still wonder if I should have pulled him after the second goal, and if that would have made a difference. In any event, I also think I missed Dorsett’s physical presence more than I thought I would, as I got pushed around in the offensive zone quite a bit in the first couple of periods with that line. All I can do is hope he is back and regroup for Game 6, where I will be starting Dekanich and hoping he returns to the form of last series. The goal in this one late wasn’t his fault, and he played great as I was trying to get back in it, so I am hoping that it carries over to the final game in Anaheim next time out. Until them goodnight from the Nationwide Arena, where the final heartbreaking score was Anaheim 4, Columbus 3. [DOHTML] <table border=1> <tr><td> COLUMBUS</td><td align="center">3 </td></tr> <tr><td> ANAHEIM</td><td align="center">4 </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 1st period <table border=1> <tr><td> 12:14</td><td>ANA</td><td>GOAL (0:1)</td><td>ANDREW COGLIANO</td><td>ANDREW GORDON, DEVANTE SMITH-PELLY </td></tr> <tr><td> 17:25</td><td>ANA</td><td>GOAL (0:2)</td><td>BRANDON McMILLAN</td><td>KURTIS FOSTER, GEORGE PARROS </td></tr> <tr><td> 18:54</td><td>ANA</td><td>GOAL (0:3)</td><td>COREY PERRY</td><td>BOBBY RYAN </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 2nd period <table border=1> <tr><td> 05:01</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (1:3)</td><td>SAMUEL PAHLSSON</td><td>AARON JOHNSON </td></tr> <tr><td> 05:54</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (2:3)</td><td>RICK NASH</td><td>JEFF CARTER, VACLAV PROSPAL </td></tr> <tr><td> 12:02</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>SAMUEL PAHLSSON</td><td>Tripping, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 12:08</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>MARC METHOT</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 16:23</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (3:3)</td><td>CAM ATKINSON</td><td>NIKITA NIKITIN </td></tr> <tr><td> 18:28</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>DEVANTE SMITH-PELLY</td><td>Holding, minor </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 3rd period <table border=1> <tr><td> 15:47</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>DAVID SAVARD</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 18:33</td><td>ANA</td><td>GOAL (3:4)</td><td>RYAN GETZLAF</td><td>BOBBY RYAN, LUBOMIR VISNOVSKY </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> COLUMBUS PLAYER STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> G</td><td align="center">A</td><td align="center">PIM</td><td align="center">+/-</td><td align="center">PPG</td><td align="center">SHG</td><td align="center">FOT</td><td align="center">SOG</td><td>Hits</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.JOHNSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">18:43</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.CARTER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">7</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">15:28</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.NASH</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">20:23</td> </tr> <tr><td> K.HUSELIUS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">15:17</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.VERMETTE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">18:29</td> </tr> <tr><td> M.METHOT</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">16:29</td> </tr> <tr><td> F.TYUTIN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">25:27</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.MacKENZIE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">7</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">09:54</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.ATKINSON</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">09:22</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.PAHLSSON</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">9</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">14:14</td> </tr> <tr><td> V.PROSPAL</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">18:23</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.BYERS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">07:44</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.UMBERGER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">16:15</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.SAVARD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">17:43</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.BRASSARD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">10:40</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.JOHANSEN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">16:47</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.WISNIEWSKI</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">23:01</td> </tr> <tr><td> N.NIKITIN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">20:01</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> COLUMBUS GOALIE STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> S</td><td align="center">GA</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> M.DEKANICH</td><td align="center">13</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">40:47</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.SANFORD</td><td align="center">10</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">18:53</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> ANAHEIM PLAYER STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> G</td><td