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Playing .500 and Weekend Back-to-Back |
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By Tom T
ver the past two weeks the CBJ have been .500. With 19 games left, winning 10 and losing 9 would leave the Jackets with 95 points. The last time a team in the East made the playoffs with 95 points or les was in 2013/2014 when DET and CBJ both had 93 points. Going .500 for the rest of the season will likely have Columbus getting an early start on their golf swing. The good news is that the just completed month of February saw C-Bus go 8 – 5. The bad news is that 11 of the last 19 are on the road with 3 back-to-back sets.
Two things happened in last night’s victory. It gave the Jackets a much needed 2 points and moved them back into 3rd in the Metro. Second, it provided the Flyers a point and kept them close in the playoff race only 6 points back.
Call me bitter and cynical but, there is something nice looking at the standings and seeing both PIT and DET outside of the playoffs.
Another thing happened last night. TOR visited NYI for the first time since Tavares left the island. It was not a warm welcome for him. The fans and home team abused he and his team with the Isles handing TOR a 6 – 1 whooping. There has been extensive coverage of this and commentary and opinions differ. Tavares was within his right to leave the NYI. He exited in a poor way. NYI is a better team this year without him. Yes, read that last sentence again. They are a better team this year without him. Period. And think of all the cap room his departure cleared up.
Back to the CBJ
Two games in two days starting with a rare Saturday matinee (Oilers) and finishing with a Sunday nightcap (Jets). One of the league’s brightest young stars McDavid and the almost-officially-and-would-be-if-they-didn’t-play-in-the-West Oilers come to town. EDM continues to fall in the standings going 3-5-2 in their last ten games. They don’t find themselves out just yet as the mediocre Western Conference playoff teams cannot separate themselves. Saturday’s game is the kind of game a solid playoff team puts to bed early and wins going away. Let’s hope the CBJ is a solid playoff team.
Sunday is their chance to prove it against the Jets. Coming off the All Star break the Jackets traveled to WIN, fought hard, looked very good, but ultimately took the L. This is the opportunity to climb the East standings and distinguish themselves as a contender.
Players I’m watching right now
Seth Jones
He now leads the CBJ in career OT game winning goals. Does he even come off the ice in OT? He quarterbacks the PP. Drives me nuts that he misses the net with most of his clappers. Next time you watch a game count how many times he misses the net, it is unbelievable. Other than that, love his presence and puck control in the D zone and he is turning into a true leader.
Matt Duchene
I swear that puck is on a string, his puck handling is second-to-none. And has he lost a faceoff for the Jackets yet? He is a rare talent. Jarmo needs to make it priority #1 to re-sign this guy.
Can the Jackets go 2 – 0 this weekend and get on a hot streak again? Or will they continue to play .500?
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