This should be interesting. Coronavirus will cause the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins to play tonight's game in front of an empty arena. This in essence will have the feel of a closed-to-the-public scrimmage, but has playoff implications.
How will each team react to this environment? Certainly the Jackets lose any home-ice advantage that fans may have provided. With the playoffs in the balance you can imagine the energy a loud sell-out crowd may have provided.
Here is the current status of the Eastern Conference (and Metro Division) playoff race:
In the Metro, the top three teams have all played 69 games. WAS has 90 points, PHI has 89 and PIT has 86. CAR is in the first Wild Card spot with 81 points (in 68 games) followed by Columbus with 81 points (in 70 games). Three teams are extremely close in the Wild Card standings, but currently sit outside the playoffs. The Isles have 80 (in 68 games) followed by the Rangers at 79 points (70 games) and Florida rounding out the playoff picture with 78 points (69 games). The next closest team is MON with 71 points (71 games).
Columbus is at the disadvantage of almost every other playoff fighting team having games in hand. If the Jackets keep winning this isn't a problem. They should be able to hold their spot.
Florida is in an interesting spot. They trail the top Wild Card spot by 3 points, but also trail TOR for 3rd in the Atlantic by 3 points. The Panthers would have to climb above 3 teams to make it as a Wild Card team but only overtake the Leafs to get in as 3rd place in the Atlantic. That may be the easier path for FLA.
A 4-Point Game
Columbus trails Pittsburgh by 5 points in the standings. If the Jackets win in regulation they pull to within 3 points, but a loss in regulation would put them down 7 points. There always is the possibility of an OT game. On OT win by PIT puts CBJ down 6 points, while a CBJ OT victory would move them to within 4 points.
Injuries
Pittsburgh has suffered from the injury bug as much Columbus has. Both teams have survived substantial injuries to key players. Columbus gets Cam back tonight and Elvis is backing up Korpi. Those are positives. Murray is once again on the injury report and out of the line up.
Two big points tonight.
Good Luck and Go Jackets!
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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