Columbus Dispatch
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Columbus Blue Jackets News Clips April 18, 2018 Columbus Blue Jackets PAGE 02: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | Alex Ovechkin’s prediction bold, but not outrageous PAGE 04: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | Ian Cole retains sense of humor after losing teeth PAGE 06: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | Players can’t wait to feed off crowd in Nationwide Arena PAGE 08: Columbus Dispatch: Even in defeat, Blue Jackets were still tough to beat PAGE 10: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | Third straight overtime game a rarity PAGE 12: Columbus Dispatch: Capitals 3, Blue Jackets 2, 2OT | Lars Eller sends Jackets to late loss PAGE 14: The Athletic: Chew on this: Blue Jackets' Ian Cole tucks retainer of false teeth behind his ear as he dines PAGE 16: The Athletic: Blue Jackets fans learning about the torture of playoff overtime and the random heroes it can create PAGE 19: The Athletic: Tight series, sure, but 'resilient' Blue Jackets have barely held the lead through three games Cleveland Monsters/Prospects NHL/Websites PAGE 23: The Athletic: Max Pacioretty’s value in dollars and on the trade market doesn’t help the Canadiens PAGE 29: Sportsnet.ca: Connor Hellebuyck comes up with 'textbook' bounce back game for Jets PAGE 31: Sportsnet.ca: Responsibility for Flames' collapse not solely on Gulutzan PAGE 34: USA Today: Golden Knights complete sweep of Kings, and they look poised for even greater things 1 http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180417/blue-jackets--alex-ovechkins-prediction-bold-but-not- outrageous Blue Jackets | Alex Ovechkin’s prediction bold, but not outrageous By Steve Gorten – April 18, 2018 Alex Ovechkin’s assertion Tuesday morning in Nationwide Arena that the Washington Capitals would win Games 3 and 4 against the Blue Jackets and return home with the best-of-seven NHL playoff series tied was bold, but not outrageous. Blue Jackets defenseman Ian Cole can attest to that. Cole’s former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, won the first two games in Washington in a playoff series against the Capitals last season but still needed seven games to advance. While the Caps didn’t win both Games 3 and 4 on the road, they won two of the three games in Pittsburgh. And in 2009, the Caps lost the first two at home and overcame a 3-1 series deficit to beat the John Tortorella-coached New York Rangers in seven. So while history isn’t on their side — according to Hockey Reference, only 19 times in 103 attempts has an NHL team lost the first two games at home and gone on to win a series — the Capitals could still keep the Jackets from their first series win in franchise history. “They have future Hall of Famers galore on that team. We’ve got a ton of respect for them as a team and what they can do,” Cole said. “To put ourselves in the best spot, we need to realize how dangerous they are. We have an idea with the first two games, and we know in this room we can play better and put ourselves in a better spot. Certainly by taking less penalties, and doing a better job against their power play, which is one of the best in the league and has been for a decade now.” Said defenseman Seth Jones, “It’s not over. They’re fully capable of coming in and winning games. We understand that with the offensive firepower they have. We’re not taking anything lightly here. We’re not going to lose a game and see what happens the next. We’re going to try to come out and make a statement right away in front of our fans here.” The Jackets were trying to match the number of playoff wins (three) from their previous three appearances combined, but Cole said the team can’t focus on the significance of its achievements. “Whatever history we create is a side effect of winning hockey games,” he said. “The more we concentrate on trying to win each and every individual game, rather than what we’re doing in terms of franchise history or relevancy in the league, we’ll put ourselves in a better spot.” Holtby gets the call Braden Holtby received his first start of the series after replacing Philipp Grubauer in goal to start the third period of Game 2. Holtby allowed one goal on eight shots in the Jackets’ 5-4 overtime win. 2 Entering Tuesday’s game, Holtby was 14-4-2 with a 2.62 goals-against average in 21 games all-time against the Jackets. His .932 career save percentage in the