The Columbus Blue Jackets have 12 games remaining in the shortened 2013 hockey season. They are currently in a heated playoff race and are a point out of eighth place.
Before looking at what lies ahead, let's slow down and see how the Jackets got themselves to their current 15-14-7 record.
The Jackets went 2-5-1 in the month of January. This wasn't too surprising considering Columbus basically cleaned house in the offseason and had a team that hadn't built much chemistry coming into the season.
Columbus went 3-7-2 in the month of February. Oddly, Jackets fans still felt positive, as the team was competitive all month and never lost a game by more than two goals.
The Jackets turned things around in the month of March. Last month the team went 10-2-4 due to the outstanding play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
Once again, it may sound like a broken record, but Bobrovsky has single-handedly put the Jackets on the radar in the NHL and turned the team into a playoff contender.
Now to the 12 games remaining. Eight of the remaining games will be on the road, leaving four more home games at nationwide the rest of the season.
Columbus has a home record of 11-4-5 and a road record of 4-10-2 on the season to this point.
The odds clearly are against Columbus, a young team that has thrived off home-ice advantage.
Head coach Todd Richards will have hands full in the month of April, as the Jackets must play with high expectations from fans for the first time in a while.
March may have come to an end, but if Columbus makes it the playoffs there's no doubt they will be considered the 2013 cinderella of the NHL.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will play their first two games of April this Thursday and Friday with road games against the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.
Bobrovski was a star in March. There's just one question I have for "Bob" this month. "Can I get an encore?".
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