align="center">A</td><td align="center">PIM</td><td align="center">+/-</td><td align="center">PPG</td><td align="center">SHG</td><td align="center">FOT</td><td align="center">SOG</td><td>Hits</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> T.SELANNE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">12:57</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.BLAKE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">13:08</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.KOIVU</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">9</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">16:58</td> </tr> <tr><td> T.LYDMAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">25:09</td> </tr> <tr><td> L.SBISA</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">21:02</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.COGLIANO</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">11:44</td> </tr> <tr><td> L.VISNOVSKY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">22:16</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.BROOKBANK</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">20:31</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.PERRY</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">21:35</td> </tr> <tr><td> K.FOSTER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11:29</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.GORDON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11:23</td> </tr> <tr><td> P.HOLLAND</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11:30</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.GETZLAF</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">9</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:41</td> </tr> <tr><td> G.PARROS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11:54</td> </tr> <tr><td> B.McMILLAN</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">08:49</td> </tr> <tr><td> B.RYAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">5</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">21:16</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.SMITH-PELLY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">17:04</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.FOWLER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:33</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> ANAHEIM GOALIE STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> S</td><td align="center">GA</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.DESLAURIERS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">00:00</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.HILLER</td><td align="center">23</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">60:00</td> </tr> </table> [/DOHTML]



Nashfan	Jun 7 2012, 09:44 PM Post #213
Charter Member Posts: 391 Group: Members Member #38 Joined: April 6, 2011	Western Conference Semifinals: Game 6 Columbus at Anaheim Here is what the playoff tree looks like going into game 6: You can see that Detroit has pulled back even and has pressed it back to San Jose where the Sharks will be looking to avoid an epic choke job. The East has been settled this round. After the great heartbreak of Game 5, I had a couple of decisions to make. One was the goaltender, which was a no-brainer. It was Dekanich’s time after he shut down the Ducks after Sanford collapsed at the beginning of Game 5. The second was strategy, which was more complicated. I have played 5 incredibly close games by using a defensive-minded strategy, figuring I’m not going to beat Hiller much so I need to protect my net at all costs. The results have been close, low-scoring games, but at this stage I had 2 and they had 3. Complicating matters further was the fact that Hiller was fatigued this game after playing so many games thus far, so the fresh but untested Ellis was in between the pipes. Was this the opportunity to go all out on offense? Or should I keep playing defense and hope that the efficiency of my shooting would go up with the backup in there? These were the questions that I pondered as I headed to the Honda Center for the final time this season, one way or another. It was back to Columbus after this…either for Game 7 or to grab my golf clubs, so everything now hinged on this game. So I made my decision: I would keep playing the way I had played the last 5, and if I went down I would go down swinging by playing my kind of hockey. And my attitude was actually a good one…no one has yet won a home game in this series, so why start now? So with some confidence and with all that in mind, it was time to take the ice for Game 6 in Anaheim at the Honda Center. INJURIES: COLUMBUS: Dorsett out ANAHEIM: Beauchemin out; Beleskey DTD; Hiller fatigued GOALIES: COLUMBUS: Dekanich ANAHEIM: Ellis This game was very, very interesting. It was a defensive war like many of the others had been, but the physical play also led to some odd-man advantages, and so in effect the offense opened up quite a bit more in this game than it had in previous ones. I knew that my margin for error was basically zero (figuring if they got the lead at home I was probably a cooked goose), so for the first 8 minutes we were both cautious but not overly so, as both offenses tried to test the net early. Ellis was holding up well and so was Dekanich, so it appeared the both teams had made good decisions in front of the net. At the 8 minute mark we got the first real event of the game as Ryan got the gate for hooking and I had the game’s first power play with a chance to quiet the crowd