The Columbus Blue Jackets meet up with the Los Angeles Kings one night after moving back into the eighth spot in the Western Conference. The two teams have not played each other in over a month. Los Angeles won the first two matchups, but Columbus is in panic mode as they try to cement themselves into the playoff race. This game could become closer than expected.
Columbus currently has four games left in their season. They are two points ahead of the ninth place Detroit Red Wings and one point behind the seventh place St. Louis Blues. The Blue Jackets know they cannot afford to drop any of the remaining games, as their spot in the playoffs is not yet guaranteed. Columbus has won three games in a row as goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has posted a 1.54 goals-against average during the streak. He has allowed only eight goals in his past five starts, playing a big part in the team's recent success. He is in the running to become the first Russian to earn the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's best goalie.
The Los Angeles Kings were in a similar position last year. They went on to become the only eighth seed to win the Stanley Cup. The team is tied with the San Jose Sharks for fourth place in the conference as they hold the tiebreaker to get home-ice advantage in the first round. They currently sit six points ahead of the postseason cutoff and seem pretty secure in their chances at the playoffs. If the Kings are going to have another successful run at the championship, they must improve on this slight slump the team has hit. They are 2-1-2 in their most recent stretch of game, most recently losing 3-2 to the Sharks on the road. They had 43 shots through 65 minutes, only getting two through the net. Goalie Jonathan Quick has done his part to help the team, going 2-0-1 in his last three starts, only allowing five goals in the process.
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