Game #77 preview, the Blue Jackets need to ground the surging Jets

The Blue Jackets have made the task pretty clear for themselves. With six games remaining, they likely need to win them all to have a realistic shot at making the playoffs. It starts tonight as they host a Winnipeg Jets team that has played their way back into the playoff battle out West.

There's no need to beat the dead horse here, so I'll keep it short: the Blue Jackets have been awful for the better part of two weeks. Most recently, they played what might have been their worst game in franchise history, losing 5-1 in Carolina on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the Jets have been nearly the exact opposite. The Bizarro Jackets, if you will. They are winners of four of their last six games, clawing their way to within three points of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.

The Opponent

The Jets have had a bit of an up and down year. Traditionally, they are a strong defensive team that gets timely scoring to win games. This year, their defense is middle of the pack (13th), while their offense has sputtered (25th). That's a recipe for a lot of losses.

Through 75 games, they are 32-31-12 (76 points), which has them 11th in the Western Conference. They do have a glimmer of hope for the playoffs, but like the Blue Jackets, they probably need to win out to realistically give themselves a shot.

Winnipeg is treated to one of the game's most underrated stars down the middle. Mark Scheifele has 34 goals and 92 points to lead the way, which ties him for 8th in the entire NHL in scoring. The 6'3", 207 pounder is exactly the kind of player I'm hoping to see Adam Fantilli turn into: a two-way physical monster that scores in bunches.

Just behind Scheifele in scoring is Kyle Connor, who has 34 goals and 85 points. Oddly enough, this is a player I've compared Kent Johnson to over the years. If the Blue Jackets can get their two young stars to reach this level, they will be in good shape.

On the back end, the Jets are led by another underrated star. Josh Morrissey is fourth on the team with 52 points, quietly turning in another elite season for a team whose next closest scorer on the blue line has just 19 points.

In goal, they feature-you guessed it-another star, reining Vezina and Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck. He's having a bit of a down year this year, with a pedestrian .898% save percentage, 2.81 goals against average, and only 20 wins in his 52 starts.

But, that's the kind of guy that can steal a game on any given night. And we know how the Blue Jackets have been offensively lately. He does not have a shutout this year. Let's hope that doesn't happen tonight.

Overall, this team is far better than their record under former CBJ bench boss Scott Arniel indicates. I have to think they are a prime candidate for a coaching change this summer, something I wondered about last summer.

The Good Guys

At some point, the Blue Jackets have to figure out what they want out of this season. After sleeping through the first three months of the year, they lit on fire and played some of the best hockey in the history of this franchise. Then, they fell flat and have played some of the worst hockey in the history of this franchise.

But somehow, through some miracle, they find themselves within striking distance of a playoff spot. They can get it done, but they need someone to step up and say enough is enough. Someone has to lead them out of their funk, and it has to start tonight. Anything less than two points probably puts a nail in their coffin.

If they do win tonight, they will leap over the New York Islanders and take third place in the Metropolitan Division. Fingers crossed that they can pull out of their funk.

Early line combinations show Kent Johnson as a potential healthy scratch again. These are subject to change, with a few game-time decisions looming. Jet Greaves is slated to start in goal.

Side note: it looks like Bones might have read our thoughts on his defense pairings yesterday. He has them lined up exactly as we mentioned.

Three Keys to Success

1. Find the offensive mojo. The Jackets have scored just 12 goals in their last 7 games. That's less than 2 per game, and it's not going to cut it, even on nights when they defend well. They have to find 3 or more goals tonight.

2. Stay above the puck. The Jets are another team that can burn you when you make mistakes, because they play a smart defensive game-and have the skill to score in transition. The Jackets have to play within their system tonight.

3. Where is the pride? The Jackets look like a team that is finished, but they are still in this race. A win tonight could swing their confidence, but it starts in the room. Someone has to step up and make a difference.

Puck drop tonight is scheduled for just after 7:00 Eastern time. This is the second and final matchup of the season between these teams, with the Jets winning 5-2 in Winnipeg back on November 18th. Payback would be great. Let's go Jackets!