The Columbus Blue Jackets are in a playoff position thanks to an incredible run since their January coaching change, but they’re all too aware of the importance of turning their fortunes again when they play host to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
The Blue Jackets (38-24-12, 88 points) sit in the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, but are in a downward spiral. Plus, there are a trio of clubs two points behind in the standings.
Coach Rick Bowness feels Sunday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins should snap everybody into attention.
“Some of these guys, they’ve got a lot to learn about how to play in this league at this time of year,” Bowness said. “It gets harder and harder and harder, and we’re going to keep reminding them and reminding them every day how hard it is to win at this time of the year. … There’s a lot to be learned from some of these guys, and they better damn well start listening.”
Columbus went on a 18-2-4 tear after Bowness took the helm following the firing of Dean Evason on Jan. 12, but has just one victory in the past five outings.
In losing to Boston, the Blue Jackets squandered a three-goal lead in the final 14 minutes of regulation time, including a game-tying tally scored with 11 seconds remaining.
Consecutive clashes with Carolina — they meet again Thursday in Raleigh — will require a Blue Jackets’ turnaround.
“It won’t be tough, because there’s nothing we can do about it now,” center Charlie Coyle said of finding their focus. “There are so many more meaningful games left that we just have to take advantage of. The one we’re getting ready for, and that’s the next one on the schedule.”
The Hurricanes (46-21-6, 98 points) have a solid hold on first place in the Metropolitan Division and are vying for top spot in the Eastern Conference, but are in a little swoon of their own.
Carolina has dropped two of three games and is coming off a 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
In fact, the Hurricanes lost a pair of regulation-time games to the Canadiens within a week. Carolina outshot Montreal 35-18 in Sunday’s defeat and registered a 43-19 edge in a 5-2 loss on Tuesday.
In both games, Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes was deservedly the first star.
“Pretty much identical as the game up there,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Sunday’s home defeat. “We played well, we definitely created enough opportunities, we just didn’t score. So, you tip your hat to that goalie. He played great again.”
In both games, Carolina took a lead, but watched it evaporate while the Canadiens roared back with all unanswered goals en route to victory.
The easy thought is to believe the Hurricanes just needed to find another goal or two to seal those victories, but captain Jordan Staal said the answer goes beyond something that simple.
“Obviously, their goalie played well, but it’s what you give up, too,” Staal said. “It was a couple mishaps in the second, and being down a couple against a goalie who is playing well is never easy.”
Carolina’s lone goal on Sunday came via Andrei Svechnikov on the power play, giving the club man-advantage goals in six consecutive games (8-for-18, 44.4%).
With his assist on the tally, Seth Jarvis has collected nine points (two goals, seven assists) in a six-game point streak.
