Blackhawks look to for two straight wins as they travel to Columbus to take on their whipping boys.

Chicago Blackhawks (101 pts, 43-19-15) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (85 pts, 39-30-7)

6pm CDT, Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH

TV : CSN Chicago

Radio : 720 AM WGN

Blackhawks last game : 3-2 W (SO) vs Wild

Blue Jackets last game : 2-0 W @ Flyers

Enemy Territory : The Cannon

Season Series/Schedule

1141 : The number of days since the Blue Jackets' last regulation win versus the Blackhawks on 2/18/11.

409 : The number of giveaways by the Blue Jackets this season, the second fewest in the NHL.

55.6 : The Blackhawks' team CF%, the second highest in the NHL.

49 : The number of 1st period goals given up by the Blue Jackets this season, the fifth fewest in the NHL.

28 : The number of power play goals the Blue Jackets have scored at home, the eighth most in the NHL.

27 : The number of career assists Duncan Keith has against the Blue Jackets, the most assists against any team in the NHL.

21 : The number of power play goals given up by the Blackhawks, the ninth fewest in the NHL.

.885 : The Blackhawks' winning percentage when leading after the 1st period, ranked second in the NHL.

.395 : The Blackhawks winning percentage in one goal games, the third lowest in the NHL.

Probable Blackhawks Lineup

Forwards

Patrick Sharp - Andrew Shaw - Marian Hossa

Brandon Saad - Michal Handzus - Kris Versteeg

Bryan Bickell - Teuvo Teravainen - Jeremy Morin

Brandon Bollig - Marcus Kruger - Ben Smith

Defensive Pairings

Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook

Johnny Oduya - Niklas Hjalmarsson

Nick Leddy - Michal Rozsival

Goaltender

Antti Raanta (12-4-4, 2.58 GAA, .901 save %, 1 SO)

Injuries

Nikolai Khabibulin (rotator cuff) out, Patrick Kane (lower body) out, Jonathan Toews (upper body) out

Leading Scorers

Probable Blue Jackets Lineup

Forwards

Boone Jenner - Ryan Johansen - Mark Letestu

Matt Calvert - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson

Corey Tropp - Artem Anisimov - Nick Foligno

Blake Comeau - Derek MacKenzie - Jared Boll

Defensive Pairings

Jack Johnson - Dalton Prout

Fedor Tyutin - James Wisniewski

Nikita Nikitin - David Savard

Goaltender

Sergei Bobrovsky (28-19-5, 2.42 GAA, .921 save %, 4 SO)

Injuries

Nathan Horton (lower body) out, Ryan Murray (knee) questionable

Leading Scorers

Blackhawks look to for two straight wins as they travel to Columbus to take on their whipping boys.

Chicago Blackhawks (101 pts, 43-19-15) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (85 pts, 39-30-7)

6pm CDT, Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH

TV : CSN Chicago

Radio : 720 AM WGN

Blackhawks last game : 3-2 W (SO) vs Wild

Blue Jackets last game : 2-0 W @ Flyers

Enemy Territory : The Cannon

Season Series/Schedule

1141 : The number of days since the Blue Jackets' last regulation win versus the Blackhawks on 2/18/11.

409 : The number of giveaways by the Blue Jackets this season, the second fewest in the NHL.

55.6 : The Blackhawks' team CF%, the second highest in the NHL.

49 : The number of 1st period goals given up by the Blue Jackets this season, the fifth fewest in the NHL.

28 : The number of power play goals the Blue Jackets have scored at home, the eighth most in the NHL.

27 : The number of career assists Duncan Keith has against the Blue Jackets, the most assists against any team in the NHL.

21 : The number of power play goals given up by the Blackhawks, the ninth fewest in the NHL.

.885 : The Blackhawks' winning percentage when leading after the 1st period, ranked second in the NHL.

.395 : The Blackhawks winning percentage in one goal games, the third lowest in the NHL.

Probable Blackhawks Lineup

Forwards

Patrick Sharp - Andrew Shaw - Marian Hossa

Brandon Saad - Michal Handzus - Kris Versteeg

Bryan Bickell - Teuvo Teravainen - Jeremy Morin

Brandon Bollig - Marcus Kruger - Ben Smith

Defensive Pairings

Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook

Johnny Oduya - Niklas Hjalmarsson

Nick Leddy - Michal Rozsival

Goaltender

Antti Raanta (12-4-4, 2.58 GAA, .901 save %, 1 SO)

Injuries

Nikolai Khabibulin (rotator cuff) out, Patrick Kane (lower body) out, Jonathan Toews (upper body) out

Leading Scorers

Probable Blue Jackets Lineup

Forwards

Boone Jenner - Ryan Johansen - Mark Letestu

Matt Calvert - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson

Corey Tropp - Artem Anisimov - Nick Foligno

Blake Comeau - Derek MacKenzie - Jared Boll

Defensive Pairings

Jack Johnson - Dalton Prout

Fedor Tyutin - James Wisniewski

Nikita Nikitin - David Savard

Goaltender

Sergei Bobrovsky (28-19-5, 2.42 GAA, .921 save %, 4 SO)

Injuries

Nathan Horton (lower body) out, Ryan Murray (knee) questionable

Leading Scorers

Riding high from a big win last night, the Jackets don't get any time to rest on their laurels. Thankfully the Blackhawks also played last night. Whatever happens... JUST. GET. POINTS.

Chicago Blackhawks at Columbus Blue Jackets

April 4, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 FM -- TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Second City Hockey
SBN's Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets coverage

Alright, so in looking at the schedule many weeks back, this game was one of those penciled in from which the Jackets needed to "steal" some points. That said, they're riding high after a tremendous effort in Philly last night, both teams are on the back-end of back-to-backs with travel, and let's face it: Chicago just isn't the same team without Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

They're still good, don't get me wrong.

That said, including the evisceration in Chicago last time around, the Blackhawks are just 7-6-1 in their last 14 games and 11-11-3 in their last 25; not exactly setting the world on fire. Take Kane and Toews out of the equation? This is not the Cup winning team that lit us the eff up last month. And, though they are slipping in the Western standings a bit, they are not the more desperate team tonight (or, at least, they shouldn't be...).

Just some food for thought.

For the Jackets, there are also some lineup changes to discuss. First and foremost, Ryan Murray is back, but Nick Foligno is out. The latter appears to be done for the final six games with a lower body injury sustained after he reacted awkwardly to a knee-on-knee hit late in last night's game.

The lines below are my best guess, as the indication seems to be that Brandon Dubinsky will move to a wing spot with both Foligno and Nathan Horton not in the lineup. My guess is Mark Letestu moves to center Matt Calvert and Cam Atkinson, and Dubinsky takes Letestu's spot on the recently assembled top line.

The word this morning is that Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start coming off his 37-save shutout last night. While I know the CW says you ride the goalie after a shutout, with so many games in so many days--and this maybe not being one of those games you circle as a "must-have" game--I would have considered going with CMac. But, that's just me, and I am but a lowly blogger.

At any rate, another Western Conference opponent, and as the daily updates show, the Jackets aren't in dire straights in terms of needing ROW to secure a playoff spot. JUST GET US SOME POINTS, PREFERABLY TWO OF THEM THANK YOU.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(39-30-7, 85 Points; 4th division, 8th conference)

Chicago Blackhawks
(43-19-15, 101 Points; 3rd division, 5th conference)

Season Series

03/06/14 - Columbus 1 at Chicago 6
04/04/14 - Chiacgo at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

Chicago		Columbus
3.18 (2)	GPG	2.72 (14)
2.52 (11)	GAPG	2.64 (14)
20.1% (8)	PP%	17.8% (17)
81.8% (17)	PK%	82.1% (16)
Patrick Sharp, 31	G leader	Ryan Johansen, 30
Duncan Keith, 51	A leader	James Wisniewski, 39
Patrick Sharp, 73	Pts leader	Ryan Johansen, 55
Brandon Bollig, 85	PIM leader	Nick Foligno, 96
18-12-8	Road/Home	20-14-4
4/3 vs. Minnesota, W 3-2	Last Game	4/3 @ Philadelphia, W 2-0
5-4-1	Last 10	5-4-1

Riding high from a big win last night, the Jackets don't get any time to rest on their laurels. Thankfully the Blackhawks also played last night. Whatever happens... JUST. GET. POINTS.

