Captain Jack: Where Are You?

Turning the forgettable Sabres debacle in Philadelphia on as we prepared to leave our humble abode to see the long-awaited Star Wars Episode IX movie was not very pleasant. As if it was not bad enough watching the score skyrocket to 6-0 after two periods, getting information on what one would think was important Sabres news was like waiting for a Star Wars sequel as a child.

My phone was in the car, tablet charging, all-in-one in my office and I just simply did not have my laptop available. My bad, I know. I would think when your superstar captain is on the verge of tying a 49-year-old franchise record and he is missing in action, it would be discussed or updated by Rob Ray or Dan Dunleavy. I realize not much information was available. I understand the announcement came after warm-ups and before the opening face-off and was likely discussed early in the game. However, I was surprised it wasn’t addressed during the entire second period. The only time it was brought up was a vague mention of him being scratched with zero urgency or detailed information.

Jack Eichel not playing and the team being manhandled, took a huge backseat to conversations on the Tie Domi/Rob Ray intermission spectacular. The Main Event.  I admit that it was very interesting. It was very appreciated. And it brought back many memories. However, it was certainly not headline news like Jack Eichel being out of the line-up.

The same could be said for Hutton allowing six goals in. I sat wondering if he had replaced a pulled Ulmark or if he was victimized for all six.

Now Hutton did stop the bleeding at six and later I found out he had started the game. I know we are in the age of social media and any data imaginable is available on-demand in your hand, that said, the entire reason you have a color commentator and play-by-play announcer is to provide important information to the average fan. Updates. News. Facts.  Hello?!

They went about business like it was a normal day at the office. They discussed the game as if Andrew Peters were scratched, not a Hart Trophy candidate. If you were to listen to the broadcast call Hutton’s play, you would think he allowed only one goal on 40 shots. Not 6. Never once did it come up as a possibility that Ralph Krueger couple make a goalie change.

Obviously, the Sabres did not change goalies. Maybe I am way off and it was not worthy of suggesting. Maybe the coaches never considered it and that is why the broadcast team failed to bring it up. I must have been overreacting. 6-0 after two must be an acceptable standard of goaltending these days. I would think it would be addressed when the Flyers took doubled their 3-0 lead rather effortlessly.

A game with a franchise-record on the line for your captain is worthy of over-communicating no information available. The score of the game is clearly available visually in the corner of the TV screen. Detailed information is not.

Many people do not watch every game from the pregame to the post-game show. I don’t even make it back from the beer line when at the home games to see every play after intermissions. The people sitting near me give me an un-requested update when its not as important as an injured franchise player.

Jim Lorentz, Harry Neale or Mike Robitaille always provide you with the relevant (and desired) information and then some. I understand the details still aren’t clear on Eichel’s injury. He practiced on his regular line today. But that is it. That is all we know.

This was my first time disappointed with the broadcast of a game. I am certainly not seeking a confrontation with Rob Ray. I do not want my shirt pulled over my head this summer getting roughed up by number 32. I do not have a fight strap stitched inside of my summer attire. The broadcast team is usually is not even thought of which I would suggest means they are doing a fantastic job. However, in this situation, no news is certainly not good news.

Where is Captain Jack?