Rimer's Game Day Ramblings - Mar. 20
Jackets face red-hot Devils, need more Nash
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March 20
After a wild win yesterday in St. Paul, and pardon the pun, the Blue Jackets swing right back into action at Nationwide Arena late this afternoon as they host the New Jersey Devils.
I wrote yesterday that the Jackets needed to get the best out of Rick Nash and the CBJ captain delivered big time!
Nash was a man on a mission last night. He scored twice and assisted on two others leading the Blue Jackets to their 5-4 overtime win over Minnesota. Nash with the two goals reached the 30 goal plateau for the fourth straight season and it's the sixth time in eight NHL seasons that he has scored at least 30 goals.
Antoine Vermette scored the winning goal in the final minute of overtime on a fortuitous giveaway by Brent Burns of the Wild. For Vermette it was just his second goal in the last dozen games.
Now the CBJ need to get RJ Umberger going. RJ has just two goals in the last 19 games, and like Nash the Blue Jackets NEED Umberger contributing.
Lost in the excitement of the victory is the fact that the Blue Jackets set a franchise record with their 17th road victory breaking the previous mark of 16 set in the 2008-2009 season.
On to the Devils, who have made a tremendous turnaround under Jacques Lemaire. Lemaire has been behind the New Jersey bench since the 23rd of December, replacing John MacLean as head coach. Amazingly the Devils, who won just nine of their first 33 games, have climbed back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
The Devils are 23-5-2 since early January and today are eight points out of the final playoff spot in the East with eleven games to go.
Today is the first of three straight Sunday 5 p.m. starts at Nationwide and if you can't join us at the arena, the game will be televised in HD beginning with Blue Jackets Live at 4:30 p.m.
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*Throughout the season, AAA will bring you the Broadcaster's Blog - Rimer's Game Day Ramblings. The Columbus Blue Jackets' television play-by-play man will try to keep you updated on all the season action through his blogs, especially when the Blue Jackets are on the road.