Chicago Blackhawks at Columbus Blue Jackets

April 4, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 FM -- TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Second City Hockey
SBN's Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets coverage

Alright, so in looking at the schedule many weeks back, this game was one of those penciled in from which the Jackets needed to "steal" some points. That said, they're riding high after a tremendous effort in Philly last night, both teams are on the back-end of back-to-backs with travel, and let's face it: Chicago just isn't the same team without Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

They're still good, don't get me wrong.

That said, including the evisceration in Chicago last time around, the Blackhawks are just 7-6-1 in their last 14 games and 11-11-3 in their last 25; not exactly setting the world on fire. Take Kane and Toews out of the equation? This is not the Cup winning team that lit us the eff up last month. And, though they are slipping in the Western standings a bit, they are not the more desperate team tonight (or, at least, they shouldn't be...).

Just some food for thought.

For the Jackets, there are also some lineup changes to discuss. First and foremost, Ryan Murray is back, but Nick Foligno is out. The latter appears to be done for the final six games with a lower body injury sustained after he reacted awkwardly to a knee-on-knee hit late in last night's game.

The lines below are my best guess, as the indication seems to be that Brandon Dubinsky will move to a wing spot with both Foligno and Nathan Horton not in the lineup. My guess is Mark Letestu moves to center Matt Calvert and Cam Atkinson, and Dubinsky takes Letestu's spot on the recently assembled top line.

The word this morning is that Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start coming off his 37-save shutout last night. While I know the CW says you ride the goalie after a shutout, with so many games in so many days--and this maybe not being one of those games you circle as a "must-have" game--I would have considered going with CMac. But, that's just me, and I am but a lowly blogger.

At any rate, another Western Conference opponent, and as the daily updates show, the Jackets aren't in dire straights in terms of needing ROW to secure a playoff spot. JUST GET US SOME POINTS, PREFERABLY TWO OF THEM THANK YOU.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(39-30-7, 85 Points; 4th division, 8th conference)

Chicago Blackhawks
(43-19-15, 101 Points; 3rd division, 5th conference)

Season Series

03/06/14 - Columbus 1 at Chicago 6
04/04/14 - Chiacgo at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

Chicago		Columbus
3.18 (2)	GPG	2.72 (14)
2.52 (11)	GAPG	2.64 (14)
20.1% (8)	PP%	17.8% (17)
81.8% (17)	PK%	82.1% (16)
Patrick Sharp, 31	G leader	Ryan Johansen, 30
Duncan Keith, 51	A leader	James Wisniewski, 39
Patrick Sharp, 73	Pts leader	Ryan Johansen, 55
Brandon Bollig, 85	PIM leader	Nick Foligno, 96
18-12-8	Road/Home	20-14-4
4/3 vs. Minnesota, W 3-2	Last Game	4/3 @ Philadelphia, W 2-0
5-4-1	Last 10	5-4-1

If the Columbus Blue Jackets end up missing the playoffs, this is going to be the game and play they end up looking back on.

The Columbus Blue Jackets did the Toronto Maple Leafs a huge favor on Friday night.

With an opportunity to increase their lead in the Eastern Conference wild card race, the Blue Jackets were tied with the Chicago Blackhawks in the final minute of the third period and appeared to be headed to overtime. That's when the officials mistakenly whistled Columbus for too many men on the ice. After further discussion, the officials determined that Columbus was not guilty of a too many men penalty and allowed the game to continue on at even-strength.

It still ended up costing the Blue Jackets.

Because the officials had to stop the game, there was a faceoff in the Columbus zone and Chicago wasted no time in capitalizing, scoring a last-second goal with just three seconds to play in regulation when Ben Smith pounded in this loose puck off of a scramble in the crease.

And with that, there is no overtime for Columbus. No point. And no win.

That one is going to leave a mark. Columbus remains one point ahead of Toronto for the final wild card spot, but this was a huge missed opportunity for the Blue Jackets, and if they end up missing the playoffs by a single point, this is the game and play that they are no doubt going to look back on.

Tonight marks Tampa Bay's last contest against the Western Conference in the regular season. Can the Bolts find success on the night they honor Dave Andreychuk?


Follow @RawCharge

Where:  Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, Florida
When: 7 PM EDT | Tickets: Check availability
Television: WTOG CW44 (local) | Radio: 970 AM WFLA
Opponent Coverage:Defending Big D

Tonight is the midway point of the final homestand of the 2013-14 regular season, it also marks the last time the Lightning will face a Western Conference opponent (...in the regular season, at least.)  The Dallas Stars (like the Flames before them) find themselves on an east coast trip at an odd time (the end) of the regular season.

I really don't care for that much; it's not the opponents, it's the cross-conference play at a crucial time in the NHL season.  Dallas is a perfect example of why (for marketing purposes for the team) the scheduling is bad; they're a single point behind Phoenix for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference right now.  The NHL made a big deal about building rivalries with the new playoff format and it would seem the schedule makers (or some other rub, like the 16-team/14-team conference split) didn't factor in how rivalries are also born during the playoff stretch too.  Dallas is playing for their playoff lives and they're finishing an east coast trip late in the season?

These cross-conference games should fill up the middle of the regular season, with conference and divisional play stacked at the start and end of the season.  There are only two teams right now who can get away with late cross-conference play, because they just came from the Western Conference: the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Even then, it's irrelevant if you want to build rivalries.  This applies for Dallas, this applies for Calgary, and this even applies for the New York Rangers (who were on a recent west coast trek) and other teams from both conferences who found themselves on opposing coasts recently.

The only time I want to see a cross-conference game in the spring is in May/June with the Stanley Cup on the line.  But that's just my opinion.

Back to tonight, Dallas is fighting for their playoff lives while Tampa Bay looks to rebound from their implosion to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.  It wasn't exactly a horrible effort put forth by the Bolts on Thursday but the entire game had a vibe of sleeping-at-the-wheel.  Ben Bishop's mid-first period brain fart put the club in a two-goal hole outright.

And of course, Bishop starts again because of the baffling and unexplained position that management has regarding backup Anders Lindback... Or any backup for that matter.  When the season resmed after the Olympic break, Tampa Bay was on the road with Lindback in Syracuse on a conditioning stint.  Kristers Gudlevskis was serving as Ben Bishop's backup while Tampa visited Nashville, Dallas, and Colorado.  Lindback rejoined the club in the final game of the road trip, and Gudlevskis never saw a singular moment of playing time.  That came in spite of the back-to-back games that were on the schedule in Dallas and Denver.

Lindback has made one start - one - since his recall.  Bishop, despite a sprained wrist and showing obvious pain at times, has stared everything.  I'm waiting for someone - national media, local media, whomever - to get head coach Jon Cooper, goalie coach Frantz Jean and general manager Steve Yzerman on the record as to why they're riding Bishop into the ground and why the total lack of faith in Lindback?

According to Missy Zelinski, defenseman Andrej Sustr is to make his return to the Lightning lineup tonight; he was recalled from the Syracuse Crunch yesterday.  Other lineup notes for the Lightning: Tom Pyatt should be in while B.J. Crombeen will be out. Yet, with how Cooper has been operating lately, I only expect Sustr to be inserted where Mark Barberio had been on Thursday - their defense pairing with Eric Brewer.  Everything else will likely remain static.

