Blue Jackets Face Make-or-Break Stretch

0:00On this March 2nd, here's what's making headlines for the NHL. The Columbus Blue Jackets came out of the Olympic break, looking shaky after being the hottest team in the NHL going in. They dropped their first two games to the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders. The exact team sitting right above them in the standings. Now they face a make or break stretch starting tonight against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. That leads into four straight home games next week versus the National Predators, Florida Panthers, Utah Mammoth and Los Angeles Kings, all squads. Battling in the same playoff mix. Fans and analysts see this as a huge turning point with the Jackets clinging to wild card hopes. Coach Rick Bownes lit a fire under young stars like Ken Johnson and Demetri Veronkov, even benching Johnson as a healthy scratch in the latest loss. To push for more offense. To snap this kid, Goldtenders Elvis Merzlikens and Jeg Grieves need to regain their pre-break form with back-to-back shutouts fresh in mind.

1:00That means the defense, led by Zach Wyrnski, must tighten up positioning to stop tips and redirects in front of the net. Overall, the stars have to drive the attack consistently and the team needs to grind a full 60 minutes without those second period fades that erased early leads. If they fix these, their talent could carry them deep into the playoffs. Thanks to our sponsor for supporting today's coverage. Headphones in a pillow. Simple idea.