The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at it tonight when they host the Buffalo Sabres in their home finale.
Though neither team will make the playoffs, they couldn't be further apart right now. The Jackets enter tonight's contest the hottest team in the NHL having gone 13-1-1 in their last 15, and recently set a franchise record for nine consecutive wins. Meanwhile the Sabres, barring back-to-back wins tonight and tomorrow, will finish 30th place in the NHL.
Columbus' defense is a makeshift group right now and hasn't played very well, but Sergei Bobrovsky certainly has, and the Blue Jackets are finally healthy enough up front to roll four lines consistently, and create offense all throughout their lineup.
Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno continue to get it done, while Boone Jenner is starting to put it together, and the Scott Hartnell - Alex Wennberg - Marko Dano line has been one of the best - and most entertaining - lines in hockey over the last month or so. Not to mention, the recently assembled trio of Matt Calvert - Mark Letestu - Jeremy Morin is curb stomping opposing team's depth lines on a nightly basis.
On the flip side, Buffalo is a historically bad possession team that couldn't score on a holy goalie, so it's probably unrealistic to expect much against Sergei Bobrovsky.
Columbus' possession numbers this season are bad, but they've been better in that aspect of late, and still are almost 10% ahead of Buffalo, so they certainly have a big advantage at evens.
A Sabres team that's been assembled to lose probably won't keep things competitive tonight against a red hot Jackets team that wants to give their fans something to cheer about in their home finale.
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