That's a question I was endeavoring to answer yesterday evening when I switched to COMCAST Channel 773 for the late afternoon game between Columbus and LA. As it turned out, it didn't take long, as Martin Prusek gave up three goals in the first 4:43 of the first period en route to a 8-2 trashing at the hands of the Kings.
Both Craig Conroy and Alexander Frolov had hat tricks for the winners. About the only entertaining element of the entire broadcast was when Jeremy Roenick (at least he's good for something) interrupted a between periods interview with Conroy by sticking his head into view of the camera and growling in Conroy's face.
I was going to write a post on the Blue Jackets as the worst team in hockey over the weekend. I caught their game with the Oilers (it was Friday, I believe), and it was just unbelievably poor on Columbus’s part.
I was just speaking with a college goalie over the weekend. He brought up the play of Columbus goalie Mark Dennis a few weeks back against San Jose.
He actually made a number of outstanding plays, but late in the game there was a 5 save in a row sequence, with a goal being scored on the 6th shot. He went down and made a save, sprawled out for a kick save, got up for a save on a rebound. Moved across the crease to make another on a deflection, and then finally when he was splayed on the ice a second time, someone tapped the puck in over his leg pad. He looked up at the roof afterwards and slammed his stick on the goal.
I think the Columbus defenseman were just watching him. At least Luongo had a little support in front of him in 03-04, Dennis has zero.
Damn you google, I knew it was Denis not Dennis.
Seeing that it was an early game, I was going to catch it; but I decided to stick with the afternoon NFL action instead. I’m kicking myself over it; I’ve always had a soft spot for the Kings.
It’s hard to figure the Jackets’ defensive ineptness. They’ve always targeted top-flight veterans on the blueline: Darryl Sydor and Luke Richardson a couple of seasons ago, and Adam Foote this year. But no dice.