Kari Lehtonen makes the start in net for the Stars tonight; he's made 61 appearances for the Stars this season with a 30-16-10 record (.918 save percentage and a 2.46 GAA.)  Meanwhile, the Stars offense remains exceedingly top-heavy with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn having 149 points between them (78 and 71 points, respectively) before a big drop off (Alex Goligoski has 38 points.)  It's not like the Lightning aren't top-heavy as well (Valtteri Filppula leads the team with 57 points, and Ondrej Palat is next with 54)  but it's a much more gradual decline.  Shutting down Seguin and Benn is the start o defeating Dallas.  Playing a sound and responsible game would help too.

Finally tonight, congratulations to former team captain Dave Andreychuk who will be honored with a statue on Thunder Alley before the game.  As of this writing, there's the potential for weather to affect the ceremony before the game, but the team has not gone so far as to announce any contingency plans if inhospitable weather does hamper the outdoor ceremony.

Other Game Coverage:

• Tampa Bay Lightning official team preview
• Full coverage on SB Nation
• Live Tampa Bay Lightning news and discussion from Twitter

With seven days left in the regular season, and five contests separating the Blue Jackets from the playoffs, the tension in CBJ Nation will be at levels not seen in recent years. Here's a reminder to keep you anchored on Planet Earth as the home stretch progresses.

October 16, 1962. Game 7 of the World Series.  A young lad at Lincoln Elementary School, I was covertly catching updates of the game, featuring my San Francisco Giants and the hated New York Yankees, using a transistor radio hidden in the inside pocket of my reversible jacket, with the earpiece snaked up the sleeve to my palm.  1 - 0 Yankees in the ninth as I started my four-block walk home.  Suddenly, the Giants had runners at 2nd & 3rd, two outs, and McCovey at the plate.  Ralph Terry fired the pitch and McCovey lashed one of his patented low line drives to right field, certain to score two and give the title to the Giants for the first time in San Francisco.  Except that Bobby Richardson stepped to his left to snag the ball and hand the title to the Yankees.  As I turned the corner at my house, my mother had pinned a Yankees pennant to the front door.  Not sure I ever forgave her for that.

January 10, 1982.  NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park.  Not able to afford (or find) tickets, my fiancé and I were at a hotel bar, not far from Candlestick Park.  Joe Montana.  Dwight Clark.  The Catch.  All that needs to be said.

November 20, 1982.  The 85th "Big Game" between Stanford and Berkeley, this time at Berkeley.  Normally, I would have been in the stands, rooting my alma mater, the Stanford Cardinal, on to victory.  On this day, however, my fiancé and I were driving home from her law school mock trial competition, listening to the game.  Stanford kicked a field goal with 4 seconds left to take a 20-19 lead, and win the Stanford Axe -- the perpetual trophy that is in the custody of the winning school.  Except that Stanford had to kick off, and Berkeley then commenced to unveil what is simply known as "The Play".  A five-lateral, incomprehensible sequence of events, culminated by a storied collision between the ball carrier and a Stanford band member in the end zone -- and as improbable as it was to watch on TV, it was practically incomprehensible on radio.  Cal won 25-19, and it's a miracle I didn't drive off the road.  I'll go to my grave swearing that the runner was down and the last lateral was forward.

January 22, 1989 -- Super Bowl XXIII.  The 49ers are playing the Bengals in a rematch of San Francisco's first Super Bowl, seven years earlier.  The Bengals are leading this one 16-13, however, as the Niners begin a drive at their own 8-yard line.  Joe Montana famously entered the huddle, pointed to the stands and told guard Randy Cross -- "Hey -- John Candy is in the stands!"  He then got down to business, and engineered a 92-yard drive that culminated with a 10 yard strike to John Taylor (who lined up on the wrong side on the play), with just 34 seconds left in the game.  Another Super Bowl ring.

October 17, 1989.   Game 3 of the World Series at Candlestick Park -- Giants vs. A's in what was known as the "Bay Bridge Series."  My wife and I are in the upper deck, directly behind home plate, as the pre-game festivities are underway. The fans are rumbling their feet in a display of support and nervous energy, creating a roar and a vibration throughout the stadium.  Then that roar and vibration escalated, as the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit.  A surreal experience of the stadium twisting (as it was designed to do), of celebrities and fans scurrying to the exits after the first aftershock, and peering into the ABC trailer -- which had power -- showing the fires in the Marina District and the collapsed portions of the Bay Bridge and the Cypress Structure in the East Bay.     Our six month old son was with my father near our home, 20 miles to the south . . .and 20 miles closer to the epicenter.  All was well, but an indescribable several hours.

Are these the ramblings of a rapidly aging blogger with incipient senility?  No, there is a point here, and that is that you can never tell what sports will throw at you.  These are the highlights of what I have experienced, but there are so many more -- Joe Morgan knocking the Dodgers out of the post-season with a homer to right.  Willie Mays just being Wille Mays.  Juan Marichal.  Watching guys like Chamberlain, Russell, Gretzky and Howe come through town.  They all leave impressions -- and thrills.

This comes to mind because of some of the hysteria that has emerged over the last three Blue Jackets games.  On the down side, Columbus suffered excruciating losses (one in OT) to Colorado and Chicago, due largely to inexplicable turns of fortune.  Sandwiched in between was a virtuoso performance on the road against the Flyers.  In all three, the Blue Jackets played well -- not perfectly, but well.  Yet, the reactions have ranged from a virtually certain collapse, to the inevitable relocation of the club to Quebec.  Time to inject some perspective.

First, the Blue Jackets are above the line, and have the magic numbers working in their favor.  Any combination of 4 Blue Jackets wins or New Jersey losses eliminates the Devils.  That number is 3 for the Capitals, and 2.5 for the Maple Leafs.  (Any combination of two wins for Columbus, 2 losses for Toronto and an OTL by either club).  The club enjoys a one stroke handicap advantage in the Dallas game.  Oh, by the way, Columbus is only two points behind Philadelphia for the third spot in the Metro, and the Flyers are having trouble scoring.

Here are a few things to consider.  First, the Blue Jackets are further along in the "brick by brick" transformation than anyone had any right to expect.  With Nathan Horton not coming back from injury as soon or as well as expected, Sergei Bobrovsky missing a month due to injury, and a plethora of other injury issues, Columbus has overcome a lot of adversity. Despite the concerns over offensive production, the club is scoring at a record pace.  Youngsters like Johansen, Jenner and Murray are stellar.  Dubinsky, Foligno and Anisimov are making the Methot and Nash trades look like genius.  Still, however, the Blue Jackets are not yet the equal of a Boston, Pittsburgh or Chicago.  No sin in that, and they can play with any of those clubs on a given night.  Get some hot goal-tending going, and anything can happen.  That's the beauty of the NHL playoffs.  Emerging from the Colorado-Philadelphia-Chicago sequence with 3 of 6 points is likely very close to reasonable expectations.  Across the league, folks are taking notice of the club -- and the organization -- and many are actively advocating for the Blue Jackets' future.  That's new, and is a testament to the changes that have been put in place over the past two years.

More to the point, the Blue Jackets are playing a good, entertaining brand of hockey. They are fun to watch, and past criticisms  for lack of effort have no place with this club.  Personally, I see the effort and quality of play, and fully expect that there will be post-season hockey in Columbus.  But, there are no guarantees in sports.  Deflections and crossbars can dictate fortunes, just as marching bands and earthquakes. But you know what?  The sun came up the day after the Yankees beat the Giants, Cal beat Stanford and the cancellation of Game 3 of the World Series.

If  you tie your enjoyment of the sports experience exclusively to results, you're missing the boat.  The fact that the 49ers won a bunch of Super Bowls did not provide me with any financial bonuses or Super Bowl rings.  Those victories did not make me smarter, funnier or better looking.  Similarly, those disappointments did not make me dumber, duller or uglier.  (I know, not possible . . .)  While I will freely admit that the earthquake might have temporarily aged me, that was a transient phenomenon.  If you want certainty or results, go bet on the sun rising tomorrow.  You probably won't be disappointed for another billion years or so . . .but you might.  By the same token, rooting for the sun will not likely create memories.

