The Blue Jackets won another thriller last night, bringing them to 13-1-1 in their last 15 and putting them on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth. Let's take a look at who's helped carry them – and who else is hot around the league – in this week's Mid-Week Heat Check.
Artemi Panarin, Blue Jackets Winger
For those counting at home, this is the fourth time Panarin has been featured in this recurring piece, and with good reason. He's been like the Human Torch in the last few weeks, with an absurd 12-22–34 line in 22 games played dating back to February 18. The last few games have been even better, though.
He's put up 16 points in his last seven games, plus is riding a four-game point streak in which he has 11 points, which has propelled him past franchise icon Rick Nash, as he became the first Blue Jacket to hit 80 points in a single season.
The 80th point came on this ridiculous individual effort to tie the game last night, completing a three-goal comeback and setting the stage for Pierre-Luc Dubois to win the damn thing in overtime.
THE RECORD BREAKER FOR PANARIN.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/mxdvBghCNS
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 4, 2018
Cam Atkinson - Blue Jackets Winger
Typically, this space is reserved for a non-Blue Jackets player, but Cam Atkinson has been really damn good lately.
After a slow start to the season, Atkinson may be playing the best hockey of his career. He's riding an eight-game point streak (with a 7-5–12 line over that span) and is on an incredible goal-scoring stretch, with 10 in his last 10 games.
The numbers weren't great early in the season, and then Atkinson got injured, but he's been dynamic as hell since stepping back into the lineup. Since returning to the lineup on January 25, he's been a point-per-game player, with 32 points in 32 games.
