Tonight is not a classic trap game. A classic trap game would be if the Blues were playing team they should easily beat tonight and a hated rival tomorrow.
Instead, the Blues are playing a team they should beat toninght and some other team we barely care about tomorrow too. But the Jackets do look like a trap-like game anyway. They are banged-up, missing their top scorer in Rick Nash, have a troubled young goalie like Steve Mason as their starter and are currently riding a six-game losing streak.
On the other hand, the streaking Blues got lucky to beat the terrible (or, as Charles Barkley would say, 'turrrrrible') Islanders on Thursday and will need to play the Jackets tonight like they're still a good team, regardless of whether that's true or not.
(It's not.)
But the Jackets are not without... whatever metaphor would be menacing for an article of clothing (nasty seams? angry frays? left-in stay pins?... what a stupid nickname). They have, after all, beaten the Blues in three of the four meetings this year and have been good at home, going 16-10-7 at Nationwide Arena And Sole Non-Ohio State Venue In Columbus. If the Blues' home record was that solid they'd have 10 more points to their total and would be in the seventh seed in the West with a chance to kove into sixth.
Sigh.
In What To Watch notes, T.J. Oshie still has a perm, Patrik Berglund has been playing like he wants to reclaim his TechnoViking moniker, Matt D'Agositini has yet to inspire a rush on his jerseys at the pro shop and Chris Mason seems to finally be harnessing some of the power of the beard. Also, Cam Janssen, your suspension... continues.
Let's avoid the trap game boys. And you, the GT faithful, well you know what's up. Do this shit.