You see, the only indelible deliverable from being a sports fan is memories. We can replay those victories time and time again, maybe wear a championship shirt or Jacket, and perhaps enjoy some bragging rights at the local pub. That's it. Barring a massive long odds bet in Vegas, we all need to go to work tomorrow, without regard to how our team performed.  Keep in mind that this run is creating memories, whatever the ultimate result may be.  Maybe Columbus gets nosed out.  Maybe they go on a great run and win the Cup.  My sense is that the truth is somewhere in between, but there are no guarantees.  That's the delicious edge that the experience of being a sports fan provides.  When you least expect it . . . BAM!  The victories are savored far longer than the losses are mourned . . .otherwise Wrigley Field would be empty.

So, root hard, exult over the wins, anguish over the losses . . .but enjoy the ride.  There are a whole bunch of clubs that are not creating memories right now.  We know what that's like, so appreciate the difference.

The Jackets had some swagger on Thursday night. They hung in against a good team on Friday, only to have their souls stolen Shang-Tsung style on Friday. No time for sulking; they need to get the swagger back tonight against the Islanders.

New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets

April 6, 2014 - 6:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 FM -- TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Lighthouse Hockey
SBN's Islanders vs Blue Jackets coverage

After Friday's game, there isn't much left to say. The Jackets cling to the last Wild Card spot by virtue of their followers struggling to earn points and having played more games. That makes this one a game in hand on the teams behind Columbus in the standings, and it's one that is ripe for plucking two points.

At first glance, the lineup the Islanders are icing is just flat-out gross, due to injuries and the like. That said, we've seen that this Isles team can skate, and they are hungry with so many young guys getting a taste of NHL action. They've been a relatively hot team of late, and Columbus knows first-hand that you can't overlook them based on their roster alone.

That said, the Islanders played and traveled last night, and lost two more players to injuries. They're also starting their backup goaltender, who sports a 3.17 gaa and .892 save percentage.

There really isn't much more to say other than this: the Jackets simply HAVE to have these two points today. There's no other way around it.

Columbus will continue with its... err... odd lines tonight, at least to start. I don't know what Matt Frattin is doing in practice to earn him top line winger minutes, but sweet bouncing baby Jesus he does not belong up there. I guess, however, the Jackets generated some offense (*some*) the other night, so I guess I'll hold my nose and cheer.

This is a game that can be won on Special Teams. The CBJ Power Play has sprung back to life of late, with Power Play goals in five of their last six games (6-for-18, 33.3%). The Islanders' PK is awful, though they shut Columbus down last time they played (but, then, who wasn't shutting down the CBJ PP then?). The Jackets' PK has been streaky at best of late, but the Islanders are without most of their main PP weapons, so if Columbus can play the aggressive PK that they had in Philadelphia the other night, I like their chances of keeping the Isles' PP off the board.

No matter how they do it, the Jackets simply have to overwhelm and overmatch this Islanders team. It can be done. It must be done.

Now, go and do it.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(39-31-7, 85 Points; 4th division, 8th conference)

New York Islanders
(31-35-11, 73 Points; 8th division, 13th conference)

Season Series

10/05/13 - Columbus 3 at NY Islanders 2 (SO)
11/09/13 - NY Islanders 2 at Columbus 5
03/23/14 - Columbus 0 at NY Islanders 2
04/06/14 - NY Islanders at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

NY Islanders		Columbus
2.70 (15)	GPG	2.73 (13)
3.22 (28)	GAPG	2.66 (15)
17.1% (20)	PP%	17.9% (17)
78.2% (29)	PK%	81.9% (15)
Kyle Okposo, 27	G leader	Ryan Johansen, 31
Kyle Okposo / John Tavares, 42	A leader	James Wisniewski, 40
Kyle Okposo, 69	Pts leader	Ryan Johansen, 56
Matt Carkner, 122	PIM leader	Nick Foligno, 96
18-17-2	Road/Home	20-15-4
4/5 vs. Washington, L 4-3 (SO)	Last Game	4/4 vs. Chicago, L 4-3
6-2-2	Last 10	4-5-1

The Jackets had some swagger on Thursday night. They hung in against a good team on Friday, only to have their souls stolen Shang-Tsung style on Friday. No time for sulking; they need to get the swagger back tonight against the Islanders.

New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets

April 6, 2014 - 6:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 FM -- TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Lighthouse Hockey
SBN's Islanders vs Blue Jackets coverage

After Friday's game, there isn't much left to say. The Jackets cling to the last Wild Card spot by virtue of their followers struggling to earn points and having played more games. That makes this one a game in hand on the teams behind Columbus in the standings, and it's one that is ripe for plucking two points.

At first glance, the lineup the Islanders are icing is just flat-out gross, due to injuries and the like. That said, we've seen that this Isles team can skate, and they are hungry with so many young guys getting a taste of NHL action. They've been a relatively hot team of late, and Columbus knows first-hand that you can't overlook them based on their roster alone.

That said, the Islanders played and traveled last night, and lost two more players to injuries. They're also starting their backup goaltender, who sports a 3.17 gaa and .892 save percentage.

There really isn't much more to say other than this: the Jackets simply HAVE to have these two points today. There's no other way around it.

Columbus will continue with its... err... odd lines tonight, at least to start. I don't know what Matt Frattin is doing in practice to earn him top line winger minutes, but sweet bouncing baby Jesus he does not belong up there. I guess, however, the Jackets generated some offense (*some*) the other night, so I guess I'll hold my nose and cheer.

This is a game that can be won on Special Teams. The CBJ Power Play has sprung back to life of late, with Power Play goals in five of their last six games (6-for-18, 33.3%). The Islanders' PK is awful, though they shut Columbus down last time they played (but, then, who wasn't shutting down the CBJ PP then?). The Jackets' PK has been streaky at best of late, but the Islanders are without most of their main PP weapons, so if Columbus can play the aggressive PK that they had in Philadelphia the other night, I like their chances of keeping the Isles' PP off the board.

No matter how they do it, the Jackets simply have to overwhelm and overmatch this Islanders team. It can be done. It must be done.

Now, go and do it.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(39-31-7, 85 Points; 4th division, 8th conference)

New York Islanders
(31-35-11, 73 Points; 8th division, 13th conference)

Season Series

10/05/13 - Columbus 3 at NY Islanders 2 (SO)
11/09/13 - NY Islanders 2 at Columbus 5
03/23/14 - Columbus 0 at NY Islanders 2
04/06/14 - NY Islanders at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

NY Islanders		Columbus
2.70 (15)	GPG	2.73 (13)
3.22 (28)	GAPG	2.66 (15)
17.1% (20)	PP%	17.9% (17)
78.2% (29)	PK%	81.9% (15)
Kyle Okposo, 27	G leader	Ryan Johansen, 31
Kyle Okposo / John Tavares, 42	A leader	James Wisniewski, 40
Kyle Okposo, 69	Pts leader	Ryan Johansen, 56
Matt Carkner, 122	PIM leader	Nick Foligno, 96
18-17-2	Road/Home	20-15-4
4/5 vs. Washington, L 4-3 (SO)	Last Game	4/4 vs. Chicago, L 4-3
6-2-2	Last 10	4-5-1

Win, lose or blowout, this should be a fun test for the rookies.

The New York Islanders lack a standings case for tonight's contest, but their lineup of rookies does not lack a real-stakes environment in which to impress.

Playing on the second half of a traveling back-to-back (they have one more, in Montreal and New Jersey later this week), the Isles meet a Columbus Blue Jackets squad that is in wild card position and is even within striking distance of a guaranteed Metropolitan Division spot.

Columbus is just two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers with five games to go, and close enough where the regulation/overtime win tiebreaker could matter.

Into this Game That Matters steps the latest rookie to get the call: Scott Mayfield, who makes his NHL debut and will wear #42.

