The Columbus Blue Jackets are headed back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight year. We know that. Which team they'll face in the first round is still up in the air, however.
The Jackets have 96 points and currently sit in the Eastern Conference's second wild card spot after beating the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden Friday night. They're one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the first wild card spot and both teams are in action Saturday night.
| GP | W | L | OT | PTS | ROW | STRK | L10 | Final Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILD CARD | |||||||||
| CAROLINA HURRICANES | 81 | 45 | 29 | 7 | 97 | 43 | W2 | 6–4–0 | @ PHI |
| COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS | 81 | 46 | 31 | 4 | 96 | 44 | W1 | 6–3–1 | @ OTT |
The first wild card gets the Washington Capitals, defending Stanley Cup champs. But the second wild card will start the first round of the playoffs in Tampa against the Lightning, an absolute juggernaut of a team sitting on 126 points – fifth most in NHL history – with one game to play.
To close the season Saturday night, the Blue Jackets travel to Ottawa to face the league-worst Senators, while the Hurricanes are in Philadelphia to play the Flyers, not quite as bad as Ottawa, but not a playoff team, either. Needless to say, both Columbus and Carolina will be favored in those games.
If the Jackets can get one more point than the Hurricanes Saturday night, they'll jump the Canes into the first wild card spot due to Columbus' 44-43 ROW (regulation or overtime wins) advantage, the first tie-breaker should the Jackets get that extra point and the two teams finish tied with 97 points.
How Columbus Can Get That Crucial Extra Point Saturday Night
- A Blue Jackets win (regulation, overtime, or shootout) in Ottawa and any kind of Hurricanes loss (regulation or overtime) in Philadelphia
- A Blue Jackets overtime loss in Ottawa and a Hurricanes regulation loss in Philadelphia
If either of those two scenarios play out Saturday night, the Blue Jackets will move into the first wild card spot and avoid the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs, which would be nice because the Bolts rolled Columbus all three times they played this season, outscoring the Blue Jackets 17-3 in those games.
The puck drops for both games – Columbus at Ottawa and Carolina at Philadelphia – at 7 p.m. Saturday night. Stick with 1st Ohio Battery for complete coverage of the Blue Jackets and the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
