Back from the dead! The Jackets are in!!

Back from the dead! Been busy with the roller coaster that is life...good things & bad things. Such is life.

My boys have clinched a spot in the NHL Stanley Cup Play-offs!! After 8.5 years of ups & downs, the Columbus Blue Jackets have finally made it to the post season. And how sweet it is!

Our young captain, Rick Nash, scored the game tying goal last night to take the game against the Chicago Blackhawks into OT. Defenseman Fedor Tyutin scored the lone shootout goal to clinch the win and the play-off spot.

A picture is worth a thousand words...


Woohoo!! Continue reading >>

Crazy weekend - Hocking Hills, Jackets hockey and parenting woes...

Hope everyone's weekend was delightful!

Ours started out great! Saturday morning, we went a little northeast to do a little winter hiking in the Hocking Hills region. We checked out Ash Cave and the climbing area up by Conkles Hollow. If it's been cold enough during the winter, a huge cone of ice forms at the bottom of the water fall at Ash Cave. It spits down from the top of the cave and ends in a small pool below. It'll freeze up like a faucet at top with the water dripping out over the ice cone below. It's pretty cool looking and very tempting to climb.

We haven't grabbed the pics off of our digital camera yet, so the pictures will be forthcoming this evening. ;)

There's a designated rock climbing/rappelling area in the park and we checked that out too. It's over by Conkles Hollow. There's a few waterfalls in that area too and they were nicely frozen. Although the big one was not quite ready...the top portion wasn't connected to the bottom part. It'll be another few weeks before it's climbable. With the unpredictable winters in Ohio, I wouldn't count on it coming in...

Later that night, I took Nick with me to the Blue Jackets game. The boys played hard but looked really discombobulated out there on the ice. Our goalie, Mase was pulled halfway through the first period. We ended up getting embarrassed, 7-3 by the Dallas Stars. Ugh.

It didn't help that Nick was not listening to me at all that night. He minds when Eric is around but when he's just with me...man, it's so frustrating. Needless to say we left early as Nick was getting cranky and mommy was getting super cranky. I don't know what it is but I've got to figure out my own way making him mind. Erg.

Like I said picture from our Hocking Hills excursion will be forthcoming so check back in later tonight! Continue reading >>

What a wild & wooly affair the Jackets game was...

Man, the Blue Jackets game versus the Calgary Flames last night was crazy! The boys in blue lost a 1 point lead 4 times, but they dug in and forced the game into a shootout. You could just see how tired Mase (Steve Mason) was. He just wasn't as sharp as he usually is and was just a second slow here and there. R.J. Umberger was checked hard face first into the glass/boards in the first by Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf. Derek Dorsett was cross checked hard in the forehead by another Flames defenseman Robyn Regher. The good guys fell, 5-4, when Todd Bertuzzi scored on the lone shootout goal, but spirits were high in the locker room.

After tonight's loss, the CBJ are 2 points from 8th place in the West and 4 points from 5th. Not a bad place to be at this point of the season. :) It'll really come down to the wire when seeing who will advance to the Stanley Cup Play-offs and who will start booking their tee times come April...

Tonight's game was the last before the All-Star game so they'll get a couple days of rest to re-charge their batteries. They'll resume next Tuesday with a meeting with the Detroit Wings at home in Nationwide Arena.

Speaking of the NHL All-Star Game... Festivities are a go on this upcoming weekend, Jan 24th - 25th in Montreal. There's a Young Star's Game, a skills competition and then there's the actual All-Stars game. Both games are like a glorified scrimmage where checking is frowned upon. This weekend is all about showcasing the NHL's top talent. Fans vote for who gets to be on the All-Star rosters. Both games will be aired on the NHL Network. In addition, the skills competition and the All-Star game will also be shown on Versus. Continue reading >>

They're dropping like flies...

Oy vey.

My boys in blue, the Columbus Blue Jackets, are dropping like flies from injuries. According to the Puckrakers blog, Mason is now 50-50 for tonight! :O

Our back-up goalie, Pascal Leclaire was put on IR yesterday and the Jackets called up Dan LaCosta from our farm team in Syracuse. And now he made be in between the pipes tonight against the high flying Capitals. Oy...

I'm not sure I want to watch, but the pull is too strong, you know?

It's like a car wreck by the side of the road & all the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles that pull you in...

You can't help but stare & gawk as you drive by...

OMG.

... Continue reading >>

A picture says a thousand words...

Columbus Blue Jackets 6, Colorado Avalanche 1

Jackets are now 8th seed in the West!

Let the wondrous play-off race begin...


That is all.

:)

Continue reading >>

Just looked at the NHL standings...