Islanders (31-35-11, 8th/Metro) @ Blue Jackets (39-31-7, 4th/Metro, 2nd/WC)
6 p.m. EDT | MSG+ | WRHU/WRCN
[what if you had a fire and lost everything? what then?] Arena
Ironing their jackets for the playoffs: Jackets Cannon

By rights, even with the Islanders' seven-game points streak, there is no reason to bet on them today: There is the back-to-back, there is the fact they lost top-pair defenseman Calvin de Haan yesterday, and there is the fact their dressing their backup Anders Nilsson, who has just awful numbers despite putting up solid games in his last two starts.

Further, Columbus has everything to play for here -- with a dash of revenge and regret after they laid an egg against the Isles at Nassau Coliseum last week, in what might have been Evgeni Nabokov's final NHL shutout. That time, they were coming off an emotional home loss to Metro rival New York Rangers. This time, they're coming off an emotional final-seconds loss to their former Central tormenter Chicago Blackhawks.

They are without Nathan Horton, who ended up being a healthy contributor for about a month this season. Recent Marian Gaborik trade return and sudden journeyman Matt Frattin will take a turn in his spot on the first line. Via BlueJacketsExtra, coach Todd Richards explains:

Here is Richards' thinking, in the wake of injuries to wingers Nick Foligno and Nathan Horton:

"He's a right-hand shot, No. 1," Richards said. "But just watching him in practice, he's a guy who can shoot the puck. And talking to guys who have seen him play, and (what they've said) he can possibly bring.

"He was fine (vs. Chicago). Even going back to his game in Chicago, when we lost 6-1 ... the thoughts coming out of that game were that he was a smart player, positionally. There were times (early this season) he played with (Jeff) Carter and (Mike) Richards out in (Los Angeles)."

Frattin had been scratched in 10 straight games, and 12 of the previous 13, before Friday, when he played only his third game since joining the Blue Jackets in the deal that sent Marian Gaborik to the Kings.

From 12 scratches to the first line? Something something REAL NHL coach.

For Isles fans, the entertainment here will be in watching the continued auditions of so many rookies in the absence of so many injured players. (Michael Grabner, back for a period after his concussion, is the latest to go down after taking a Mike Green elbow to the nose yesterday.)

Scott Mayfield then enters that fray. It's a little ahead of schedule for the big, bruising 21-year-old, but then he's evolved in his first pro season at Bridgeport -- and besides, there is virtually no one left to recall.

de Haan's injury really puts a wrench in the blueline plans, so it will be interesting to see who the Isles put next to Travis Hamonic. With Hamonic, Mayfield and Matt Carkner all in the same lineup though, the blueline looks more ornery than it has looked since Brendan Witt was decking SUVs.

The biggest non-fight of the year featured two very differently sized men.

Someone needs to tell Matt Calvert to pick on someone his own size, for his own safety.

The diminutive Blue Jackets forward took issue with New York Islanders bruiser Matt Carkner on Sunday, and emotions quickly boiled over between the two.

The odds were not in Calvert's favor. Carkner has 122 penalty minutes and is basically a foot taller than Calvert. If the two were best friends, Calvert would probably make a joke like, "How's the weather up there?" because Carkner is so much taller, and they would laugh and laugh.

But they are not best friends, and nobody was laughing when Calvert endangered his life by trying to fight Carkner.

Yeah, not much of a fight at all. Worst fight of the year? Look how quickly the referees try to jump in and desperately save Calvert from certain doom.

You're a brave man, Matt Calvert. Little guy, big heart.

The Islanders didn't roll over, but their PK looked lost as the came quickly became a late-season laugher.

If only there were no such thing as special teams, this game would have been close and entertaining. Alas, absent that EA Sports version of the world, the New York Islanders' penalty kill undid their mostly good even strength play to let the Columbus Blue Jackets waltz to a 4-0 victory.

The Blue Jackets logged eight shots and three goals on their first four power play opportunities, and it easily could've been worse. The Islanders' lone power play (before a late consolation call in garbage time), split over the first intermission, yielded just two shots and little pressure.

Game Sum | Event Sum | Adv. Stats (Extra Skater) | Shift Charts | PBP | TOI | Faceoffs | Recaps: NHL | Isles |

He stopped 31 shots, but Sergei Bobrovsky's ninth NHL shutout had to be one of his easiest. As Columbus built a lead, the Isles continued to push through two periods -- but that rarely resulted in very dangerous shots or rebound chances.

Game Highlights

Random Things about Things that Happened

• Even when the Isles PK hasn't been bleeding goals lately, it's been noticeable how much the injuries have disrupted things. Everyone they try at forward seems to not be on the same page with Frans Nielsen. So take away Michael Grabner and now take away Calvin de Haan too, and the PK had no answer for the Columbus power play until it no longer mattered.
  
• The first period was actually even by the run of play, alarming to Columbus if their power play hadn't clicked. The Islanders outshot them 11-7 at even strength. But two penalties led two successful Blue Jackets power plays, where Columbus ran circles around the Isles before converting.
• That's how Columbus entered the first intermission in control with a 2-0 lead. Boone Jenner found a loose puck lying behind Anders Nilsson after a screen shot; Jack Johnson simply blasted a one-timer to the top stick-side corner for the second goal.
  
• It was the Ryan Strome line generating most of the Isles chances, with frequent help from Thomas Hickey and Matt Carkner, plus a dash of Matt Donovan and Travis Hamonic on separate pairings.
  
• Still, the best chance was when Frans Nielsen simply blazed around the Columbus D for a sharp-angle chance on Sergei Bobrovsky, and Anders Lee arrived for the rebound but couldn't lift it high enough.
• Speaking of Lee, he flattened Johnson as Johnson tried to stand him up on a dump-in. That was amusing. Johnson responded later on the same shift by Phaneufing himself out of position to try to take out Nielsen.
  
• The second period began much the same way: After a poor Isles power play, they pressed Columbus at even strength and had the only shots on goal in the first half of the period. But Columbus struck first, a very well executed 3-on-2 putting Scott Mayfield on his first official NHL highlight reel, as he was the second defenseman on the play while Carkner took one out to reduce it to a 2-on-1.
• The Isles weren't really going to get any breaks from the refs on this night, and after a few more missed calls the Isles basically lost it. With 90 seconds left, Carkner and Matt Martin each got involved in roughing nonsense, leaving the Isles short again. The Blue Jackets' surgical power play went to work quickly and again exposed the Isles' hapless PK. This time it was Ryan Murray scoring to make it 4-0, his fourth of the year.
• Granted, the Islanders lineup is filled with anonymous characters, but every time I checked in on the Columbus broadcast they were misidentifying guys left and right. I get calling Mike Halmo Casey Cizikas, I guess. But Thomas Hickey shouldn't be hard to ID. And Matt Carkner is not the son of former NHLer Terry Carkner, as far as I know. (To be fair, they are apparently distant cousins.)
  

Carkner Makes a Ruckus

With the score 4-0 at the second intermission and the Isles' best efforts all going for naught, it was shaping up to be a nasty or stupid third period. Nothing too crazy happened until Carkner got in a fight with Matt Calvert (way too many Matts in this game), which mercifully for Calvert, ended quickly.

In fact, it ended so quickly that it was ruled a double-minor roughing for Carkner and a single-minor "getting roughed" for Calvert.

Finally, Jared Boll took exception to that mismatch and drew Carkner into another (properly penalized) fight with nine minutes left. Carkner won the fight, but Boll made his point, which was something like, "Don't fight that guy who's good at hockey; fight me, because that's all I'm here for."

The officials then gave Carkner a complementary end-his-night 10-minute misconduct for participating in too many Old-Time Hockey things. I swear they have Carkner for nights like this, when it's kind of out of hand but they need a rep from the Ministry of Maintaining Pride/Hockey Cliches.

Scott Mayfield's First NHL Game

Officially, Scott Mayfield logged 17:05 in his first NHL game, was credited with four hits and two shots on goal, and saw 1:42 of PK time. He looked green but hardly in over his head -- but as we've seen with most debuts, the first game means little either way, as the debuting player merely gets his feet wet.

