Blue Jackets Fall in Playoff Opener

April 16, 2009 by J. Justin Boggs

Despite a well played first period, the Columbus Blue Jackets dropped their first ever playoff game 4-1 in Detroit against the Red Wings in game one of the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals. Game two is in Detroit on Saturday night.

The Blue Jackets drew four Detroit penalties in the first period. None as big as a high stick on Rick Nash committed by Detroit’s Brian Rafalski with 1:48 remaining on a Red Wings power play. Despite numerous power plays, both goaltenders were sterling. Detroit’s Chris Osgood stopped 13 shots, and Columbus’ Steve Mason countered with stopping all of 14 Red Wings shots.

 
Detroit gained the momentum in the second period, and did not let go the rest of the game. Detroit outshot Columbus 20-8 in the final two periods of the game.
 
“We dominated the first period,” Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash said.
 
Jiri Hudler opened scoring with a wrister past Mason 10:48 into the second period. Less than a minute later, R.J. Umberger scored on a trickler through the five hole of Osgood to tie the game. One would think that Umberger’s notch be a huge goal, but Detroit countered with three unanswered goals.  Jonathan Ericsson scored 14:21 into the second on a misplayed blocked shot attempt by Columbus’ Manny Malhotra. It was only Ericsson’s second career goal.
 
"We've made that mistake before and it cost us the same way," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That's an easy, simple save for Mason."
 
Things for Columbus continued to spiral out of control.  Antoine Vermette committed a costly a costly hooking penalty on Detroit’s Marian Hossa just 40 seconds after the Ericsson goal. Detroit just needed eight seconds of the two minute power play as Niklas Kronwall’s shot from the right point beat the glove of Mason as Johan Franzen screened Mason’s vision giving Detroit a 3-1 lead.
 
Detroit knocked Columbus out with a Franzen goal 2:54 into the third as his shot snuck past the right pad of Mason.
 
The Blue Jackets’ special teams were awful; especially their man advantage. They went 0-8 on the power play and were 4-5 on the penalty kill.
 
Columbus did add depth after the regular season ended as wingers Fredrik Modin and Kristian Huselius were added to the lineup after being injured. Also the team made several call-ups from AHL Syracuse. When asked in his post-game press conference is he was going to change the lineup following the game, Hitchcock simply responded, “yes.”
 
Material from team web sties were used in this report.