The Chase is your morning report on where the Blue Jackets stand in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs race. What happened, what's next, and who to cheer for.
Somehow - the Columbus Blue Jackets are gripping onto the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They need to get to work, though.
With wins last night from the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, and a point nabbed by the New York Islanders, the Blue Jackets have just a one point lead to keep themselves in the second wild card spot.
Here's where we stand on Wednesday, March 11.
| GP | GR | W | L | OT | PTS | RW | ROW | STRK | L10 | Make Playoffs [#] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| METROPOLITAN | |||||||||||
| WASHINGTON CAPITALS | 69 | 13 | 41 | 20 | 8 | 90 | 31 | 37 | OT1 | 4-3-3 | 99.94% |
| PHILADELPHIA FLYERS | 69 | 13 | 41 | 21 | 7 | 89 | 31 | 36 | L1 | 9-1-0 | 99.90% |
| PITTSBURGH PENGUINS | 69 | 13 | 40 | 23 | 6 | 86 | 29 | 37 | W1 | 3-7-0 | 92.30% |
| ATLANTIC | |||||||||||
| BOSTON BRUINS | 70 | 12 | 44 | 14 | 12 | 100 | 38 | 44 | W1 | 7-3-0 | 100.00% |
| TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING | 70 | 12 | 43 | 21 | 6 | 92 | 35 | 41 | L1 | 3-6-1 | 100.00% |
| TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS | 70 | 12 | 36 | 25 | 9 | 81 | 28 | 35 | W1 | 5-4-1 | 78.90% |
| WILD CARD | |||||||||||
| CAROLINA HURRICANES | 68 | 14 | 38 | 25 | 5 | 81 | 27 | 33 | W3 | 5-4-1 | 79.10% |
| COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS | 70 | 12 | 33 | 22 | 15 | 81 | 25 | 33 | W1 | 3-4-3 | 44.80% |
| NEW YORK ISLANDERS | 68 | 14 | 35 | 23 | 10 | 80 | 24 | 32 | OT2 | 2-4-4 | 42.30% |
| NEW YORK RANGERS | 69 | 13 | 37 | 28 | 4 | 78 | 31 | 36 | W1 | 6-4-0 | 24.20% |
| FLORIDA PANTHERS | 69 | 13 | 35 | 26 | 8 | 78 | 30 | 32 | W2 | 4-4-2 | 38.40% |
p - Clinched President's Trophy; x - Clinched Playoff Spot
The Rangers faced a surging Dallas Stars team on the road and somehow walked away with a 4-2 win, putting themselves three points back of the Blue Jackets.
The Hurricanes did what was expected of them and put a beat down on the miserable Detroit Red Wings, pushing them to the first wild card spot in the conference.
The best help came from a 5-4 shootout victory by the Vancouver Canucks over the Islanders, keeping that New York team at bay (at least for now). They are now one point behind Columbus, with two games in hand.
Also - the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Boston Bruins, but that doesn't matter too much. Those two Metro teams already have division spots theoretically locked up, so them and the Washington Capitals don't need *too* much attention paid to.
Tonight's Game(s) of Interest
| Home | Away | Who to Cheer for |
|---|---|---|
| COLORADO (41-20-8, 90p) | NY RANGERS (37–28–4, 78p) |
The Avalanche. New York is closing in on the Blue Jackets, so Colorado putting them down would be helpful. |
There’s really only one game Blue Jackets fans should focus on tonight, and it’s an important one. The Rangers continue their Western swing and take on the Colorado Avalanche on a back-to-back. In theory, this is a favorable game for the Avalanche, but this why we play the game!
Tomorrow night, the Blue Jackets (finally) take the ice again, facing off against a Metro-rival in the Penguins. The team in black and yellow likely can’t be caught in the standings, but Columbus *needs* this win to stay ahead of the Islanders nipping at their heels.
Blue Jackets Playoff Odds
| Make It In | 2nd Rnd | Conf. Finals | SC Finals | Win SC | Win Metro | 2nd Metro | 3rd Metro | WC1 | WC2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.80% |
20.10% |
9.40% | 4.60% | 2.30% | 0.0% | 0.50% | 4.80% | 15.90% | 23.60% |
Odds courtesy of MoneyPuck.com
We all wish we had this hair.
