The Columbus Blue Jackets went from fighting to hold onto a wild-card spot to being four points out and trying to keep their playoff hopes alive—all in just two weeks.
It has been a tough stretch for the Blue Jackets, as they have dropped six straight games, including three shutout losses. However, today they activated both Erik Gudbranson and Sean Monahan off IR, giving them some much-needed reinforcements.
Tonight, they face off against the New York Islanders, who currently sit ahead of them in the Eastern Conference wild-card race with 73 points. The Blue Jackets are just two points behind and will look to pull even with a big win.
As the season winds down and the remaining games drop from 13 and counting, every game for the Blue Jackets is a must-win. They need as many victories as possible while hoping the teams ahead of them slip, allowing them to gain ground on the Montreal Canadiens and ultimately pass them for the final wild-card spot.
Columbus can still fight its way into a playoff spot. But it all starts with a win tonight on the road against the Islanders.