After a great weekend of sports many fans might be having "A Case of the Mondays". Monday, however, for Columbus Blue Jackets fans isn't too bad for a change.
Yeah the team's on a five-game winning streak and can consider the possibility of a playoff spot. In the end, what's most important about this team is that they're finding their true identity.
Starting off with the key figure in the winning streak. Sergei Bobrovsky. As mentioned in an earlier post, Bobrovsky entered the game for Steve Mason versus Edmonton last week less than a minute into the second period. During the Jackets' hot streak, Bobrovsky started the other four games and played in four overtime periods.
Bobrovsky has faced 128 shots and given up four goals over the past five games. That's one goal per every 25.6 shots. In the five games (including overtimes) Bobrovsky has a goals allowed average (goals given up per sixty minutes) of .81. If none these statistics blow you away, it doesn't hurt to know Bobrovsky had his first career shutout (3-0 versus Detroit on Saturday) and was named the "First Star" of the week.
The second key to the streak has been the Jackets penalty kill. Columbus was short handed 14 times during their five previous wins and only allowed one power-play goal (not to mention it was a 5-on-3 goal given up at Detroit). The Blue Jackets now are fifth in the NHL in penalty kill percentage and have a defense that won't be taken lightly for the remainder of the season.
Happy Monday Columbus. It looks like hockey might just be relevant again in the 614.
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