There’s not much to say, really.
Tonight the Columbus Blue Jackets head to Raleigh to take on the second of the home-and-home series with the Carolina Hurricanes, and they’re looking to make this a better showing than they’ve had recently.
A recent 6-game losing streak has put the Jackets solidly in last place in the Metropolitan Division, and tied for last in the NHL. It is yet another year of starting off at the bottom of the league, as a home loss against the Canes on Tuesday put the Jackets at 4-8-0.
And they had a league-leading 7-1-0 in preseason.
Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
What happened? The easy answer is injuries, but they suffered injuries in the preseason too. Yes, having half your salary cap out with injuries is an issue, but there has to be a way to win some games. If this losing streak goes much longer, the Jackets could dig themselves into a hole that they won’t be able to get out of as the season moves on.
On the bright side, there are four points up for grabs this weekend. If the Jackets can find a way to overcome the recent slump and pull off back-to-back victories this weekend, they could improve to 6-8-0. That’s still not great, but it’s a huge improvement over their current, disappointing record.
That’s what is wonderful about this time of year. We are still so early in the season that getting behind can be made up in a week. The problems arise when you never make up for it. Six losses in a row took the Jackets from a solid 4-2-0 start down to the bottom of the league in two weeks, and things need to turn around fast.
More from Union and Blue
- Blaming Columbus Blue Jacket Players for Babcock Fallout is Unfair
- The Mike Babcock Experiment in Columbus Has Failed
- Blue Jacket Prospects Win Traverse City Tournament: Who Stood Out?
- Mike Babcock Resigns as CBJ Head Coach: Reaction
- New Claims Bring Higher Level of Concern to Babcock Situation
They have the chance to turn it around tonight. I feel like I say that before every game (probably because I do), but it’s true. Every night is a new night, and every game is a chance for two points. You just have to take advantage of that. The Jackets haven’t been able to do so lately, and let two crucial home points slip away on Tuesday. Tonight, it’s time to return the favor. The Jackets desperately need to turn the tide around to tonight, and repay the Canes for the defeat they handed them on Tuesday. Here’s hoping they can make it happen. Go Jackets!