Columbus, OH -- Earlier Saturday, after the Blue Jackets had finished their morning skate, head coach Todd Richards said that he was concerned with the speed of the New York Rangers. Somehow, between the end of his post-practice media scrum and the start of the game, he forgot to tell the guys in the room about this.
The second largest crowd (18,922) in home-opener history witnessed the Blue Jackets beat the visiting Rangers 5-2 within the friendly confines. The home town team controlled the visitors for long stretches of play, dictating what the speed of the game would be and forcing the Rangers into playing on Columbus' terms.
This game carried some weight and chippiness to it that is normally seen later in the season. This did not surprise Richards. "No, not at all", said the coach. "I think there's a dislike between the two clubs. And some of it might have to do with the history of players that played here and the players that played in New York."
"We had some heated games last year", continued Richards. "Whenever you have that history and relationship, most night's can lead to something like that. And I like it. I think the fans like it and I think that everyone in hockey likes it. It elevates the intensity of the game, the emotion of the game."
Beyond the fact that this is the youngest team in the league, a point that will be bandied about for some time, they controlled what they could control. They are showing a maturity of play that wasn't there one year ago.
"I think what (this win) says," Nick Foligno said, "is that we're learning how to win. I don't think that we know all the answers, but we're not getting rattled like maybe we were a couple of years ago. We were a young team with not a lot of experience playing against a team that was coming at them and making mental mistakes that were costing them."
"Tonight, we weathered the storm and we were able to figure out how to get out of the zone when they (Rangers) were on the full press. It allowed us to get back into the game and make it 3-1 (second period, Atkinson goal). It's been a real effort by everybody to play that way and it's working for us right now."
There's no arguing with that logic. This is a team that has pulled themselves together and does not get overwhelmed with the adversity that has reared its head. They are finding ways to win by respecting the win. One leads to other. That's your moment of Zen for Game 2, kids.
There is no underestimating the value of these two points against a divisional opponent. This was the proverbial "4 point game", albeit early in the season. There will be more of these types of games to come, as this season is in its infancy.
"It's huge", said Foligno. "If you look at our past seasons when we get off to a slow start, we're trying to catch up on those games. It's so crucial to try and get as many points as you can early on to set yourself up to have a push at the end of the season."
"We've got to continue to play this way. Anytime that you can take two points away from your divisional opponents, it's a huge thing for your team. That's what we need to make sure we do,"
The Blue Jackets are off Sunday and back within Nationwide Arena on Tuesday to host the visiting Dallas Stars.
