2009 Columbus Blue Jackets Season Update
Posted 3/1/2009
The Columbus Blue Jackets are hanging strong in the Central Division as they sit in third place and battle for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference.
The Blue Jackets have a chance to establish themselves in the upcoming days as they go on the biggest road trip in club history. It includes three games against teams that they are battling for the final playoff spots.
Columbus is hot, having gone undefeated over its past six games. That should bode well for the difficult road trip, which could significantly help or hurt their current position in the Western Conference.
The Blue Jackets, currently in sixth place in the Western Conference, are the only team in the NHL to have never made the playoffs.
The city of Columbus has just one professional sports team and has really rallied around the Blue Jackets. It is a source of pride for such a small town to lay claim to an NHL team.
Rick Nash is the offensive star for Columbus, as he leads the team in points, goals and assists. He also leads the club with three, short-handed goals.
The reason the Blue Jackets have played so well can be credited to their goaltending.
Steve Mason is allowing just 2.17 goals per game while sporting a save percentage of almost 92. The team has played three other goalies during the course of the season, but none have established themselves as the primary backup to Mason.
With Mason playing so well, the Blue Jackets are well positioned to make the playoffs for the first time in the history of the franchise.
However, they can't afford to let up with so many teams within a couple of points and do have to survive a tough stretch of upcoming games.