and force the pressure squarely on the Ducks: In just 8 seconds off the faceoff, we had a breakthrough, as Prospal and Carter played some 2-man hockey that ended up with the winger getting a sweet cross-ice feed that he was able to slip past a defender and Ellis for a one-timer and the opening goal of the contest, making it 1-0 quickly on the power play: It was a stunning turn, and the Ducks were reeling for a few minutes, but they quickly gathered themselves and the next 8 minutes resembled the first 8. As we went back and forth, neither team could gain any sort of advantage until Umberger took a hooking call at 16 minutes and it was the Ducks’ chance to hit the power play: It didn’t take long for the Ducks to take advantage of the opportunity. Just 20 seconds in some nice flash passing led to a feed from Ryan in the corner to Perry in front, and he blistered a precision one-timer past a helpless Dekanich to tie the game at 1 at the 17 minute mark on the power play: At this point the Ducks had the momentum, the crowd was in a frenzy, and they looked to put the nail in the coffin. They got the faceoff and sizzled a couple of passes, leading to a breakaway for Selanne. Luckily Umberger caught up to him, and though he took a penalty for hooking it was a good one, preventing a goal but giving the Ducks a full power play before the break with a chance to take the lead: This time, however, my PK units got their skates under them and were able to methodically kill off the time. I managed to frustrate Ryan and Perry this go-around and as the horn sounded to end the first, we were back to full strength and had ourselves a tie game after one exciting period. Both teams had scored on the PP but the 5-on-5 was a stalemate, as were shots for the most part, with the Ducks holding a slim 10-8 lead along with an 8-4 lead in faceoffs. Still I was right in the thick of it with 2 excruciating periods to go. The next goal would be paramount to the winner of the series it appeared…whichever team that might be. And so the second period began with all the pressure in the world heaped on both teams. The offense opened up considerably, as both teams managed some good stretches of offensive zone time and snapped off some quality shots. The goaltenders, however, were having none of it, as Dekanich and Ellis put on a show worthy of any great sports battle. At 5 minutes Sbisa got the gate for roughing, and I had a chance to grab the lead: Unfortunately Getzlaf was again masterful on the PK, and his mates ensured that the game stayed tied. Back and forth we went, with both teams getting good shots and then having to desperately scramble back down ice to intercept a counter-attack. In between lines were frequently changed and it was organized chaos on the ice. Away time went quickly until there were just 2 minutes left in the period, at which time Wisniewski got whistled for roughing for a vicious hit along the boards, giving the Ducks one more PP to close the second: As good as Wisniewski has been for me all year, he really needed his teammates to bail him out this time…and bail him out they did. Nash and Pahlsson repeatedly pestered the Ducks in their own zone and the defenders did a good job of closing lanes and foisting rebounds down ice, and the horn brought the end of the second period with the game still tied. Shots were 14-13 Jackets in what had been a wide-open period, but despite all the shots both goaltenders were Roy-like and hadn’t allowed a single goal. Faceoffs and puck possession were even that period, as were PP chances, with 1 each. It was the ultimate stalemate of a period, and now just 20 fateful minutes remained… And so began the third period, which was as wide open as the second was but very much had the feel of an OT period. If the next goal didn’t win, it would certainly make it very hard for the other team, so it seemed that one more goal would win the game as the puck dropped to start the period. Back and forth we went, shift after agonizing shift, with shots clanging off posts and off of the goaltenders, but nothing touching the twine in between. It was going to be a shame for either goaltender to drop this game, because both played more than well enough to deserve a W. One team would make a push, then the other would change lines behind it and speed down ice to try and take advantage. As time wore on it did become an OT period in essence, because as we hit the second 10 minutes of the period surely there wouldn’t be 2 more goals in this contest. Time ticked away, and neither team was able to break the deadlock. Then, in the final minute, we got…a penalty. With 20 seconds left, I was desperately trying to clear the puck, and had a good lane to do so. Perry came over and pinned me to the boards, but was somehow called for interference, putting me up a man at the most crucial of times. Certainly 20 seconds would be hard to score in, but in OT I would start up a man. It was a big break and certainly not without controversy, but at this point I was inclined to take it: As expected, the 20 seconds ticked away with no winning marker, and as the horn sounded we went from a de facto OT period to an actual one. Shots were 13-10 Ducks in the third, and faceoffs and puck possession were again about even. Heading into OT, I couldn’t help but feel like I had gotten everything I could have wanted. Here I was, after 60 minutes on their ice, and I had a chance to win…it was all I could ask. Bow the trick was going to be going out and getting the winning marker. But win or lose, I was prepared to take it equally, as I had