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Hodgson scores; Sabres win; Girgensons/Ennis hurt; eyes on the prize |
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Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Anton Forsberg did something against the Buffalo Sabres that a goalie hasn't done since December 13, 2014--allowed a goal by Sabres forward, Cody Hodgson.
When Hodgson's incredibly weak backhand dribbled across the goal line, it ended a 27-game drought for the much-maligned forward who finally caught himself a break. “Everyone has been saying to throw pucks on net and I’ve been doing it the last few games, shooting from some bad angles,” said a clearly relieved Hodgson. “I was fortunate to get that one.”
To say that Forsberg had a tough night would be like saying Hodgson went through a bit of a dry-spell during his goal-drought or that Buffalo just needs some tweaking to rise from the bottom of the league. The Sabres only needed 14 shots to put four goals past the 22 yr. old netminder. The 2011, seventh round pick of Columbus (188th overall) is in his rookie season after coming over from Sweden this year. He should be plying his trade in Sprinfield with their AHL team but he was forced into duty as backup to Curtis McEllhiney who took over for injured starter Sergei Bobrovsky.
The sparse crowd at Nationwide Arena, who'd endured record-breaking minus-23 degree temperatures the night before, wasn't in the mood for a performance like this. The announced crowd of 13, 671 (although the arena was only half-full) were throwing Bronx cheers at Forsberg the rest of theway after he let in a shorthanded goal by Buffalo's Zemgus Girgensons.
Girgensons outraced James Wisniewski and Cody Goloubef to a puck just inside the Jackets blueline. After Forsberg came out then balked at playing the puck, Girgensons corralled it, drove to the net and deposited a beaut of a goal for his 15th of the year. It was his third short-handed goal this season.
The Sabres got two more goals. Mark Pysyk did what GM Tim Murray had been imploring him to do more often as he joined the rush and deposited a strong wrister past Forsberg while Chris Stewart rifled a slapshot home while the Sabres were on the powerplay for his first goal in 10 games, his first point in five.
Perhaps the prevailing theme was more about a harmonic convergence than anything.
This was one of those "trap games" you hear so much about even though the team caught in this trap was 26-27-4 coming into the contest. It was the Jackets third game in four nights as they were coming off of a five-game road trip and they looked a bit tired. The Sabres had been playing very well since getting outclassed and shutout by the St. Louis Blues on February 5th. In the eight games betwixt, only one game was decided by more than one goal (a 3-1 loss to the NY Rangers) and they managed to go 2-4-2 during that stretch.
Things will become much more difficult the rest of the way as the Sabres meager offense lost their two leading scorers in Girgensons and Tyler Ennis during the game last night.
Girgensons took a slapshot directly to the outside of his right ankle and collapsed to the ice unable to get back to his skates. He was eventually helped off the ice. It doesn't look good for Girgensons as the wicked shot looked as if it hit him smack-dab on the outside ankle bone. Head coach Ted Nolan was dour on his outlook for Girgensons, simply saying that they were "concerned" about the possibility of losing him for the rest of the season.
The Ennis injury was a bit of a mystery.
As the third period rolled on we were seeing a lot of the Hodgson, Matt Ellis, Johan Larsson line and Ennis was no where to be found. It would seem as if he tweaked his left leg during the closing seconds of the second period when Goloubef checked him in the corner of the Jackets zone. Nolan called it a "lower-body" injury and intimated that it will be a day-to-day thing while also acknowledging that there will be a call-up or two, "We're one forward short," he said, "possibly two."
Who gets the call from Rochester will be interesting.
The Amerks were Cleveland yesterday morning to take on the Lake Erie Monsters at "The Q." They smoked the Monsters 5-1.
Losing top-six forwards like Ennis and Girgensons should mean that a scorer will be called up. Right wing Zac Dalpe has been playing well for the Amerks lately. A July free agent signing by Murray, Dalpe had another goal last night bringing his season total to 15 in 43 games. He had a season-high eight-game point streak recently and has goals in four of his last eight games.
The always productive Phil Varone could get another shot as he once again leads the Amerks in scoring or they could bring up Tim Schaller who's having an excellent season. Schaller's tied for the team lead in goals with 15 (Dalpe,) is second in points (38) behind Varone's 43 and his plus-7 is second only to Larsson's plus-12 for players playing 40 games or more.
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Word on the street is that the Blue Jackets may need to trade one of Cam Atkinson or Matt Calvert in the future. It was intimated to me by a couple of people. The Jackets may not have room on the roster next season with the play of Boone Jenner as well as the emergence of rookies like Alexander Wennberg and Marko Dano. It's a good problem to have save for the fact that both Atkinson and Calvert are very good players who are restricted free agents.
Of the two, my interest was piqued by left wing Calvert who was named the game's third star last night.
Calvert isn't the biggest at 5'11" 187 lbs. but he knows where to find open ice and isn't afraid of the "bloody-nose" areas. Last night he positioned himself in the slot and with stick on the ice lifted a feed from Brandon Dubinsky past Michal Neuvirth top-shelf, glove side.
He's got chutzpah as well. During one sequence he battled Sabres d-man Zach Bogosian in front of Neuvirth during a powerplay and stood his ground. Nothing came of it but he showed just how strong he is on his skates.
I'd asked a colleague if a third or fourth rounder for an all-around, two way player like Calvert was about right and he said it was right on.
He seems like the type of player that Murray would be interested in. Perhaps he can get it done for a 2016 third rounder of which the Sabres have three (STL in the Miller trade, DAL, conditional, in the Enroth trade.)
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Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Neuvirth.
He's playing extraordinarily well and has shown that the faith Murray had in him was well placed.
Neuvirth is playing so well for a last place team intent upon staying at the bottom of the league that come Monday at 3pm, Neuvirth could find a new home. At least for the time being.
There aren't any teams in need of a goalie right now, save for maybe Boston who's having a helluva time finding a quality back-up for Tuuka Rask. They have more pressing problems as well including injuries, a weak d-corps, cap-constraints and an owner who basically told management and coaches that their butts are on the line.
With the blow to Girgensons and other injuries, the Sabres may not need to trade Neuvirth as they could end up losing games 2-1 on a regular basis for the remainder of the season, but as with all things Sabres for the stretch-run, one must keep an eye on the prize.
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