Jackets, Blackhawks jockey for playoff position at top of respective conferences (Mar 31, 2017)
With six games left in the most successful season in franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets are trying to jump-start an offense that's gone ice cold.
Their situation could be far worse if not for goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who likely will be coming away with some top honors after the season.
The Blue Jackets look to rediscover their scoring touch against one of the NHL's best when they tackle the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night at the United Center.
Columbus (49-19-8) picked up a point with a 2-1 loss in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. That's pushed the Blue Jackets within four points of the Washington Capitals in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and the chance to open the postseason against a wild card.
But an offense that's sputtered lately is a concern for John Tortorella's team. Columbus has managed just eight goals and is 0-for-9 on the power play over the last five games. That's resulted in three losses with two coming after regulation.
"We need to find our offense. ... We got to find a way to get goals here and produce and gain momentum from that. It's contagious and we're just not doing it enough," Columbus' Nick Foligno said.
Over the last five games, Foligno, who's scored 11 of his 24 goals with the man advantage, hasn't had a point, and Cam Atkinson -- Columbus' leader with 34 goals -- has just one tally. No player on the Blue Jackets has posted more than two points over that span, and that's wearing on Tortorella, a coach noted for being blunt.
"I think we have to stop the rhetoric," he said. "We just have to play better. There's no sense in dissecting this anymore. Our top guys have got to play better."
That may be easier said than done against the Blackhawks. Corey Crawford is 5-1-0 in his last six home games against Columbus, allowing just nine goals. Scott Darling has never faced the Blue Jackets in Chicago, but is 10-3-1 with a 2.13 goals-against average as a starter at home this season.
The Blue Jackets' situation would be direr if not for Bobrovsky, who didn't play Thursday and looks to close what's been arguably the best month of his NHL career -- one that may go a long way toward his second Vezina Trophy
In 10 March games, Bobrovsky has gone 9-0-1 with a 0.99 GAA, a .971 save percentage and four shutouts. Overall, he leads the NHL with 41 wins, a 1.97 GAA and .935 save percentage.
"Bob" also has beaten Chicago in four straight contests despite allowing a total of 10 goals.
The Blue Jackets will face a Blackhawks team that overcame a rough patch in a big way.
After surrendering 12 goals in losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, Chicago (49-21-7) avoided going winless on its road trip by scoring four first-period goals to beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Wednesday.
"I think it's good to know we can play like that," Chicago forward Patrick Kane told the NHL's official website. "Let's try to get this momentum going into the (Stanley Cup playoffs) where we're firing on all cylinders."
For the last two months, Chicago has been doing just that. After closing January with three straight losses, the Blackhawks have gone 19-4-2 to surge past the Minnesota Wild and move atop the Central Division and the Western Conference.
The reigning Hart and Art Ross Trophy winner, Kane has played a crucial role with team highs of 19 goals and 16 assists over the last 25 games, and that includes three goals and three assists in a four-game points streak at home.
Kane is second in the league with 84 points, seven points behind Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. Kane played a season-high 28 minutes, 48 seconds on Oct. 21 against Columbus, but failed to register a point in Chicago's 3-2 loss.
Chicago will be looking for the second 50-win season in the Original Six franchise's history. The 'Hawks set a franchise record with 52 wins in 2009-10, and would go on to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to end a 49-year Stanley Cup drought.
