The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Columbus Wednesday for their date with the playoff-bound Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be the first game for the Jackets since they clinched a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot on Sunday.
Since defeating the New Jersey Devils Sunday afternoon, clinching a playoff berth, and capturing the 100th point of the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been idle. That will change Wednesday when the desperate Toronto Maple Leafs enter Nationwide Arena.
Toronto currently sits in the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs with 81 points. A 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins Monday put the Leafs just one point behind their divisional foe. The New York Islanders and the Tampa Bay Lightning sit three and four points behind Toronto in the playoff race, respectively.
Columbus is coming into Wednesday’s game on a rush of momentum. By winning four straight, the Jackets are currently two points from re-tying the Washington Capitals in first place. Both Washington and the Pittsburgh Penguins won their games last night, putting Columbus in third for the time being.
Three star rookies will be on the ice tonight as Toronto’s Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews will try to skate past Columbus’ standout defenseman, Zach Werenski. Each of their names have been spoken countless times in regards to the Calder Trophy. The three all have incredible cases, but as any good CBJ fan would, we’re Werenski4Calder all the way.
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Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start tonight for the Blue Jackets while Frederik Andersen will be in the opposing net. Bobrovsky is a perfect 7-0-0 in March thus far.
A win Wednesday for Toronto means inching even closer to clinching a playoff berth. A win for Columbus continues their pursuit of the top spot in the Metro. If Toronto finishes the regular season as the last team in, and the Blue Jackets finish atop the Metro, the two teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs.