The Columbus Blue Jackets moved into eighth place in the Western Conference by beating the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in overtime.
Storified by Dominic Binkley · Mon, Apr 01 2013 18:44:27
The Columbus Blue Jackets inched their way into eighth place in the Western Conference standings Sunday night by handing the Anaheim Ducks a 2-1 overtime defeat.
The win improved the Blue Jackets' record to 9-0-3 in their last 12 games only a month after the team sat at the bottom of the NHL standings. It also extended the team's point streak to 15 in their last 17 games and set a franchise record for 10 wins in a single month.
The Blue Jackets carried the play early in the game and had what appeared to be a goal less than a minute when a shot by Derrick Brassard hit the goal post but a review showed that the puck did not go in the net. Brassard redeemed himself midway through the second period by scoring on a pass from Mark Letestu, giving a Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky continued his success in net for the Blue Jackets by holding the ducks off the scoreboard until Duck's forward Emerson Etem's shot beat Bobrovsky's with five minutes left in regulation, tying the game 1-1. Bobrovsky finished the game with 29 saves on 30 shots and was named the NHL's third star of the month following the game.
The game seemed destined for a shootout with only one minute left in overtime when Mark Letestu blew a shot past Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller giving the Blue Jackets two points to move them into the eighth and last playoff position in the Western Conference.
The win sparked a rare sense of hope among the Blue Jackets faithful who have been waiting almost four years for the team to make the playoffs since the team's only post-season appearance in 2009. Some fans took to twitter following the win to express their excitement.
Playoffs bound! Whoop Whoop! “@BlueJacketsNHL: How about YOUR Columbus Blue Jackets? #CBJ”
Jackets up to 14th in ESPN's power rankings. What is happening?!? :) #CBJ
RT if you expected Columbus to be in the playoff push this year. (I'm not expecting any RTs) #NHL #CBJ
#CBJ in a play off spot?!?! (Checks calendar) oooooh, riiiight. Good one.
Is it too early start planing to buy playoff tickets?! #cbj @nickcondeni
Twelve games remain in the Blue Jackets' shortened season with eight of those being on the road. Columbus has struggled thus far on the road, earning a record of only 4-10-2.
The playoff race is tight with five other teams within two points of the Blue Jacket's total of 37. The Blue Jackets will need to find a way to duplicate their home-ice success while on the road to keep their playoff hopes alive.
