Columbus Blue Jackets Staring Down the Barrel: Dimming the Stars

Will the Columbus Blue Jackets bounce back after two losses and pick up a win against the Dallas Stars?

The Columbus Blue Jackets return to Ohio after an up and down California road trip. They now find themselves outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference with the Stars coming to town.

Ahead of tonight’s Columbus Blue Jackets home bout against the Dallas Stars we sat down with Josh Clark, the editor over at BlackoutDallas.com. Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter and enjoy the discussion of the Stars, Jackets, and tonight’s game.

Lansing Murphy (LM): Dallas is currently in third place in the loaded Central Division. Do they really have the firepower to keep this up and make a playoff spot out of the best division in the NHL?

Josh Clark (JC): Absolutely they do. The Stars have some of the best talent in not just the Central, but the entire league. The first month brought with it a bit of a transition for the Stars while they adjusted to Jim Montgomery’s scheme. But once they begin clicking on a nightly basis, they are a very tough team to beat.

The Stars definitely have the power to stay in the top four all year, though. All that matters is their consistency.

LM: Tell us what we should expect from rookie defenseman Miro Heiskanen who is off to an impressive start in his first season.

Columbus Blue Jackets

JC: Expect a solid dose of composure, skill, and focus. At 19 years old, Miro Heiskanen already looks like a 10-year vet and continues to do so many good things with each shift. He’s the future of the Dallas defense and the future of this league.

It would be a good idea to watch out for number 4!

LM: Where do the Stars have the biggest matchup advantage on the CBJ?

JC: I think it comes down to the special teams battle. The Stars own top-ten units on both the power play and penalty kill, while the Blue Jackets are struggling in both categories.

If the Stars can find ways to get on the power play and kill off their own penalties like they have been, it just might be the deciding factor in the game.

LM: How do you see this game playing out?

JC: The thing that Columbus Blue Jackets have working in their favor is that the Stars are coming off of a hard fought overtime game on Monday night in Boston. Travel takes time and the players might be a step slower.

But, I still think the Stars find the energy to close out their trip on a high note and beat the Jackets 3-2.

Thanks again to Josh for talking with us about the big Tuesday night game.