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Although it's been an incredible season for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024-25, things have completely gone off the rails for the team over the last two weeks. After occupying the top wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference early in March, they've lost six games in a row and have completely fallen out of the playoff picture.
Friday night's 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins was particularly disappointing, dropping the club to three points out of the final playoff spot.
“We were cheating to try to create offense,” head coach Dean Evason admitted afterwards, per NHL.com's Wes Crosby. “And we don’t have to. We’ve been creating offense. They just haven’t gone in the net. Tonight, we forced the issue. We cheated.”
Columbus has had an impossibly difficult time scoring goals lately, managing just one in four games before Friday's tilt. And although they were able to put three past Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, the netminder was excellent, making 44 saves.
The Jackets haven't necessarily been playing poorly over the losing streak, they've just been unable to capitalize on their chances. And in a logjam of an Eastern Conference, this skid is detrimental to their playoff hopes.
“You give them time and space, you give them chances down low, they’re going to make you pay,” Werenski said of Pittsburgh, per Crosby. “They did that tonight. You give up six goals in a game, you’re not going to win many.”
Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves for the 31-29-9 Jackets, while captain Boone Jenner scored his first goal of the season in game No. 13.
“It feels good,” Jenner said of getting off the schneid. “I definitely want to chip in offensively. Obviously, it’s a big part of my game, to help us out offensively.”
Now three points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final postseason berth, every one of Columbus' last 13 regular-season games are going to be absolutely critical.
Blue Jackets desperately need to get back in win column
All it would take is a couple more regulation losses in a row to really sink the Blue Jackets' fading playoff chances. Although the magic number for a spot is just three, they would have to leapfrog the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Canadiens to get in.
The Jackets just can't seem to beat the Penguins in Pittsburgh over the last decade. “The Penguins are 16-0-1 at home against the Blue Jackets since Dec. 21, 2015, for their second-longest home point streak against any opponent,” wrote Crosby afterwards.
The schedule doesn't get any easier for Evason's team, who will play eight of 13 games against squads currently occupying a playoff spot. After getting the weekend off, the Jackets will travel to Long Island to take on the Islanders — who are one point ahead of them — at UBS Arena on Monday night.
While the dream isn't over yet, it's going to take a herculean effort for the Ohio-based franchise to advance to the dance considering how abysmal the last few weeks have been.