He paired early with Matt Donovan, though he was on with Carkner for the lone EV goal against. He was also on for the final Columbus goal, but that power play converted so quickly there was little time to take it in. Assuming de Haan's injury keeps him out a little while, we should see more of Mayfield before the season is put to rest.

Standings/Draft Seed Watch

For the "I am very angry and must throw fits when my team wins" set, the regulation loss leaves the Islanders in 27th place, tied with Calgary but with the Flames holding the regulation/OT win tiebreaker.

Columbus, meanwhile, continues to put pressure on the Flyers and solidify its own playoff bid in its first season in the New Patrick Divisio

Up Next

On that note, the Isles next play on Tuesday against the Senators, their final home game of the season.

In a game that received poor marks for style, but straight's A's for results, the Blue Jackets earned a vital two points in a shutout of the Islanders, calming frayed nerves and settling the stage for a wild finish in the East.

If the Blue Jackets were a high school student, Sunday's effort would be reminiscent of the student who neglects to do the homework, but nonetheless aces the tests.  It's a technically flawed approach, but at the end of the day, the results can't be disputed.  It's not a long term strategy for success, but from time to time it can work.  Such was the case against the Islanders on this night, in the final division contest of the regular season.

While the game was not artistic, it correctly answered the three key tests that the squad faced coming in.  First, they had to come away with points, and preferably 2 points.  Second, they needed to jump on the out-manned and fatigued Islanders early, depriving them of any chance to believe that they were in the game, and hopefully sending a message to the Philadelphia Flyers, who started their game 90 minutes after the Blue Jackets dropped the puck.  Finally, Columbus needed to find some of the offensive touch that had been their ally, but had faded in recent games.  Check marks across the board on these.

The Themes Established

The first period truly exemplified the entire game.  The Blue Jackets had energy, but lacked focus.  They lost four of the first five face-offs, then won 18 of the next 20.  They were slow and sloppy in the defensive zone, but created havoc in the offensive end of the ice.  The Islanders showed exuberance  and speed, but also showed the combined impact of injuries and a back-to-back with travel for the second game.  They simply did not have the chemistry or skill to maintain consistent offensive pressure through their own efforts.  The fact that the Islanders garnered 31 shots is more a testament to the Blue Jackets penchant for turning the puck over in their own zone than it is to the Islanders' prowess.

When your team is struggling to find structure, the tendency is to reach and grab, and the Islanders did plenty of both all night long -- only some of which were called.  At the 2:56 mark, Johan Sundstrom went off for high sticking, and it took the Blue Jackets just 90 seconds to cash in.  Ryan Johansen found Mark Letestu in the high slot, and Letestu unleaded a low laser at Anders Nilsson.  Nilsson appeared to make the stop, but the puck squeezed through his legs, coming to a stop just an inch or two short of the goal line.  For what seemed to be an eternity, only the fans and the referee behind the net were aware of this fact.  Finally, Boone Jenner glimpsed the stranded rubber disk, reached over the pile of players, and tapped it into the net.  Good start.

A similar scenario played itself out with 7:29 left in the first frame.  Thomas Hickey was called for interference (which might have been called felonious assault outside the rink.)  The power play unit required only 31 seconds to convert this time.  Keeping possession for the entire time, the Jackets worked the puck to the right wing, where Jack Johnson unleashed a one-timer that beat Nilsson.  (For those of us seated behind the goal, it appeared -- and sounded -- like Artem Anisimov tipped the puck off the shaft of his stick, but higher authority apparently disagreed).

Throughout the first, Sergei Bobrovsky was stellar.  Though not severely tested on a consistent basis, the periodic defensive zone turnovers created some real chances, which he dispatched with alacrity.  Despite not moving their feet much in their own zone, the Blue Jackets seemed in control as the first intermission came, which provided an uneasy sense of tranquility among the assembled fans.

Same Themes -- More Detail

The majority of the second period can be described as follows:   Blue Jackets win face-off, establish possession in offensive zone, create (fill in number) offensive chances, but fail to register shot on goal.  Islanders dump puck deep.  Columbus players chase Islander players around the boards and focus more on hitting than getting the puck.  Finally, when they do gain possession, the puck is quickly turned over to the Islanders in a prime scoring chances, where Bobrovsky makes a (good/great) save.  Repeat.

This likely makes the situation sound more dire than it actually was, but the defensive zone play by some of the Blue Jackets was truly horrific.  James Wisniewski tries to channel his inner Bobby Orr . . . but he's not Bobby Orr.  R. J. Umberger floated passes to nowhere, and both he and Jared Boll could have been called The Drifters -- as they generally floated in the defensive zone, leaving Derek MacKenzie to do all the work for that line.  Dalton Prout had similar issues and Matt Frattin, while better than last game, looked lost in the defensive end. These resulted in some breathtaking chances for the visitors, and only some really stupid saves by Bobrovsky kept this one in control.

However, as ugly as the home end of the ice might have been, the pressure in the attacking end ultimately bore fruit.  At the 10:11 mark, the desperate Islanders mounted an attack, but allowed four players to get deep in the Blue Jackets zone.  The puck came out to their left point, were Matt Frattin tipped it to Boone Jenner, who pressed the play hard down the right wing.  Frattin entered the zone with speed, charging the middle, while Letestu trailed in Frattin's wake.  Jenner waited patiently for Letestu to emerge free, and found him on the tape.  Letestu returned the puck to Jenner, who by this point was low on the right.  It had the desired effect, as both defender Scott Mayfield and Nilsson committed to the left side.  Jenner deftly feathered a pass between Mayfield's legs to Letestu, who had a gaping net behind the sprawling Nilsson.  He didn't miss.  3 - 0 Blue Jackets, and chili for everybody.

With speed not working, the Islanders elected to turn to thuggery.  With just 1:36 left in the period, a good old fashioned donnybrook broke out in the Blue Jackets' offensive zone.  In true Slap Shot fashion, the ice was littered with sticks and gloves as dance partners were selected.  When the dust cleared, Matt Martin, R.J. Umberger and James Wisniewski each had 2 minutes for roughing, and Matt Carkner had a double minor for roughing.  ("Matt"is apparently to the Islanders what "Ryan"is to the Blue Jackets, now that that most of the Dereks/Dericks are gone).   It was the first four of what would end up to be 23 penalty minutes for Carkner in the game.  It provided the Blue Jackets with another power play opportunity, while simultaneously assuring that neither Umberger nor Bobrovsky could touch the puck in the waning seconds of the period.

The power play unit beat their record, scoring in just 29 seconds this time.  Cam Atkinson took the puck deep to Nilsson's right, and quickly fed the puck to Ryan Murray high in the middle.  Murray caught the one-timer perfectly, squarely beating Nilsson high glove.  Three power play goals, a 4 - 0 lead, and 15,667 faces that looked significantly relieved.

Mopping Up

From a technical standpoint, the third period was the best one of the game for Columbus.  They skated hard, were structured and responsible, and took much better care of the puck in their own zone.  In a continuation of the thuggery theme, Carkner assaulted Matt Calvert just 5:46 in the period, and Calvert refused to back down, despite the patent mismatch in size.  The officials charitably referred to the struggle as mutual roughing , with Carkner again picking up the extra two.  Columbus could not convert this time.

Five minutes later, Jared Boll confronted Carkner in defense of Calvert's honor, and held his own, but frankly lost the decision.  That earned both combatants early showers, with 5 minute fighting majors and 10 minute misconducts. Another mugging disguised as interference was called on John Persson at the 11:29 mark.  Simultaneously, Cal Clutterbuck's mugging of Mark Letestu went uncalled.  This was part of a pattern of cheap shots that permeated the game, particularly in the latter stages.  While the officials did their best to maintain control, the Blue Jackets were fortunate to escape this one apparently without serious injury.  It was also a testament to the Blue Jackets that they maintained discipline fairly well, surrendering only two minor penalties not offset by New York transgressions.

