Since my last post about the Blue Jackets, we lost a game in San Jose on January 9th. Since then, it’s been mostly Ws both home and away. Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has won his last seven games, with a bunch of them being shutouts. With Joonas Korpisalo hurt, goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks was called up to back up Elvis. He got his first NHL start in Madison Square Garden on January 19, and came away with a 2-1 victory.
With 67 points, the Jackets are in third place in the Metropolitan division. As usual, the Capitals rule the Metro roost right now with 77 points.
In early January I mentioned the dreadful collapse of the Ohio State men. But as of this writing they have won three in a row, including two on the road where wins have been difficult to get in the Big Ten this season.
LSU had been undefeated in the Seoutheastern Conference until this week’s incredible loss to Vanderbilt, the Dores’ first conference win in a couple years. So, now, Kentucky and Auburn are only one game out of the lead with records of 7-2.
A tough break for the UK women as leading scorer Rhyne Howard fractured a finger and is out for at least another week or so. The Cats were playing well but ended up losing to an unheralded Florida team in Lexington. The Ohio State women are .500 in the Big Ten but so far have been no match for the elite teams in the league such as Maryland and Iowa.
KU4A 