First Period Flop Dooms Flat Jackets in 4-0 Loss to Bruins
By Steve Sirk, Columbus Wired

Once or twice a year, without fail, the Jackets seem to eschew their deserved reputation as a solid home team and instead opt to play the part of Tokyo bus to the opposition’s Godzilla. The 7-1 losses to the Kings in each of the first two seasons, the 8-0 loss to the Bruins in year two and the 5-1 loss to the Avalanche late last year leap immediately to mind.

The first twenty minutes in this year’s 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins is certainly worthy of inclusion on that lamentable list. By the time the first-period horn had sounded, the Bruins put more shots IN the net (4) than the Jackets put ON the net (3). After the Jackets were booed off the ice, Nationwide Arena probably sold record levels of beer during the first intermission. I’m talking double-fisted lager-gulping of Blackhawks-on-a-roadtrip proportions. Well, maybe not that bad, since the sellout crowd was anything but belligerent the rest of the evening. Instead, they opted to stew in silence as the inconsequential final forty minutes ticked into oblivion.

“I’m disappointed with the way we came out,” said coach Doug MacLean. “We didn’t get a save, and we didn’t show up to play. It’s discouraging. It’s one of those nights where we had no jump and they had all kinds.”

Things might have gone differently had the Jackets cashed in on a Boston miscue barely a minute into the game. Some miscommunication in the defensive third led to a drop pass to nobody in front of the Bruins goal. Rick Nash reached for the loose puck, but his backhand attempt was easily snuffed by Bruins goalie Felix Potvin, who made a nice read on the play. Nash did all he could with the unexpected gift, but it was too far away for him to do much of anything with it.

Two minutes later, I curiously scribbled something in my notebook when Marc Denis gave up a long rebound on an unobstructed shot from the left circle. I wrote “Denis long rebound (????)”, as this seemed out of character. So I jotted it down.

And then the goal barrage started. At 5:09, defenseman Dan McGillis pinched in and circled the net unimpeded. Upon coming out in the right corner, he played to defense partner Ian Moran at the point, who immediately played back to McGillis at the right circle. McGillis tip-toed to the dot and unleashed a shot that beat Denis high to the far post.

At 13:14, Glen Murray beat Denis low to the far post from the left circle on a shot that seemed to confound everyone in the building. Turns out the puck got wedged under the net somehow, which was a bit confusing as people wondered where the puck went. As the Bruins gather for a group hug, it was apparent that it was in the goal.

The Jackets then began to show signs of life. Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Dan Fritsche and Rick Nash all delivered booming checks within seconds of one another, but then Nash picked up an interference penalty giving the Bruins a power play. Having conceded five power play goals the night before in Ottawa, this was not an ideal situation for Columbus. But the Jackets killed it off, so there was hope yet.

The game would turn for good at the 14:25 mark. The Bruins sprung a 2-on-1 break with Brian Rolston and Travis Green. Rolston faked the pass to Green and the whipped a shot straight at Denis, but the puck went right through the Columbus goalie. The crowd became restless.

At 18:23, the Bruins would effectively clinch the game. Joe Thornton waltzed through the Columbus defense and Denis parried the shot into the right corner. Jeff Jillson flung the rebound back into the crease area, where it deflected off of Murray’s butt, bounced off Denis and trickled into the corner of the goal to make it 4-0.

“I was angry after that third goal and let emotions get to me, which you never want to do as a goaltender,” said Denis. “It was one of those nights where it didn’t seem like the puck wanted to hit me and stay out. The fourth one hit me and went in, actually. ”

But the 4-0 score was hardly all Denis’ fault.

“Right off the bat we came out flat and put ourselves behind the 8-ball,” said winger Kent McDonell.

The Jackets were uncharacteristically booed of the ice at intermission.

Denis was pulled in favor of Freddy Brathwaite to start the second, a move that was cheered by the fans. Brathwaite even got a mock cheer when he smothered the first puck that rolled his way. Having vented their anger, the crowd then simmered down and moped the rest of the way as the Jackets picked up the pace in the final two periods, which NHL rules required to be played.

“I thought we played stronger in the second and third periods, but that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t show up in the first,” said McDonell.

The fans may have directed their anger at Denis, but the players wouldn’t do so. “Marc’s bailed us out probably a hundred times this year,” said McDonell. “We can’t get down when they score a goal. We need to keep going. Instead, we hung back and played hesitant.”

Denis, as always, was a stand-up guy and didn’t hide from reporters. “We didn’t get off to the start we wanted,” he said. “We played a horrendous first period and I played a horrendous first period as well. I let emotions get to me after that third goal. It was a bad goal and an important one.

“There have been many nights in the building where we didn’t get off to the start we wanted, but we were able to do some damage control,” he continued. “Nights where the shot total was 14-3 for the other team, but we were up 1-0. I just didn’t hold up my part of the deal. I don’t feel sorry for the way I played, but I feel sorry for the hole I left behind me after that first period for Freddy and the guys.”

Reporters probed for answers, asking if he felt okay or felt out of whack before the game. “I actually felt better tonight than I did before the two games last week,” he said. “If goalies could understand the link between how they feel and how they play, there would be 0-0 games every night. Again, I don’t feel sorry for the way I prepared or the way I played. Obviously I would like that third one back and wish I would have come up with some big saves, but there are no excuses. I was well prepared and well rested, and I’m just hoping to be back in there in 40 hours against Phoenix.”

Many would view the first period display as inexcusable, and the Jackets players were wise enough not to offer any. Denis made none about being hung out to dry or for his own screw ups. The players didn’t make mention of injuries and lineup changes. (Iron man Todd Marchant was an especially notable absence.) Nor did the players blame playing three games in four nights.

“This is what we get paid to do,” said winger Trevor Letoski. “If you have three game in three nights, you do whatever you need to do to get ready to play.”

The Jackets’ fourth game in six days is at home Sunday against Phoenix. Let the preparations commence.

Sirk’s Three Stars

1. Glen Murray (BOS): Two goals in the first period onslaught. Scoring with your butt is automatic first-star material in my book.

2. Dan McGillis (BOS): Leisurely waltz around the rink got him the first goal of the game, then he assisted on the second.

3. Brian Rolston (BOS): His goal was the backbreaker. Also had an assist.