Columbus Blue Jackets set out on their last road trip of the year with high stakes in their next three games.
The regular season is two weeks away from the finale. The Columbus Blue Jackets have a three game road trip to Western Canada where the stakes, and expectations, are high. They play three teams out of the playoff conversation and need to maintain their current playoff position.
With teams chasing the CBJ having games in hand, these upcoming road bouts become even more important. The Florida Panthers have two games in hand and the New Jersey Devils still have a game advantage. The Jackets four point playoff cushion its fragile to say the least.
But the trip to Canada offers a huge opportunity for the Jackets to cement their spot in the playoffs and their upcoming opponents offer the easiest chance for six points.
Edmonton Oilers
This is the hottest team the Columbus Blue Jackets will play on the trip. The Oilers, though eliminated from the playoffs, are on a nice run as of late. They are 7-2-2 in their last 11 games and have some young players who recently were called up carrying the team.
This game based on recent results will be the Jackets toughest game of the trip. Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net coming off two full days of rest. Although he is coming off a loss, he played well in his last outing too.
The biggest test will be how the lineup shakes out and how players settle in without captain Nick Foligno. Foligno will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a lower body injury he sustained against St. Louis.
Related Story: Foligno Out for 2-4 Weeks
Early indications point to Brandon Dubinsky taking the center spot between Oliver Bjorkstrand and Sonny Milano. The fourth line wing position that Dubinsky had been occupying will likely be filled by Markus Hannikainen.
Calgary Flames
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Talk about a dumpster fire. The Calgary Flames are spiraling out of control and are now without their best player, Johnny Gaudreau. The Flames have lost six straight games after being in the thick of the playoff race in the West.
The Flames will have three days off between their last contest and their game against the CBJ. They could pull things together in practice and take it to the Jackets but I don’t expect that. They will be without their best player and have nothing to play for. The Flames are busting out the clubs and preparing for the links.
Vancouver Canucks
The trip will finish up with the cellar dwellers of the West, the Vancouver Canucks. The boys from Vancouver have been eliminated from the playoffs since about December and are also without their best player. Rookie sensation Brock Boeser has a back injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
The Canucks are 2-8-0 in their last ten games and not putting up much a fight. The 1pm puck drop in Vancouver on Saturday will create a low energy environment and provides an opportunity for the Jackets to jump out to an early lead and take the crowd right out of it. This should be a nice win to cap the road trip.
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Four points on this trip would be good. Five would be excellent. Six will guarantee the Jackets a spot in the playoffs. This road trip has high expectations for the CBJ and they need to live up to the high bar set by their weak opponents.