By Eric Smith
FOX Sports Ohio
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Blue Jackets were repaid by the NHL for their trip to Sweden with an almost week long break when they got home and now Columbus gets some home cooking for awhile as they play four out of their next five games and eight out of their next eleven at Nationwide Arena.
The league wasn't kind enough to just put the two points for each game up on the board so the Blue Jackets still need to go out and earn them. After the opening night disaster, the team needs to build up not only their home ice advantage but also some fan belief.
Let's also be honest that the Blackhawks are currently just a better team than Columbus and thus the lose. What also is evident is that the Wild aren't on par with the Blue Jackets this season and Columbus took care of business. So to be fair, the union blue has beat a team they should have beat, lost to a team they were suppose to lose to and split with San Jose who most feel is a superior team in the Western Conference.
What this leads to is that if the Blue Jackets want to get to the play offs, they need to beat the team they should and protect their home turf. This starts with Anaheim, who, currently, could be the worst team in the Western Conference. The Ducks have added veterans Toni Lydman and Andreas Lilja to their roster over the last two games where they have collected three out of a possible four points. Lydman also has scored a goal in each of those games. The Ducks are 0-3-0 on the road so far this season and the Blue Jackets must take advantage of a team that is being out scored thirteen-to-two when they are sleeping in a hotel.
Then when Friday hits the Blue Jackets will need to deal with the Calgary Flames. Just like Randy Carlyle with the Ducks, Brent Sutter is being rumored by the Ottawa Sun as being on the hot seat. Turmoil is never a good thing when a team is trying to get off to a good start. It also doesn't help when the team is struggling to score as they are 29th in the league only averaging two goals a game.
Also, to the advantage of the Blue Jackets is that the game will be the second game of a back to back and the third game in four night on the road for Calgary.
These are the first two games on this stretch and, just like the team, we can't get to far ahead of ourselves as everything can change in one shift let alone one game. Just think back to the way the fan base felt about the team after they got back from Sweden as most were all smiles. Then after Chicago, fans were ready to burn their season tickets. A trip to Minnesota and a gritty effort along with a regulation win and fans are thinking this team isn't that bad. A lot of things are too early to tell with this team as they are still getting up to speed with the new system, some blue line injuries and getting over the Sweden hang over. One thing is not too early to declare and that's the need to win on home ice which needs to start on Wednesday.
For constant updates about the Blue Jackets and the NHL, follow Eric Smith on Twitter at @EricSmith_FSO
