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Columbus Blue Jackets secure playoff spot despite blowing lead in final minute

By Peter Hassett

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April 5, 2019 10:13 pm

The Columbus Blue Jackets went all-in at the trade deadline, loading up with trades and holding onto two players on expiring contracts, forward Artemi Panarin and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, despite their intentions to sign elsewhere this summer. It was a huge gamble for Columbus, and until Friday night we still weren’t sure it would pay off.

With a shootout win over the New York Rangers, the Columbus Blue Jackets are locked in for the playoffs. But, y’all, look how close they came to blowing it.

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Leading 2-1 in the final minute of regulation, the Blue Jackets almost blew it when Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich “beat” Bobrovsky. Really, the Buchnevich just passed the puck into the slot, and Bob’s own pad deflected into the net. Hence the posture in the photo above.

Meanwhile, Buchnevich was elated.

And because I know you want to see it, here’s what Lumbus head coach John Tortorella looked like just after the buzzer.

That one goal actually had a massive swing on the Jackets’ playoff chances.

Alas, the Jackets survived overtime and won the shootout with a goal from Artemi Panarin.

That second standings point finally earned the Jackets an X next to their name in the standings.

Bob sure seemed relieved about that.

Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens have finally been eliminated.

We’ll still need more time before we find out who the Caps will play in the first round. For the final games of the season, Columbus plays Ottawa, Carolina plays Philadelphia, Washington plays the Islanders, and Pittsburgh plays New York proper.

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