New Headline: Columbus Blue Jackets Fare Unimpressive as They Suffer 6-2 Defeat That Ends the Season

The Blue Jackets had a big win March 14 in Philadelphia but inched just a little closer toward a playoff spot after a nail-biting finish in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Flyers. More: Columbus Blue Jackets edge Philadelphia Flyers in shootout: Replay Jet Greaves stayed calm while stopping three straight Flyers attempts in the shootout, but Kirill Marchenko’s winning backhand in the third round didn’t provide much more than an emotional lift for the Jackets at Xfinity Mobile Arena. They avoided losing ground in a tight playoff race with 16 games remaining, which was critical, but the Jackets absorbed a few body blows on the out-of-town scoreboard.

Gaining just one point on the Detroit Red Wings, who added a point with an overtime loss in Dallas, the Blue Jackets remain on the postseason bubble. The Blue Jackets (34-21-11, 79 points) are one point behind the Red Wings (36-23-8, 80 points) and Boston Bruins (37-23-6, 81 points) for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Boston has the first via tiebreaker over Detroit, and the Jackets are three points away from overtaking the Pittsburgh Penguins or New York Islanders for either second or third in the Metropolitan Division.

Despite the Blue Jackets pushing a season-high points streak to nine straight games and going 2-0-1 in a tough road trip, MoneyPuck dropped the Jackets’ playoff odds to 68. 3% waking up March 15 after rising near 71% following their win in Philly. They’re still in solid position, but Tankathon ranks the Jackets’ final 16 games as the NHL’s third hardest remaining schedule.

The Penguins and Bruins are the only teams with more difficult finishes, so buckle up for a bumpy finish. Here are three takeaways from a nail-biter in South Philly: Columbus Blue Jackets remain strong in shootouts Deciding the game in a shootout was a fitting finish for the Blue Jackets and Flyers, who are two of the NHL’s best teams in that department. Columbus improved to 6-1 in shootouts for a win percentage of .