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Ten games to go, Blue Jackets fans….

The Columbus Blue Jackets are getting ready to play their last game against an Eastern Conference opponent tonight, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.  It looks easy on paper.  The Lightning own the second-worst record in the East.  Second worst in the NHL, actually – the West’s worst team (Colorado) still has two more points than Tampa.  In contrast, Columbus is 13-3-1 against the East, and unbeaten in five games against Tampa Bay’s division (Southeast).  See?  Looks great on paper, right?

However, so did Toronto… and they beat the CBJ in a shootout.  There are no gimmes, especially playing on the road.  Then again, this could be the easiest game the Jackets play all week.  Tonight is the first game in a run of five games in eight nights to close out March:  Tampa Bay (tonight), Calgary (Thursday), a home-and-home against St. Louis (Saturday and Sunday) and Nashville (next Tuesday).

The likelihood of Columbus clinching by the end of this five-game run is not certain, but a good run here could bring the Blue Jackets really close, and they might even knock one out.  One thing is for sure, if they do well, they’ll certainly earn (and probably need) the three days off between games against Nashville.

"No looking ahead. The good guys have to take care of their own house, and let the other teams rise and fall where they may."

By the way, after those three days off?  The last five games of the season will also be played in a span of eight days, from Saturday, April 4 to Saturday the 11^th.  With some great play, it’s another four days off before the playoffs begin.

Speaking of great play, how much are fans loving Raffi Torres right now!  Three goals in the last four games, and two of them were the game-tying and game-winning goals against Florida the other night.  The third was the game winner against Chicago on March 13.  The guy has been clutch.  And Steve Mason?  You have got to take hats off to him for keeping the Jackets in that game for 57 minutes, before Torres worked that magic.  He better take whatever rest he can -- I have a feeling he won't have any nights off for the next three weeks, unless the Blue Jackets clinch early.

The Jackets have to take these last ten games, one game at a time.  The playoff push could go all the way to April 11.  Or, with help, the Jackets could clinch with a few days to spare.

No looking ahead, though.  The good guys have to take care of their own house, and let the other teams rise and fall where they may.  And you can keep track of them here at ColumbusSports.com, with my daily wrapup, “Martin Obsesses About the NHL Playoff Standings So You Don't Have To.”  The site also has a bunch of content on all kinds of sports – including football, the upcoming baseball season, high school basketball roundups, and even stuff you should keep in mind for your own diet and exercise regimen.

Come see www.ColumbusSports.com, bookmark it, and give the site a follow on Twitter (@ColumbusSports) for updates.

Go Jackets!

Martin Poston lends other hockey wisdom and wit (and sometimes witless wit, too) for Columbus and beyond, at www.tootoobites.blogspot.com.

Tags: columbus blue jackets, nhl playoff push, raffi torres, steve mason, tampa bay lightning, western conference