played a great game and it was everything I could have wanted in an elimination game. But make no mistake, heading into OT, I was hellbent on winning. Sadly, the 100 seconds of power play time to open the OT frame were a complete and utter waste. It was poetic justice in a way for the questionable call, I suppose, but Getzlaf and the Duck PKers didn’t even let me get off a shot. So we were back to even strength, and not surprisingly the Ducks took control in the next 2 minutes. The home team could sense it, they were one goal away from the Conference Finals, so they pushed hard to get it. My lower lines were on the ice a lot and were strongly on the defensive, forced to ice the puck several times in a desperate attempt to survive. For 2 minutes I took a beating…but then…my top line got on the ice for one more shift, and they did so behind a nice clearance that saw me get the puck with a chance to move it a bit at center ice. Some quick snap passes between the 3 led to an improbably perfect feed to Nash in a position he couldn’t have drawn on a map any better that split 3 defenders, and he proceeded to smoke a howitzer of a shot…that beat Ellis and touched off a monumental celebration as Blue Jackets poured onto the ice and Dekanich and his defensemen celebrated wildly: Shots were 3-2 Ducks in OT, 39-34 in a wide open game that still only produced 3 goals. Faceoffs ended 22-16 Ducks, and each team was 1/3 on the PP. Victory! I cried out in stunned amazement when the winning goal went in and foisted my fists into the air. Ellis frustrated me all game, but I was able to do the unthinkable…go 3-0 in Anaheim and force a Game 7. It was pure jubilation. Obviously I haven’t won anything yet…all this did was get me back to Columbus for Game 7, where after all I am 0-3 in the series. However the fact that I was able to get there and the victory in Game 7 of the last series gives me a strange sense of confidence for the final encounter. I don’t know that Dekanich can play that well again, and I will likely have to cut down on the shots they take…and Hiller will be back…but still, all I wanted was a chance, and facing elimination, I delivered myself one in dramatic fashion. So the next time out is for all of the marbles…win, or go home for good after 7 of the closest and most grueling games I can ever remember playing in any video game of any kind. Thanks a million again to everyone who puts this mod together…this is really, really incredible. So tomorrow, the verdict for Game 7 will be in. For now, goodnight from the Honda Center in Anaheim for the final time, where I completed the near impossible sweep of road games with the final score being Columbus 2, Anaheim 1 in OT. [DOHTML] <table border=1> <tr><td> ANAHEIM</td><td align="center">1 </td></tr> <tr><td> COLUMBUS</td><td align="center">2 </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 1st period <table border=1> <tr><td> 08:20</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>BOBBY RYAN</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 08:28</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PPG (0:1)</td><td>VACLAV PROSPAL</td><td>JEFF CARTER </td></tr> <tr><td> 16:31</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>R.J. UMBERGER</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 16:52</td><td>ANA</td><td>PPG (1:1)</td><td>COREY PERRY</td><td>BOBBY RYAN, LUBOMIR VISNOVSKY </td></tr> <tr><td> 17:06</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>R.J. UMBERGER</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 2nd period <table border=1> <tr><td> 05:13</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>LUCA SBISA</td><td>Roughing, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 18:06</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>JAMES WISNIEWSKI</td><td>Roughing, minor </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 3rd period <table border=1> <tr><td> 19:40</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>COREY PERRY</td><td>Interference, minor </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> Overtime1 <table border=1> <tr><td> 04:01</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (1:2)</td><td>RICK NASH</td><td>VACLAV PROSPAL, JEFF CARTER </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> ANAHEIM PLAYER STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> G</td><td align="center">A</td><td align="center">PIM</td><td align="center">+/-</td><td align="center">PPG</td><td align="center">SHG</td><td align="center">FOT</td><td align="center">SOG</td><td>Hits</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> T.SELANNE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">7</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:40</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.BLAKE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:06</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.KOIVU</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">15</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">20:45</td> </tr> <tr><td> T.LYDMAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">24:14</td> </tr> <tr><td> L.SBISA</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">20:25</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.COGLIANO</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">08:29</td> </tr> <tr><td> L.VISNOVSKY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">22:31</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.BROOKBANK</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">18:22</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.PERRY</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">17:08</td> </tr> <tr><td> K.FOSTER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">5</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:37</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.GORDON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">10:50</td> </tr> <tr><td> P.HOLLAND</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">14:35</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.GETZLAF</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">13</td><td