The boys in blue play tonight in Denver at the Pepsi Center, home of the Colorado Avalanche.

In reading up on each teams' line-ups I noticed that the CBJ are currently the 9th seed in the West, tied with Minnesota with 38 points. Ironically, Colorado is the 8th seed with 39 points.

Tonight's game is big! This whole road trip is big as it'll pretty much determine where the guys will be for the rest of the season. There's still a ton of work to be done, don't get me wrong!

They shut out the Philly Flyers last Sat. They shut-out the LA Kings this past Monday. And they shut-out the Anaheim Ducks on Weds.

They'll take any and all points at this time... :p

And what do ya know, Mason has been named Rookie of the Month by the NHL for the month of December! Two months in a row!



Ride that hot 'tender! ;)

Go Jackets! Continue reading >>

Do you remember that card game, BS?

Well, you could hear all of Blue Jackets fandom yell out 'Bullsh!t' last night...

The boys in blue were in Dallas playing the Stars. It was a very hard fought game full of checks, goals, fights, cheap shots & horrible goaltending. The Jackets came back from 4-2 & 5-3 deficits to force overtime. 13 seconds in Manny Malholtra skates the puck into the offensive zone & fires a backhander at Stars goalie Marty Turco. Since Malholtra is so close to the blue paint of the goal crease & being checked from behind, he's skating by Turco on one foot. The puck bounces of of Turco and hits Manny's skate and into the net. The Stars ended up winning the game via the shootout.

Both refs on the ice motion & call it a goal, but the little light over the officials table in between the benches lights up. The video room in Toronto is reviewing the footage. What seems like 10 minutes later, they, Toronto, overrules the refs & waves the goal off saying because Manny made a distinct kicking motion and kicked the puck into the net.

What the f$#@k?! How?!

Here's a video posted on Youtube of the "goal".

He wasn't even looking for the puck. He was being backchecked by a Dallas player and he was trying not to kick/cut Turco on his way by. It seems like every time we have something review by Toronto, the CBJ get shafted. It was hard enough to get respect from other teams, but this is getting a bit ridiculous, no?

Here's the definition of a goal from the official NHL Rulebook...

49.2 Goals - Kicking the puck shall be permitted in all zones. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who uses a distinct kicking motion to propel the puck into the net. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who kicks a puck that deflects into the net off any player, goalkeeper or official.

A puck that deflects into the net off an attacking player’s skate who does not use a distinct kicking motion is a legitimate goal. A puck that is directed into the net by an attacking player’s skate shall be a legitimate goal as long as no distinct kicking motion is evident. The following should clarify deflections following a kicked puck that enters
the goal:

(i) A kicked puck that deflects off the body of any player of either team (including the goalkeeper) shall be ruled no goal.

(ii) A kicked puck that deflects off the stick of any player (excluding the goalkeeper’s stick) shall be ruled a good goal. Any time the puck has been kicked, makes contact with any stick, and then deflects off any player (excluding the goalkeeper) into the net, it will be ruled a good goal.

(iii) A goal will be allowed when an attacking player kicks the puck and the puck deflects off his own stick and then into the net. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who kicks any equipment (stick, glove, helmet, etc.) at the puck, including kicking the blade of his own stick, causing the puck to cross the goal line.

Continue reading >>

Thanks for the well wishes!

I spent some time last night sorting out what I'd like to bring to the little craft extravaganza at work. Then I got to work making extras of those pieces...

Whoo-doggy! I only got some earrings done, but I'm thankful that I've got some time to prepare.

I completely forgot that the Blue Jackets were playing last night. And thankfully I did because they apparently played a real stinker of a game too losing 7-2 to the Edmonton Oilers. Oy. Reading the game recap at the Columbus Dispatch, it looks like our special teams play, power play & penalty kill, killed us. Our netminder letting in 4 goals in 11shots in the third period didn't help either...

I bet there will be a team meeting this morning and practice will be a toughie. They have 3 days including today to work on special teams as they fly down to Hotlanta to play the Thrashers on Saturday night. Continue reading >>

"Holy moly, whatta goalie!"

In the exuberant words of Blue Jackets radio broadcaster George Matthews, "Holy moly, whatta goalie!"

Our number one goaltender, Pascal Leclaire, was back in the pipes last night for the Jackets 6-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The boys payed an excellent game and Leclaire showed no rust from his re-cupped ankle!

The game was not slated for viewing consumption on tv, so I was unable to watch it. I could have listened to the game online, but I was cleaning house.

According to the game wrap-up in the Columbus Dispatch today, the boys scored four goals on their first 8 shots on net. Crazy, but I love it! :)

Here's a cut & paste screenshot of the Yahoo! boxscore.

