Game 73: BJ's 789, Hawks -3 - Mel resists the urge to fling herself off the upper bowl

Actually the score was 8-3 in favor of the Jackets, but it did feel like the score in the title.

Here's the short version of the recap, which can be summed up in two pictures:

Who knew I would so prophetic in predicting that damn cannon would go off so often I would wish I had brought my earplugs. Just call me Cassandra. The second picture was taken at some point in the third period - I was wishing for a quick painless death.

Anyway, onto the bitch session long recap:

I'd like to say I jinxed the Hawks by saying that I would enjoy watching them both clinch a playoff spot and eliminating the Jackets and also by being hopeful that Huet would put forth a strong effort. But really, I blame the jinxing on the douchebag who held up a fucking feedbag as a sign that read "We Want Niemi" during warmups. I guess he got his wish for part of a period anyway. I'm sure he was also part of the contingent of folks who booed Huet when he got named the second star during a game earlier in the year. With fans like these, who needs the Red Wings faithful.

In any case, the Jackets scored a mere 32 seconds into the first which I should have took as a sign that this was going to be a long night. Burish attempted to lift up his team by getting into a fight. I say attempted because he fought like the rest of the team played overall. Pitiful. The period ended 2-0 in favor of the BJs. Versteeg made things hopeful again by scoring early in the second. That was where it ended though as the wheels came off in this game quicker than on those crappy car models I tried to make as a kid. The Jackets followed with four unanswered goals in the period. The fourth goal was on a penalty shot by Voracek after TOFTBO hooked him on a breakaway. I snapped a picture of this moment for your reference:

After the fifth Jackets goal in which Huet didn't even bother attempting a save on, he finally got the (temporary) hook as Niemi came on in relief. Aunty gave up one more in the last minute, to give the BJs a 6-1 lead heading into the second intermission. It was at this point I wished I was back in the hotel with a wet towel over my face as I was starting to get a migraine from the cannon going off. And frostbite from the angry looks Amy was giving me as she put her fingers in her ears when said cannon was joyfully exploding.

Huet came back out for the third - a fact I never even noticed as he was on the far end of the ice from where I was sitting and at this point I amused myself more by watching the crowd instead of the shitstorm of a game. Therefore he gave up two more goals within the first four minutes of the period with one of those being on a horrible behind the net clearing attempt gone awry. While I was lamenting not bringing any grain alcohol with me to numb the pain, the Hawks ended up scoring two - by both Kopecky and Burish. Way to show up guys - I especially enjoyed Burish's exuberant celebration after making the score 8-3. Way to be a team player Burish. Fuck you.

So, we stayed for the whole debacle - after traveling and paying for the tickets I couldn't justify leaving early. That didn't stop the Columbus faithful from streaming out of the already half empty arena from about midway through the third period on. It seems most of the Hawks fans like myself also stayed. Way to support your team BJ fans. I'm glad you're not making the playoffs - hope you go another eight years before enjoying hockey in May.

So I cannot laud any member of the team after watching this game - every single player performed poorly, Missed assignments, crappy passing, piss-poor goaltending, bad penalties. This game had it all - without a doubt it was the worst hockey game I have ever witnessed in person in my entire life. Thanks Blackhawks!

To add insult to injury, it ended up snowing that night. Being clad in only my hockey jersey I froze my ass in the two block walk back to the parking garage. Then the power went out in the hotel. Thankfully, we managed to consume our pizza right before it did, but we ended up just going to bed as we couldn't even see, much less try to do something constructive. The power came back on at 1:15 so we had to get back up and turn all the lights back off. Fun.

Well, to not make this such a downer of a post, I'll put up some of my favorite pictures from warmups:

I was really excited to take pictures so close as you need body armor to get any decent pictures at the UC. I was hoping to get some better shots of Toews as he's my fave. Don't ask me what's up with Madden's helmet. He wore it like that through all of warmups which had me and Amy in stitches. For the curious, I put a ton more up in my Blackhawks Set on Flickr.

Overall I had a good time on my mini-vacation. I did like the city of Columbus and saw a lot of cool things during the trip of which I hope to post about later. This game just depressed me. Ugh Ugh Ugh.