align="center">5</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">23:40</td> </tr> <tr><td> G.PARROS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11:43</td> </tr> <tr><td> B.McMILLAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">07:30</td> </tr> <tr><td> B.RYAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:23</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.SMITH-PELLY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">10:14</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.FOWLER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">23:39</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> ANAHEIM GOALIE STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> S</td><td align="center">GA</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.ELLIS</td><td align="center">34</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">64:00</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.DESLAURIERS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">00:00</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> COLUMBUS PLAYER STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> G</td><td align="center">A</td><td align="center">PIM</td><td align="center">+/-</td><td align="center">PPG</td><td align="center">SHG</td><td align="center">FOT</td><td align="center">SOG</td><td>Hits</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.JOHNSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:00</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.CARTER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">15:00</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.NASH</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">23:46</td> </tr> <tr><td> K.HUSELIUS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">13:42</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.VERMETTE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">9</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">20:19</td> </tr> <tr><td> M.METHOT</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">22:28</td> </tr> <tr><td> F.TYUTIN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">22:32</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.MacKENZIE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">04:59</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.ATKINSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">03:45</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.PAHLSSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">12</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">23:42</td> </tr> <tr><td> V.PROSPAL</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">16:38</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.BYERS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">05:25</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.UMBERGER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">19:23</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.SAVARD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:33</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.BRASSARD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">23:08</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.JOHANSEN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">15:47</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.WISNIEWSKI</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:31</td> </tr> <tr><td> N.NIKITIN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">23:00</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> COLUMBUS GOALIE STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> S</td><td align="center">GA</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> M.DEKANICH</td><td align="center">39</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">64:00</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.SANFORD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">00:00</td> </tr> </table> [/DOHTML]



trent	Jun 8 2012, 04:55 AM Post #214
Project Leader Posts: 11,048 Group: Administrator Member #2 Joined: April 4, 2011	Good luck for Game 7...!! And try to control your nerves.
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Nashfan	Jun 8 2012, 07:58 PM Post #215