Continue reading >>

More goalie love :)

You remember my post about our goalie, Steve Mason? Our goalie, like he belongs to my friends & I...ha! The Blue Jackets rookie goaltender.

And I was going on about how I love profile shots of goalies. Well I found another profile shot of Mason. This time it's a 3/4 portrait. Love the intensity!

Courtesy of Kyle Robertson, the Columbus Dispatch

They play tonight in Buffalo against the Sabres! I hope Coach Hitchcock has lit a fire under their arses and they won't play like crap like they did this past Wednesday night.

Go Jackets! Continue reading >>

Bummer of a Jackets game... :(

Man...bummer of a game tonight at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets lost to the Phoenix Coyote, 5-2.

They played hard and scored 2 goals late in the third period, but it was too little too late. The 'Yotes played very well and their goalie was excellent!

But you know what? Rick Nash finally got out of his slump!

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Voracek got hit inadvertently in the face by Jokinen's stick, but it should have been called. Jokinen did get called for cross checking but he should have also gotten another 4 minutes for hitting Voracek in the face with his stick and drawing blood!

Crap, I say. Utter crap!

Oh well...

The boys travel to Buffalo on Friday to play the Sabres in their barn. Hopefully they won't hang our goalie out to dry like they did tonight! Continue reading >>

Some goalie love... :)

How about that that kid, Mason, who's been in goal for the Blue Jackets?! He's been named one of the NHL players of the week! Congrats Steve!

Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Terry Gilliam

Over the summer, he had surgery on both of his knees and probably went through pretty painful and intense physical therapy to get back into working shape. He spent the rest of the summer getting into game shape. He wins the first 3 games of the season down in the Jacket's AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. Then he's called up to the big club and wins his first NHL game ever as well as the next 2 games.

He's been said to be THE top young goaltender prospect in the NHL.

Here's another shot of Mason courtesy of REUTERS/Matt Sullivan (UNITED STATES). I LOVE profile shots of goalies! You can just see the focus and concentration in their eyes...


Pretty sweet, eh?

:) Continue reading >>

Underground in a Cave & Cheering the Boys in Blue

Did a little caving for the first time this weekend!

Saturday, my boyfriend, Eric wanted to do a little mapping of a cave up in the Columbus area so we headed up there this weekend. He had invited his best friend Jon and our mutual friend Adam to come check it out with us.

Pretty cool and a little claustrophobic. I only went about halfway as I got a little freaked out partway in. Still very cool none the less.

Here's a pic that Eric snapped of me before the camera got FUBAR'd. My expression is priceless...lol!



The only thing that didn't go so well is that our digital camera didn't fare too well...the LCD screen was smashed in a bit. :(

We'll have to see how much it'll cost to replace it. Preliminary findings on eBay aren't too bad. About $90 for a replacement LCD screen...

Later that night, Eric's sister & I went to the Blue Jackets game. The boys in blue won! 3-1 against the Calgary Flames! Go Jackets! It's so exciting to see the team jelling as the season goes on. Continue reading >>

How about dem Blue Jackets, eh?!

Crazzzy game last night at Nationwide Arena! Get the lead 2-0, lose it 4-2 & win 5-4 in regulation.

It's going to be a helluva ride this season!

Derrick Brassard scores another goal and he's recuperating from the flu still. Calder trophy! Give this guy that hunk of glorified metal.

Awesome!

I'm so jazzed for the Calgary game Saturday night! Woo! Continue reading >>

On colds, Blue Jackets, the election & jewelery...

Man...I hate being sick! It's oh so lovely when it's compounded with a constantly runny nose, sinus congestion and a slight headache. Oy. Maybe its not a cold at all but a sinus infection? Even better. :|

I left work a bit early today so I could vote. Seeing as this was probably the most important election in my lifetime, I though it be for the good of all to vote. :)It was very surprising to walk into my place of voting and see no line at all. Wow. no line at 5pm. I was expecting to wait for at least an hour. Guess I was wrong.

Preliminary reports coming from CNN are saying that Obama will be the next President but I'd rather wait until the official results are in. There are a lot of places that still have to report in.

How about them Blue Jackets, eh? They're working hard but they're not picking up all the points that they can. Working & playing hard but losing in OT or in the shoot-out. It's early in the season, I'm willing to see how the boys progress before I lambast them. How about Derick Brassard & Jake Vorcek? Our rookies are kicking some ass! At the pace that Brassard is picking up points, looks for him to be a Calder Trophy canidate. Go Brass!

I finally got around to photographing this awesome choker that I made a few days ago. I was inspired by Queen Elizabeth I and the Golden Age.



I've uploaded some pics to my Flickr account and listed it in my Etsy shop! Continue reading >>