This and that..

Follow this link to see what the playoffs would look like if they started today. Here is the CBJ matchup:

3) Calgary (40-23-6, 86 pts)
Games remaining: 13 (7 Home, 6 Away)
vs. +.500: 12 vs. West: 12
6) Columbus (36-28-6, 78 pts)
Games remaining: 12 (6 Home, 6 Away)
vs. +.500: 11 vs. West: 10

REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Flames lead 2-1
Nov 8: at Blue Jackets 3, Flames 1
Jan 21: at Flames 5, Blue Jackets 4 (SO)
Feb 24: at Flames 4, Blue Jackets 1
March 26: Calgary at Columbus

Thanks to Kevin for sending that in!

According to USCHO.com they have Ohio State narrowly missing out on the Frozen Four tournament.

Did you catch this yet over on BlueJackets.nhl.com?

Columbus Blue Jackets and Tim Hortons Introduce Stinger Donut

As the Blue Jackets "March to the Playoffs," team partner Tim Hortons March 18 introduced the Stinger Donut, a specially-themed vanilla dip donut adorned with colorful sprinkles. Starting today, the Stinger Donut is available in all central Ohio Tim Hortons stores through the end of the Blue Jackets current season. The Stinger Donut will be back on shelves at the start of the 2009-2010 campaign.

In addition, the Blue Jackets and Tim Hortons invite fans to celebrate a Jackets victory at home with a free donut. The day following a win at Nationwide Arena, fans may show their game ticket at participating central Ohio Tim Hortons stores to receive one free donut with the purchase of a coffee. Tim Hortons is the official coffee of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

I really like the way the Jackets are utilizing their partners the second half of the season. From Giant Eagle, Pepsi, Time Warner, Donatos and now Tim Hortons.

Looks like I have a couple of donuts in my future!

Puck-daddy named Antoinne Vermette his #1 star from yesterday's set of games:

No. 1 Star: Antoine Vermette, Columbus Blue Jackets

OK, so we may have dogged the BJs a bit at the deadline for picking up Vermette. All he's done is score points in five of his first six games with Columbus, including the game-winner at 2:38 of overtime for a playoff-intense 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. R.J. Umberger sent him a pass and Vermette did the rest: Fending off a hapless Brian Campbell and then chipping the puck past Cristobal Huet (24 saves). Tremendous game, and a tremendous win for the Jackets.

Tremendous!

Here is an interesting read from Pierre LeBrun over at ESPN.com. He compiled the overall standings from the 2nd half of the season. Where do your Columbus Blue Jackets rank?

How about 6th best out of the 30 teams with a .633 winning percentage!

TEAM GP W L OTL PTS PTS %
New Jersey Devils 29 22 7 0 44 .759
Detroit Red Wings 30 18 8 4 40 .667
St. Louis Blues 29 16 7 6 38 .655
Pittsburgh Penguins 31 18 9 4 40 .645
Vancouver Canucks 28 16 8 4 36 .643
Columbus Blue Jackets 30 18 10 2 38 .633

LeBrun's comments:
While Edmonton battles for its playoff life, Vancouver and Columbus (see table above) so far have used huge second halves to put themselves closer to safety. The sixth-place Jackets have a six-point gap on the danger zone. The fifth-place Canucks are just a point behind struggling Chicago for fourth place and home-ice advantage in the first round. The young Blackhawks have picked up only 29 points in 28 second-half games, basically .500 hockey. You can guess where our money will be if the Canucks and Hawks face off in the first round.

Actually the entire thing is an interesting read which I highly recommend.

CBC takes a look at 4 teams to "beware of" if they make the post season:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Let’s see. In the space of a week, the Blue Jackets beat the best team in the West (Detroit), putting up an eight spot against them in Joe Louis Arena. They shut out the best team in the East (Boston), then beat the hottest team in the league (Pittsburgh) and for good measure went into one of the toughest buildings in the league (Chicago) and topped the Blackhawks. Pretty good playoff entry resume.

Largely it’s about the goaltender in Columbus and even coach Ken Hitchcock would have trouble arguing that’s not the case.

The rise of Steve Mason should scare any team the Jackets come up against because he could shut out the lot of them and pretty much has. But besides stopping the puck, Mason has given the rest of the team confidence to play the game without fear of tragedy in the net. Yes, the Blue Jackets can finally trust their goalie.

Hitchcock has a playoff-ready style, which means the Jackets don’t give their opponents many chances to score. Rick Nash is a star game breaker, Antoine Vermette gives the team a big lift at centre and the anonymous defence - featuring dependable Fedor Tyutin and Jan Hejda - has the Jackets among the top 10 teams in goals against.

And that takes us right back to the goalie!

Wait.. am I hearing what I think I'm hearing..? By god I think I am.... the Jackets are getting a little:

r-e-s-p-e-c-t

-LTL