Charter Member Posts: 391 Group: Members Member #38 Joined: April 6, 2011	Western Conference Semifinals: Game 7 Anaheim at Columbus Here is what the playoff tree looks like going into game 7: And the opponent for the Finals in the Western Conference will be…Detroit, who completed the epic comeback and the epic SJ choke job by winning the final 3 games to get a 4-3 series win. Game 7. Win or go home. As I listed to Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” to psych me up, I always thought that was the greatest anthem for such deciding games. Nothing else needs to be said, because there is no back story anymore. It all comes down to one game. For 60 minutes of ice time…nothing else matters. To the Nationwide Arena for the final verdict, with a berth in the Conference Finals against the mighty Red Wings at stake. INJURIES: ANAHEIM: Beauchemin out COLUMBUS: None GOALIES: ANAHEIM: Hiller COLUMBUS: Dekanich Much like the last couple of games, the first period started slowly and methodically, rather than abruptly and with a lot of action. We didn’t need to feel each other out by now, but clearly neither team wanted to make the big mistake that would set the tone for the rest of this decisive contest. And so it was at 9 minutes that we had our first significant whistle, a tripping minor on Foster that gave me the first PP of the contest: After some promising early work, unfortunately my zeal to open the scoring got the better of me, and a minute later Carter was off for cross-checking and we were to a 4-on-4 situation: 4-on-4s have almost never resulted in goals in any game this season…but at this most crucial of times, my heart sank as Koivu gathered the puck in the corner and fed a cutting Selanne with a perfect pass to the goalmouth, and he chipped it past Dekanich to give the visitors a 1-0 lead 11 minutes in: Determined not to let this game get out of hand like the last one did, I ratcheted up my level of play and got some puck possession going. Carter ended up taking the puck along the wing and got into a good shooting position, but instead of shooting he slid a pass to Nash on the low block, which seemed to catch the Ducks off guard. Nash then snuck the puck past Hiller with an expert shot top shelf, and we had a tie game at the 13 minute mark, which revived the crowd and my team: The next 5 minutes were mostly defensive, as both teams let the recent events sink in, and we were still tied so the strategy really didn’t change much. Then with about 2 to go in the period, Getzlaf went for hooking and I had one more PP to try and get the lead before the break: This was a golden opportunity, because not only did it put me up a man, but Getzlaf is by far their best penalty killer, and he was the one in the box. So I decided to take some more chances by crashing the zone, and for the next 2 minutes I threw everything at Hiller, including the kitchen and bathroom sinks. I shot it from everywhere to everywhere, long, short, deep, shallow, top-shelf, 5-hole, deliberate shots, one-timers, slappers, wristers…all unfortunately to no avail. Hiller was a brick wall and there was no way I was penetrating the fortress on this occasion. After 10 or so shots, the penalty ended and the period quickly followed. We ended the period tied at 1, with shots being decidedly in my favor thanks to the final 2 minutes, 15-6. I also held faceoffs 6-4 and I had plenty of the puck, but I was unable to finish it off with a goal. As we headed to the second, part of me felt weary that I had blown my best chance, while the other part thought that if I could keep the pressure on, the law of averages says I have to be able to cash one or two in. We had 40 minutes to decide which part was ultimately correct. And so the second period began with me knowing that if I trailed at the end, it would be virtually impossible for me to make up a deficit in the third. With that in mind, we hit the ice and the whistles started immediately. In just 23 seconds, Lydman took an interference penalty, but it took only 35 more for Johnson to go for holding along the boards, effectively setting up another 4-on-4 situation: This time both teams seemed to be leery of pushing too hard with so much open ice, lest they be caught in a counter-attack, so the 4-on-4 went by uneventfully. It took until 7 minutes until there was finally a breakthrough. Hiller got the puck and sent a quick outlet to a defenseman, but it was intercepted by Prospal, who did a quick deke and then hammered a slapshot from short range past Hiller to give me a surprising 2-1 lead and send the crowd into a frenzy: I could taste it now, I was so close…and yet there was so much time to play that I knew it was unlikely that the game would end 2-1, so the next goal would be paramount to the fate of the series and my season. If the Ducks got it, it would be a dogfight, OT-like game the rest of the way. But if I could get it, I could take command of the game with a lead that would be hard to overcome. Both teams knew all of this, so for the next 4 minutes the Ducks were more heavily aggressive, until it cost them when Parros got whistled for hooking at the halfway point: This gave me the chance I had been waiting for. After some good puck work, Vermette fired a shot, which Hiller saved but squirted out with a rebound. Johansen was there waiting for it, and he chipped it past Hiller from point blank range to give me a 3-1 lead with just 29 minutes between me and the Conference Finals: 2 minutes later however Brassard got called for hooking and the Ducks had a chance to get right back in it: However, despite the fact that my PK has struggled this series after being dominant in the Nashville series, I put together one of my best 2 minutes stretches of the season and didn’t let the Ducks inch any closer. I repeatedly frustrated their attempts to find an open shooting lane by bunching the middle, and after 2 minutes I was back to full strength. My goal at that point was to make it to the third with my two goal advantage, which I accomplished by adhering to my defense-first strategy I had been using for most of the series. As the horn sounded, the countdown was on, as I was 20 minutes away from getting out of the second round. Shots were 8-7 Jackets in a more defensive period, and I took most of the faceoffs and basically dominated the period in posting a 2 