Columbus Blue Jackets March and April 2019 Schedule Breakdown

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COLUMBUS, OH – DECEMBER 12: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates the puck around Alexander Wennberg #10 of the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period of a game on December 12, 2017 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

March is a packed month with four back-to-backs for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Well this is it. The final five weeks of the season bring plenty of obstacles and challenges for the Columbus Blue Jackets. March is the toughest month on the calendar for the Jackets and it will be pressure packed.

Even if the team trades away stars Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky at the deadline, the team will look to rally and push towards the playoffs despite the losses. But the Jackets are going to need to have some points bank rolled as they head into this challenging five week stretch.

It starts with a matinee against the best player in the league. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers will head to Columbus for their annual pilgrimage to the heartland.

The next day, the Western Conference favorites come into NWA. Jack Roslovic and the Winnipeg Jets on the back end of a back-to-back might be the toughest home game the Jackets play all year.

After these games the Jackets are rewarded with a mini road trip to New Jersey followed by Pittsburgh. The two Metro teams are sure to be in the thick of a playoff race at this time so these games will be massive.

As will be the final game of the week against the Pittsburgh Penguins. No that isn’t your eyes playing tricks on you. The Jackets have to play the Pens twice in two days to wrap up a tough first week of March.

Week One Prediction: 1-2-2

Week Two: March 11th-17th

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 23: Riley Nash #20 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round in the 2018 Stanley Cup Play-offs at the Air Canada Centre on April 23, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 3-1.(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Riley Nash /

If you’ve been reading all of our monthly schedule breakdowns, first of all, thank you. Second of all, you’ve noticed that only one team hasn’t been brought up yet and that would be the Boston Bruins. That changes in week two of March for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Bruins come to Columbus to round out the back end of a trick back-to-back for the CBJ. On Monday the 11th the team will be on Long Island to take on the Islander. The next night, the Jackets will host a deep squad in the Bruins at home. It will be the first time Riley Nash takes on his old team.

After the Tuesday home bout, the team has two off days until a Friday night Metro showdown at NWA against the Hurricanes. Both the Jackets and Canes will be battling it out for a playoff spot. This should be a fun home game.

And if the team didn’t get enough of the Bruins on Monday, they get another stab at them on Saturday. The team flies to Boston following the Friday night game at home to take on the Bruins at TD Garden.

Week Two Predictions: 2-0-2

Week Three: March 18th-24th

VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 31: Michael Del Zotto #4 of the Vancouver Canucks and Joonas Korpisalo #70 and Pierre-Luc Dubois #18 of the Columbus Blue Jackets walks a rebound during their NHL game at Rogers Arena March 31, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)”n /

The road game in Boston in week two is the start to a four game road trip that takes the Columbus Blue Jackets across the continent. The team will head to Calgary as they start their Western Canada Road trip.

Last year the trip to Alberta and British Columbia turned the Jackets’ season around and started the run the team needed to get in the playoffs. At this point in the year, I don’t think the Jackets will need that type of a run but they will perform nicely on this trip. Calgary will be improved but there are issues in net.

Thursday, the CBJ will take on the Edmonton McDavid’s and then head to Vancouver to round out the trip on Sunday in the Pacific Northwest. The two full days in between the Edmonton and Vancouver games sets up nicely on this long road trip.

Vancouver will have nothing to play for at this point in the year and should be an easy win. The Jackets have performed well on these long road trips, especially late in the year and I expect that to continue.

Week Three Prediction: 2-1-0

Week Four: March 25th-31st

NASHVILLE, TN – APRIL 7: P.K. Subban #76 of the Nashville Predators defends against the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on April 7, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The Columbus Blue Jackets should have a playoff spot secured in by the final two weeks of the season. If they don’t, the schedule sets up very nicely for them to rack up some easy points against teams that should be looking toward their lottery odds and not their playoff seeding.

That starts with two games at home against two of the worst teams in the east. The Islanders come into Nationwide Arena on Tuesday March 26th followed by the Montreal Canadiens on the 28th.

Then comes back-to-back road games over the weekend which present a slight challenge. First, the Jackets fly to Nashville to take on the Predators on Saturday night. Then the team heads north to Buffalo to play the Sabres at 6pm in Western New York. The Jackets should fair well in the back end of this two game road series.

The race for a playoff spot in the east is likely going to be a race to 98 points. In the last week in March, the Jackets should be able to get six, relatively easy points as they wrap up the season.

Week Four Prediction: 3-1-0

Last Week of the Regular Season

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 20: of the New York Rangers against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden on March 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The final week of the year, much like the second to last week, holds some great opportunities for points. The week starts with the regular season home finale against the Boston Bruins. It will be the third time the two teams face off in 21 days.

Then the Columbus Blue Jackets head to New York to finish their season series against the Rangers. At this point the Rangers wont have anything to play for but pride.

The Ottawa Senators won’t even be playing for pride. They are the last opponent for the Jackets in the regular season and it will be the end of a miserable year for the City of Ottawa and the Senators.

Final Week Prediction: 2-1-0

The last month is manageable for the Jackets. The last two weeks are perfect. If the Jackets are four points out of the playoffs heading into March, which I don’t see happening, remember that the end of the schedule lines up nicely.

Next. U&B Roundtable: CBJ Strengths and Weaknesses. dark

Over the final five weeks I see the Jackets going 10-5-4. That hot run to end the season will set the Jackets up nicely for a playoff run including their first playoff series win in franchise history.

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