The Chase is your morning report on where the Columbus Blue Jackets stand in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs race. What happened, what's next, and who to cheer for.
The Blue Jackets are in a playoff spot at this very moment. But in 48 hours, without even playing a game, they might not be.
Thanks to a tight 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, the boys in blue have propelled themselves back into the playoffs (which they were bumped out of for a matter of hours after a Carolina Hurricanes victory). They currently hold the top wild card spot, but do not play until Thursday, meaning it could be ripped right back out of their hands by the time they touch the ice again.
Here's where we stand on Monday, March 9.
| GP | GR | W | L | OT | PTS | RW | ROW | STRK | L10 | Make Playoffs [#] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| METROPOLITAN | |||||||||||
| WASHINGTON CAPITALS | 68 | 14 | 41 | 20 | 7 | 89 | 31 | 37 | W1 | 4-4-2 | 99.93% |
| PHILADELPHIA FLYERS | 68 | 14 | 41 | 20 | 7 | 89 | 31 | 36 | W9 | 9-1-0 | 99.95% |
| PITTSBURGH PENGUINS | 68 | 14 | 39 | 23 | 6 | 84 | 28 | 36 | L2 | 2-8-0 | 90.70% |
| ATLANTIC | |||||||||||
| BOSTON BRUINS | 69 | 13 | 43 | 14 | 12 | 98 | 37 | 43 | L1 | 7-3-0 | 100.00% |
| TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING | 69 | 13 | 43 | 20 | 6 | 92 | 35 | 41 | OT1 | 4-5-1 | 100.00% |
| TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS | 69 | 13 | 35 | 25 | 9 | 79 | 27 | 34 | L1 | 4-5-1 | 78.30% |
| WILD CARD | |||||||||||
| COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS | 70 | 12 | 33 | 22 | 15 | 81 | 25 | 33 | W1 | 3-4-3 | 51.70% |
| CAROLINA HURRICANES | 67 | 15 | 37 | 25 | 5 | 79 | 26 | 32 | W2 | 4-4-2 | 82.60% |
| NEW YORK ISLANDERS | 67 | 15 | 35 | 23 | 9 | 79 | 24 | 32 | OT1 | 2-5-3 | 47.00% |
| NEW YORK RANGERS | 68 | 14 | 36 | 28 | 4 | 76 | 30 | 25 | L1 | 6-4-0 | 14.30% |
| FLORIDA PANTHERS | 68 | 14 | 34 | 26 | 8 | 76 | 29 | 31 | W1 | 4-4-2 | 33.80% |
p - Clinched President's Trophy; x - Clinched Playoff Spot
Yesterday, the Hurricanes beat the breaks off the Pittsburgh Penguins (who have now lost eight of their last ten games). As much as we love seeing that black and yellow team get pummeled, though, Carolina winning was not good for Columbus.
The Islanders and Hurricanes are just two points back from the Blue Jackets, hold the tiebreaker, and have two fewer games played. Both teams play on Wednesday night, meaning Blue Jackets fans could wake up Wednesday morning again out of the postseason.
They'd have a chance to rectify that again Thursday night, but let's just take it one step at a time. There's a few games tonight that hold some weight that we should pay attention to.
Tonight's Game(s) of Interest
| Home | Away | Who to Cheer for |
|---|---|---|
| BUFFALO (29–31–8, 66p) | WASHINGTON (41–20–7, 89p) | The Sabres. The Capitals are pretty far ahead of the Blue Jackets at this point, and can't be caught by Columbus, but no hurt comes from Washington losing. |
| ST. LOUIS (41-18-10, 92p) | FLORIDA (34-26-8, 76p) | The Blues. This game holds a bit more value than the one above, as the Panthers still have a shot at overtaking the Blue Jackets for a playoff spot. |
Blue Jackets Playoff Odds
| Make It In | 2nd Rnd | Conf. Finals | SC Finals | Win SC | Win Metro | 2nd Metro | 3rd Metro | WC1 | WC2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51.70% | 22.30% | 10.10% | 4.90% | 2.50% | 0.0% | 0.40% | 6.50% | 17.90% | 26.80% |
Odds courtesy of MoneyPuck.com
12 games to go, folks. The Blue Jackets only face one non-playoff contending team in this final stretch. If they get in, they certainly have earned it.
Today's stress ball: These are always good for a Monday.