goal lead. If I could just hang on through the third, I was golden. As expected, the Ducks came out in the third with one final desperate flurry to get back in it. And desperate teams are dangerous teams, and I was firmly on my heels for the first half of the third. I was able to block most of the shots and collect the rebounds of the ones I didn’t, but I ended up having to ice the puck several times and I was never really able to get the puck out of my own zone, let alone to the Duck zone. Then at 12 minutes I had one brief breakthrough, where I got a big shot on net from the point that took a wide deflection. Nash collected the puck, slid past the crease, and fired a perfect backhander high to beat Hiller to put the nail in the coffin in what has to be my signature goal of the season: With just 8 minutes to go, the Ducks were completely demoralized, and that was it. After the flurry of offense before the goal, the final 8 had a feeling of “playing it out” as the Ducks knew the deficit was too great to overcome. Basically the last 5 minutes were a countdown celebration, and as the final horn sounded, I arose from my chair and cried out as I knew I had done it. I was on to the Conference Finals to face the Red Wings, and I had avenged last season’s loss to the Ducks in this same round. Shots in the final period were 10-5 Jackets, 33-18 for the game, and I was 1 for 4 on the PP and held them to 0/3. I won faceoffs 20-15 and really controlled my nerves and controlled most of this game. Victory! Nothing tastes sweeter than the wine of a Game 7 win. In fact, this is 2 Game 7 wins in a row for me, and this is easily one of the best experiences I have had in gaming. The next round will be horrifically difficult, as the Red Wings took it to me quite a few times during the season and play with a style that I am not very good against, but just to get here for the first time ever feels great. There are now just 4 teams remaining: Detroit will play my Jackets, and in the East Philadelphia will play Montreal: 3 of the most famous franchises in hockey, and my new blood, the improbable run of my Blue Jackets. And so this weekend I will start the next round, and thank you all for following and for the support thus far. Until then, goodnight from the Nationwide Arena, where jubilation reigns as the final score was Columbus 4, Anaheim 1. [DOHTML] <table border=1> <tr><td> COLUMBUS</td><td align="center">4 </td></tr> <tr><td> ANAHEIM</td><td align="center">1 </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 1st period <table border=1> <tr><td> 08:57</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>KURTIS FOSTER</td><td>Tripping, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 10:08</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>JEFF CARTER</td><td>Cross checking, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 10:44</td><td>ANA</td><td>GOAL (0:1)</td><td>TEEMU SELANNE</td><td>SAKU KOIVU </td></tr> <tr><td> 12:51</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (1:1)</td><td>RICK NASH</td><td>JEFF CARTER </td></tr> <tr><td> 17:48</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>RYAN GETZLAF</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 2nd period <table border=1> <tr><td> 00:23</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>TONI LYDMAN</td><td>Interference, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 00:58</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>AARON JOHNSON</td><td>Holding, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 06:56</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (2:1)</td><td>VACLAV PROSPAL</td><td>Unassisted </td></tr> <tr><td> 10:23</td><td>ANA</td><td>PEN</td><td>GEORGE PARROS</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> <tr><td> 11:17</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PPG (3:1)</td><td>RYAN JOHANSEN</td><td>ANTOINE VERMETTE </td></tr> <tr><td> 13:30</td><td>CBJ</td><td>PEN</td><td>DERICK BRASSARD</td><td>Hooking, minor </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> 3rd period <table border=1> <tr><td> 11:51</td><td>CBJ</td><td>GOAL (4:1)</td><td>RICK NASH</td><td>JAMES WISNIEWSKI, ANTOINE VERMETTE </td></tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> COLUMBUS PLAYER STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> G</td><td align="center">A</td><td align="center">PIM</td><td align="center">+/-</td><td align="center">PPG</td><td align="center">SHG</td><td align="center">FOT</td><td align="center">SOG</td><td>Hits</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.JOHNSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:14</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.CARTER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">10</td><td