Columbus Blue Jackets Scoring Depth Showing in Streak
The Columbus Blue Jackets six game winning streak is being powered by many sticks.
Six straight wins for the Columbus Blue Jackets have the union blue in the drivers seat for their first back-to-back playoff appearances in franchise history. The streak began on March 4th against San Jose when 10 different players had points. That distribution of scoring has continued and been a hallmark of the team’s play since then.
In all 15 players have points in the last six games and 10 different players have scored goals. The Jackets have scored goals on the power play and scored shorthanded. They have pretty goals and ugly goals. I’ll stop the Dr. Suess experience now but you get the point. They have scored in a variety of different ways from different skaters.
Scoring that can come from every line and every situation is the Jackets second best weapon as they push for a playoff spot. A stellar Sergei Bobrovsky being the best weapon.
Having four lines that can legitimately score like the Jackets now have is critical. The best teams in the league roll out scorers on every line. The Jackets top line, as it should, is carrying the scoring over the winning streak. Artemi Panarin leads the way with three goals and seven assist. Cam Atkinson, the hero of the Philadelphia game, has three goals and four assist. And most impressively the rookie, Pierre-Luc Dubois, has a goal and five assist.
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Beyond that though Boone Jenner is heating up. He has three goals and three assist. Thomas Vanek has settled in and has two goals and two assist. Finally Alexander Wennberg is playing like the center we expected him to be and has a goal and seven assist.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets can also throw out the Bjorkstand – Foligno – Milano line that can score at any time. These three have combined for three goals and two assist. These guys are a threat to score every time they have the puck.
Opposing teams are not getting any time off or any easy matchups now against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It has turned into a full 60 minute chess match for opposing coaches and they are at a distinct disadvantage.
Defensive Scoring
That scoring depth doesn’t even factor in the defense. The Jackets of course have the most prolific offensive duo in the NHL (Don’t @ me Calgary) in Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. Those two have six goals and six assist during the six game winning streak. They have been an evil sight for opposing teams.
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Beyond the two rovers, the “shutdown” pair of Ian Cole and David Savard has even been lightning the lamp. The LumberJackets have two goals and six assist during the last week and a half.
If I were a betting man (which I am) I would put money on Markus Nutivaara joining in the scoring here soon. Nuti, who missed a month due to injury, is still the Jackets third highest scoring defenseman this season with 18 points.
By the way, all of this is being done without Josh Anderson, the teams second highest goal scorer this season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets scoring depth is a massive weapon as they fight for a playoff spot. If they get into the playoffs, it will make them an incredibly tough out. With a goalie like Bob behind this scoring depth, this is a team that can make a deep run.