When the cannon report signaled the end of the game, the boys received a well-deserved ovation, appreciative of dispositive results, not aesthetic glory.

The Bottom Line

This was precisely what both the club and the fans needed -- a relatively stress free, large margin victory.  I think to most in attendance, it was clear very early on that the Blue Jackets were in solid control.  Yes, they took that too literally and were frequently too cute on offense and too irresponsible on defense.  They would likely not have gotten away with it against a stronger rival, but I'm not sure they would have displayed those lapses against a different opponent.  With the intensity of the time, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt on this, but they need to really focus on the defensive puck possession before Tuesday's game against Phoenix.  There is no way that the Islanders should have tallied 30+ shots on this night.

On the positive side, the resurgence of the power play was really good to see.  The passing was crisp and decisive, and the shots were largely on the mark.  There was traffic in front, and players were there to collect rebounds and re-cycle the puck.  Fulll marks on this score.  The penalty kill was also aggressive and effective, which will be a huge need in the final four.

Bobrovsky, Jenner, Letestu, Anisimov and Dubinsky were terrific all night.  Close behind were Calvert and Murray, and MacKenzie played hard and fast.  Atkinson hustled, but was a bit invisible in the defensive zone. Johansen made lots of little plays that enabled possessions.  Truly, there were few true passengers on this night, just a bunch of guys who played too loosely under the circumstances.

Still, the important end note is the two points.  Buffalo did not provide any help, falling to the Flyers 5 - 2, which enables Philly to hold onto the 2 point edge for the 3rd slot in the Metro.  However, the Blue Jackets reduced their magic numbers across the board.  Any combination of 3 Columbus wins or New Jersey losses eliminates the Devils as a rival.  New Jersey faces Calgary at home on Monday, then finishes the season with three games in four days -- at Ottawa on Thursday, home against the Islanders on Friday, then hosting Boston on Sunday.

The magic number against Washington is now down to two, with the Capitals visiting St. Louis on Tuesday and Carolina on Thursday, before returning home to finish the season against Chicago on Friday and Tampa Bay on Sunday.   Finally, the magic number vs. Toronto is just 1.5.  A Blue Jackets win or a Toronto loss, combined with an overtime loss by either club, keeps the Leafs on the sidelines.  They play their last three on the road -- at Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Florida on Thursday and Ottawa on Saturday.

For the Blue Jackets, Monday is a rare day off, with the home season ending on Tuesday vs. Phoenix.  They go to Dallas Wednesday, with a one goal lead built in.  Thursday is an off day, when they can watch Philadelphia play Tampa Bay, who faces the Blue Jackets on Friday.  The regular season ends Saturday in Florida.

The Flyers travel to Florida on Tuesday, have the Tampa Bay game Thursday, travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday, then host Carolina on Sunday.  Detroit travels to Buffalo and Pittsburgh on Tuesday and Wednesday, hosts Carolina on Friday, and ends the season in St. Louis on Sunday.

Bottom line is that there is no easy path for anyone, and its far better to be Philadelphia, Detroit or Columbus than it is to be New Jersey, Washington or Toronto.  Tonight was a big step toward the playoffs, but much work remains.  Stay tuned.

The game we've chosen to make the centerpiece of our fundraising drive is fast approaching, so get your pledges in now before it's too late.

As the clock winds down on the Dallas Stars regular season, so to is it winding down on the Defending Big D fundraiser to benefit Living for Zachary in honor of Rich Peverley and the medical and training personnel that saved his life on March 10.

Thanks to the very generous people who have contributed so far, we have already reached our $2,000 goal to completely fund the purchase of at least one artificial external defibrillator, or AED, to be donated to a Dallas-area facility that works with young people. But the drive is not over - the money we have raised above and beyond that amount are also going into the fund earmarked for AEDs to partially fund the purchase of a second device.

As was detailed in the original post about the fundraiser (which you can find here if you'd like), there are two ways to contribute to the fundraiser.

The first, and the reason for this post today, is that we are encouraging people to make pledges based on the statistics, results or anything else that happens in Wednesday's make-up game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. You can find a form the form for pledges linked below.

Donation Form

If you choose this route, Taylor or I will contact you after the game with the total amount your pledge came to and a link to the CrowdTilt site listed below, which is how we are collecting all the donations.

However, if you want a little more straightforward route, we are also taking direct donations at the CrowdTilt site listed below.

CrowdTilt Page

This campaign has now tilted, so your credit card will be charged immediately once you make a donation. Once the money is deposited into Living For Zachary's account, which it will be at the close of the campaign on April 19, then you will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

If you go with the simple donation, please also fill out the form above so that we have your contact information for our records to send our thanks and a final tally update.

We are taking donations through April 19th to give a good 10-day window after Wednesday's game for everyone to get their pledge-based donations into the CrowdTilt site. If you have any questions about Living for Zachary or our fundraiser in general, please don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you all so much again for helping to make this campaign a success. Because of everyone who has contributed so far, we are going to be able to make a real impact on our community and turn what was an extremely scary incident into one with a positive impact.

The Coyotes face off against the Blue Jackets for the final time this season as they hope for a better result then their 2-0 loss in January.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Phoenix Coyotes are both deep in the playoff race with both teams needing points to either shore up their playoff spot or earn one.

Matchup at a Glance

Phoenix Coyotes

Currently on the outside looking in, the Coyotes are a point behind the Dallas Stars for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Unfortunately for the Desert Dogs, they are 0-2-2 in their past four games with shootout losses to the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets and regulation losses to the LA Kings and Minnesota Wild.  The Coyotes need to right the ship going into the final four games of the regular season in order to catch Dallas and make the playoffs.

The Coyotes have been getting more offense from their defensemen than their forwards as of late.  Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Zbynek Michalek, and Chris Summers all have goals in the past five games. The Yotes need to get offense from their top contributors like Radim Vrbata, Mike Ribeiro, and Antoine Vermette, especially down the final stretch.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Opposition

Columbus Blue Jackets

Follow

This is the final regular season game for the Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena this year and they are likely to want to put on a good game for the home crowd.  Columbus has done surprisingly well in their first year in the Eastern Conference. According to sportsclubstats.com, they have a 93.8 percent chance of making the playoffs and face off against either the Boston Bruins or the Pittsburgh Penguins.

For Columbus, 21-year-old center Ryan Johansen has emerged as a potent part of their offense. He is 31-26-57 in 78 games good enough to lead the team in goals and points.  Brandon Dubinsky is also having a great season in Columbus, leading the team with 33 assists, and James Wisniewski is currently 6th amongst all NHL defenseman in assists with 41.

Keys to the Game

Finish strong. The Coyotes have had difficulties closing out games for most of this season, and they need to remember that it is a 60-minute game.  Most recently, they allowed the Oilers to tie the game in the final minute, which ultimately led to Edmonton winning in the shootout.

The forwards need to show up. As stated above, the Desert Dogs have gotten just as many goals from their defensemen as they have from their forwards as of late.  If the Coyotes can get productivity from their top two lines in addition to the blue line, they should be in a good position.

Win. Seriously, the team needs to get two points tonight at all costs to keep themselves in the playoff race.

Likely Starting Goaltender

Thomas Greiss

#1 / Goalie / Phoenix Coyotes

Height: 6-1

Weight: 220

Born: Jan 29, 1986

Although Mike Smith recently began practicing with the team, he is still a ways away from being ready to play, which means this is still Thomas Greiss' team.  Greiss has been solid since Smith was injured, with the exception of the LA Kings gamewhich saw him give up four goals and post an .875 save percentage.

Player to Watch

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

#23 / Defenseman / Phoenix Coyotes

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 17, 1991

Ekman-Larsson had a goal and an assist against the Oilers and had an assist against the Minnesota Wild and has set career highs for goals, assists, points and power play goals.  The young Swedish defenseman has been solid for most of the season and currently leads the team in average time on ice per game with 25:55, which puts him 6th among all NHL players.