align="center">5</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">14:10</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.NASH</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">19:19</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.VERMETTE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">12</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">17:09</td> </tr> <tr><td> M.METHOT</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">19:47</td> </tr> <tr><td> F.TYUTIN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">21:25</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.MacKENZIE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">11:02</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.ATKINSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">09:13</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.PAHLSSON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">7</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">15:43</td> </tr> <tr><td> V.PROSPAL</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">15:07</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.BYERS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">10:26</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.UMBERGER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">17:41</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.SAVARD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">16:29</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.BRASSARD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">19:42</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.JOHANSEN</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">13:35</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.WISNIEWSKI</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">21:37</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.DORSETT</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">11:34</td> </tr> <tr><td> N.NIKITIN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:54</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> COLUMBUS GOALIE STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> S</td><td align="center">GA</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> M.DEKANICH</td><td align="center">18</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">58:53</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.SANFORD</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">00:00</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> ANAHEIM PLAYER STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> G</td><td align="center">A</td><td align="center">PIM</td><td align="center">+/-</td><td align="center">PPG</td><td align="center">SHG</td><td align="center">FOT</td><td align="center">SOG</td><td>Hits</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> T.SELANNE</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:39</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.BLAKE</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">21:48</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.KOIVU</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">13</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">20:30</td> </tr> <tr><td> T.LYDMAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">23:55</td> </tr> <tr><td> L.SBISA</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">15:54</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.COGLIANO</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">09:24</td> </tr> <tr><td> L.VISNOVSKY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">23:18</td> </tr> <tr><td> S.BROOKBANK</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">13:56</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.PERRY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">21:59</td> </tr> <tr><td> K.FOSTER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">20:39</td> </tr> <tr><td> A.GORDON</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">09:20</td> </tr> <tr><td> P.HOLLAND</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">05:37</td> </tr> <tr><td> R.GETZLAF</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">-3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">24:32</td> </tr> <tr><td> G.PARROS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">03:27</td> </tr> <tr><td> B.McMILLAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">04:13</td> </tr> <tr><td> B.RYAN</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">18:55</td> </tr> <tr><td> D.SMITH-PELLY</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">10:32</td> </tr> <tr><td> C.FOWLER</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">-1</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">23:28</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table> ANAHEIM GOALIE STATS <table border=1> <tr><td> </td><td align="center"> S</td><td align="center">GA</td><td align="center">Time</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.DESLAURIERS</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">0</td><td align="center">00:00</td> </tr> <tr><td> J.HILLER</td><td align="center">33</td><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">60:00</td> </tr> </table> [/DOHTML]



trent	Jun 9 2012, 04:38 AM Post #216
Project Leader Posts: 11,048 Group: Administrator Member #2 Joined: April 4, 2011	Congrats! And some great screen captures again... like this one: http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6379/cs711.jpg I should probably use it in the forum banners somehow.
	My Blues 1995-1996 Season Report My Blues 1998-1999 Season Report My Flyers 1998-1999 Season Report


lacky	May 12 2013, 09:05 PM Post #217
Hall of Famer Posts: 1,607 Group: Moderator Member #48 Joined: April 6, 2011	what happened with this season? damn, Jackets are in conference final ... But Nashfan lastime was on 1 October 2012, 7:10 AM
	My Sochi 2014 olympics tournament My first tournament since some break


trent	May 13 2013, 12:49 AM Post #218
Project Leader Posts: 11,048 Group: Administrator Member #2 Joined: April 4, 2011	Yeah... wonder what happened to him. His Whalers 96/97 season is also a great read. http://z15.invisionfree.com/NHL04Rebuilt/i...hp?showtopic=57
	My Blues 1995-1996 Season Report My Blues 1998-1999 Season Report My Flyers 1998-1999 Season Report


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