Win and you’re in. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. The Jackets need just a single point in one of their next two games to secure a playoff spot. Figures one of those games would be against the Penguins.
Pittsburgh comes to town tonight with the same 96 points as the Blue Jackets, but the Penguins 43 regulation and overtime wins (compared to the Jackets 39) means they have already clinched their spot in the postseason. This is still a massive game for them as they try and lock down home ice for the first round.
This is certainly a big game, but it’s not a do or die game. Even if the Jackets lose this game they can easily still clinch tonight. The Flyers and Panthers both play tonight and if either of them loses the Jackets are in. The Jackets also clinch if New Jersey loses both of their remaining games or if Florida wins their three remaining games all in a shootout. The easiest way to clinch is obviously just take care of business yourself, get a point against the Penguins and none of those other scenario’s matter.
A win here is still hugely important. It would push the Jackets ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings and give Columbus a real chance at home ice advantage in a playoff series for the time ever. If the Jackets are to face Pittsburgh again in the first round it would be vital for their success to have home ice advantage.
This game could very easily end up as a playoff preview. The Jackets need this game to “set the tone… so to speak and prove that they can beat the Penguins in April. The playoffs are different obviously but winning this game would provide a big confidence boost to this team. Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start and he of all players on this team needs to play well. Bobrovsky has been haunted by the Penguins, seeing great regular seasons go up in flames in the playoffs. The Penguins seem to have his number. Taking this game tonight would be something positive to take into the playoffs for Bobrovsky.
Ian Cole will be playing in his first game against his old team. Cole won two Cups with the Penguins, but this season was consistently a healthy scratch and a part of trade rumours since seemingly the beginning of the season. He will definitely be motivated to show his former team what they gave up. Cole has been a revelation in Columbus. In 18 games with the club he has a 54.30% Corsi at 5 on 5, the fifth highest on the team. He and David Savard have been a great shutdown pair and will be tasked with shutting down either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.
It’s not a do or die but this is still a massively important game. The crowd is going to bring it and Nationwide is going to be rocking. This game is going to be another chapter between these two teams and build the narrative should they meet again in the postseason.
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