Injuries

Martin Hanzal is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and David Schlemko and Mike Smith are out for the foreseeable future with lower-body injuries.

For Columbus Nathan Horton is out indefinitely, and set to be the first player to have a goal in a game he didn't play in, and Nikita Nikitin is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Puck Drop

This is the final super early start for the Coyotes for the regular season as the game starts at 4:00 pm in Columbus.  It will be shown on Fox Sports Arizona and KMVP 860 AM.

Update: (s/t to @PimaResMendez)

Tomorrow’s #Coyotes game at Columbus on FSAZ+ will be joined in progress on FSAZ after Dbacks post-game show. Will air on both channels.

— Brett Hansen (@bretthansen5) April 7, 2014

The Jackets end their home slate tonight as the Coyotes come to town. Two points would put Columbus ever so close to clinching the right to have at least two more games at NWA.

Phoenix Coyotes at Columbus Blue Jackets

April 8, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Five For Howling
SBN's Blue Jackets vs Coyotes coverage

It's been quite awhile since we last saw the Coyotes, but oddly enough, both games have marked the return from injury for one Nathan Horton. Horton comes back tonight as the Jackets end their home schedule... for now.

The last time these clubs met was a bit of a turning point for Columbus. They'd been improving from the 5-10-0 start, and had gone on a 12-9-4 stretch through late November and December. But, that game in Phoenix in early January marked the start of a 9-1-0 run, and overall since then the Jackets have gone 23-12-3 (49 points in 38 games).

The Jackets got some serious help last night as Calgary took care of New Jersey in New Jersey to the tune of a 1-0 shutout. That said, they can't sit back now. A win tonight would give them a stranglehold on a playoff spot, and would keep the door open for passing Detroit or Philadelphia. That said, the Yotes are fighting for a spot themselves, currently sitting one point behind Dallas with the same number of games played.

[checks schedule]

[HEY WE PLAY DALLAS TOMORROW NIGHT TOO!]

A walkover this will not be.

The Coyotes, however, have not been playing their best hockey of late, currently on a 2-3-3 stretch. They've been riding Thomas Greiss in net (which means there's no chance that Mike Smith will stop 50 bajillion shots or whatever he did that one night two years ago), but their goal-scoring has dried up a bit: they've scored just 14 non-shootout goals in that eight-game stretch.

For the Jackets, the injuries continue to mount, as R.J. Umberger is back out with an injury sustained Sunday evening. Jack Skille was called up, but Corey Tropp gets the start in place of Umberger, while Nathan Horton will be a game-time decision after taking line rushes this morning with the top line. Jared Boll is in the lineup below, but consider him in pencil, as Porty noted on Twitter this morning that Skille might get the start on the fourth line in Boll's place. Reading some tea leaves, one would also imagine that if Horton cannot go tonight, Skille gets in there as well. So, my guess is that we'll see Skille tonight.

(But, ENERGY! amirite??)

The biggest stat of note for the Coyotes is that, while their offense has gone away, their potent Power Play has NOT. They boast a top-five PP unit, and of those 14 goals I noted above, five of them came on the man advantage; they have Power Play goals in eight of their last 11 games (8-for-38, 21.1%). The Jackets' PK has gone 22-for-26 (84.6%) over the past nine games.

Of course, the Jackets' PP unit has been hot of late as well, going 9-for-24 (37.5%) over the last seven games. The Coyotes' PK is one of the league's worst over the course of the season... but not so fast: they've been solid of late in killing of 17-of-20 over their last nine games. Which team can be disciplined--and which PK unit can hold up--tonight may tell the story of this game.

Of note on special teams: when the teams played in January, both Columbus goals came on Power Plays, and the Jackets were 5-for-5 on the PK. Not that past performance is an indicator of future growth... just a note.

No matter how they do it, the Jackets simply need to get points. One point officially eliminates Ottawa and Carolina, and two points puts the screws to New Jersey, Washington, and Toronto by putting their tragic numbers down to two, two, and one points respectively.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(40-31-7, 87 Points; 4th division, 8th conference)

Phoenix Coyotes
(36-28-14, 86 Points; 4th division, 9th conference)

Season Series

01/02/14 - Columbus 2 at Phoenix 0
04/08/14 - Phoenix at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

The Jackets end their home slate tonight as the Coyotes come to town. Two points would put Columbus ever so close to clinching the right to have at least two more games at NWA.

Phoenix Coyotes at Columbus Blue Jackets

April 8, 2014 - 7:00 pm EDT
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Five For Howling
SBN's Blue Jackets vs Coyotes coverage

It's been quite awhile since we last saw the Coyotes, but oddly enough, both games have marked the return from injury for one Nathan Horton. Horton comes back tonight as the Jackets end their home schedule... for now.

The last time these clubs met was a bit of a turning point for Columbus. They'd been improving from the 5-10-0 start, and had gone on a 12-9-4 stretch through late November and December. But, that game in Phoenix in early January marked the start of a 9-1-0 run, and overall since then the Jackets have gone 23-12-3 (49 points in 38 games).

The Jackets got some serious help last night as Calgary took care of New Jersey in New Jersey to the tune of a 1-0 shutout. That said, they can't sit back now. A win tonight would give them a stranglehold on a playoff spot, and would keep the door open for passing Detroit or Philadelphia. That said, the Yotes are fighting for a spot themselves, currently sitting one point behind Dallas with the same number of games played.

[checks schedule]

[HEY WE PLAY DALLAS TOMORROW NIGHT TOO!]

A walkover this will not be.

The Coyotes, however, have not been playing their best hockey of late, currently on a 2-3-3 stretch. They've been riding Thomas Greiss in net (which means there's no chance that Mike Smith will stop 50 bajillion shots or whatever he did that one night two years ago), but their goal-scoring has dried up a bit: they've scored just 14 non-shootout goals in that eight-game stretch.

For the Jackets, the injuries continue to mount, as R.J. Umberger is back out with an injury sustained Sunday evening. Jack Skille was called up, but Corey Tropp gets the start in place of Umberger, while Nathan Horton will be a game-time decision after taking line rushes this morning with the top line. Jared Boll is in the lineup below, but consider him in pencil, as Porty noted on Twitter this morning that Skille might get the start on the fourth line in Boll's place. Reading some tea leaves, one would also imagine that if Horton cannot go tonight, Skille gets in there as well. So, my guess is that we'll see Skille tonight.

(But, ENERGY! amirite??)

The biggest stat of note for the Coyotes is that, while their offense has gone away, their potent Power Play has NOT. They boast a top-five PP unit, and of those 14 goals I noted above, five of them came on the man advantage; they have Power Play goals in eight of their last 11 games (8-for-38, 21.1%). The Jackets' PK has gone 22-for-26 (84.6%) over the past nine games.

Of course, the Jackets' PP unit has been hot of late as well, going 9-for-24 (37.5%) over the last seven games. The Coyotes' PK is one of the league's worst over the course of the season... but not so fast: they've been solid of late in killing of 17-of-20 over their last nine games. Which team can be disciplined--and which PK unit can hold up--tonight may tell the story of this game.

Of note on special teams: when the teams played in January, both Columbus goals came on Power Plays, and the Jackets were 5-for-5 on the PK. Not that past performance is an indicator of future growth... just a note.

No matter how they do it, the Jackets simply need to get points. One point officially eliminates Ottawa and Carolina, and two points puts the screws to New Jersey, Washington, and Toronto by putting their tragic numbers down to two, two, and one points respectively.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(40-31-7, 87 Points; 4th division, 8th conference)

Phoenix Coyotes
(36-28-14, 86 Points; 4th division, 9th conference)

Season Series

01/02/14 - Columbus 2 at Phoenix 0
04/08/14 - Phoenix at Columbus

Head to Head Stats