At the start of last night's game against the Minnesota Wild, two things made people think "alright, this game is already lost." The first was the fact that the Blue Jackets wore their third jerseys that had been deemed "cursed" by the team and were thought to never be worn again. The second was that struggling goalie Steve Mason was back in net after being pulled in three of his last four starts..
However, neither of those circumstances led to defeat, as the Blue Jackets were able to pull out a 4-3 shootout victory. Mason was given the game's first star, as he stopped 37 of 40 Wild shots and came up with some big saves late in the game.
Mason allowed a quick first goal on only the third shot by Minnesota and the big question was how he would bounce back. He could not get down on himself as this was seen as a "must-win game" for the Blue Jackets, who are trying to stay relevant in the West. Before the game, goaltending coach Dave Rook stated that Mason had dug this hole, and was the only one who could get himself out. Mason must have taken those words to heart because he did not let the early goal get to him.
"After having the first go ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Patrick Drottar
With Win Over Wild, Blue Jackets’ Mason Looks to Rebuild Confidence, Trust
December 28th, 2010 by Patrick Drottar Leave a reply »
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