Columbus vs Carolina: Playoff Hopes on the Line

0:00On March 31st, Columbus Blue jackets are hitting a rough patch, dropping three of their last four games, and tonight they face a tough test against. The Carolina Hurricanes right here in nationwide arena. It's the first of back-to-back divisional battles, and with the jackets clinging to a playoff spot, these two points could make or break there. Postseason hopes. Earlier this week, they blew a three-nothing lead against the Bruins, losing four-three in a shootout. That stung bad, especially sitting on the edge of the playoff line with the schedule full of high-stakes matchups ahead. Ket Johnson is back in the lineup tonight after sitting out that Bruins game, slotted on the fourth line with Isaac Lunastrom and Miles Wood. Coach Ridd Bownis wants him using his speed and vision to create chances in open ice, and paired with those guys, he could spark something big. Meanwhile, it's round three in net, between Jett Greaves and Brandon Bussey. The series is tied 1-1 so far. Greaves dominated last time with the jackets winning 5-1, but Bussey bounced back strong before that.

1:02Expect a goalie duel since both squads love shooting the puck. The jackets sit at 88 points with eight games left, eyeing a magic number around 98 to clinch. Carolina needs these points for seating too, so it'll be intense at 7-30 Eastern win tonight, grab some help from other Metro losses, and keep. That playoff dream alive. This has been NHL News Today, powered by AI.