playoffs ranked second in NHL history among goalies who’ve played at least 50 games. Vrana fills in Jakub Vrana replaced injured left wing Andre Burakovsky on the second line. Burakovsky didn’t make the trip because of an upper-body injury suffered on a Game 2 hit by Boone Jenner. Jenner, who had a team-high five hits in the game, said of being physical, “It’s something that’s ramped up in the playoffs, and something I can bring, drag guys in and ignite (the team) a little bit that way.” Milano accepts role Rookie left wing Sonny Milano, who remained in the lineup, said he hadn’t talked to Tortorella about why he received only 3:13 of ice time (five shifts) in Game 2 but wasn’t upset about it. “It was still a good experience,” said Milano, whose only other playoff game came last season against the Penguins. “Obviously, I want to play a little more, but at this time of the year, it’s about the team. When I get on the ice, I’ll just try to do my best and see what I can do.” Just getting started Cole said the team’s younger players were”jacked up” after two wins in two overtime games, and their enthusiasm “certainly helps a team” during the grind of what the Jackets hope will be a long playoff run. Noted Cole, “Guys are commenting, like, ‘Oh, man, blocked a ton of shots already. I feel pretty beat up.’ I’m, like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got two more months of this.’ ” No Wennberg again Center Alexander Wennberg missed his second game because of an upper-body injury. He didn’t participate in the morning skate. Nick Foligno again centered Wennberg’s linemates Boone Jenner and Thomas Vanek. “We were talking earlier, and we want to be better (in Game 3),” Jenner said after the morning skate. “That was our first game together, but we want to keep going in the right direction and create some more (scoring) chances.” 3 http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180417/blue-jackets--ian-cole-retains-sense-of-humor-after-losing- teeth Blue Jackets | Ian Cole retains sense of humor after losing teeth By Steve Gorten – April 18, 2018 Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella elicited laughter with his response to a nondescript question about defenseman Ian Cole on Sunday. “One thing that’s pretty cool, when he doesn’t have his (false) teeth in his (mouth), he wears them on his ear,” Tortorella said, admiringly. “I’ve always asked him why. Still haven’t gotten a straight answer on that. He’s got some old-school in him.” So what is the story behind Cole’s dentures? “I got my teeth knocked out this year,” he said after Tuesday’s morning skate in preparation for Game 3 of a first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals at Nationwide Arena. “So I have what they call a flipper — basically three teeth on a retainer. Everybody that’s had retainers or braces knows, me included, it’s pretty easy to lose those retainers. “It’s kind of a half-moon shape, so when I’m eating, can’t eat with it in, drinking coffee or whatever, I’ll take it and put it up on my ear like a pencil,” Cole continued. “Just so I know I won’t lose it. Because otherwise I’ll leave it in a napkin on the table. It seemed like a good place to put it so I wouldn’t lose it. (Tortorella) saw it the first time and said, ‘Whaaaat the heck is that?!’ I thought it was a good idea. Maybe I need to rethink where I put my teeth.” Replacement teeth are common in the NHL, but Cole said he’s the only Jackets player who stores them on his ear. “Well, if I forget it, I know where it is,” Cole explained. He said he had never lost teeth in his hockey career until a Roman Josi slap shot struck him in the mouth the third game of this season. The then-Pittsburgh Penguin had gone down to block the drive, just as he had done so often the season before when he blocked 194 shots — third-most among NHL defensemen and a Penguins franchise record. During the next few days, Cole had loose bone pieces “clipped out” of his jaw and relied mostly on smoothies, soup and rice cakes for sustenance. The son of a dentist, “I had really nice, perfect teeth the whole way, almost eight years (in the NHL) with no teeth knocked out” before the incident, Cole said. “Then Josi puts a one-timer right in my teeth. (My dad) always told me to wear a mouth guard, which I was wearing at the time, but when a hundred mile (per hour) slap shot is coming right at your face, it doesn’t really do too much. So he was, like, ‘Well, you know what, you tried.