from Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch,

The Blue Jackets are 15-2-4 over their past 21 games. The numbers within are crazy, and we can count the ways.

On Dec. 9, when this hot streak started, the Jackets were closer to last place in the conference (nine points ahead of Detroit) than they were to the second wild card (11 points behind Carolina). Heading into a game Wednesday night against the Winnipeg Jets in Nationwide Arena, the Jackets are holding the first wild card. Right now, they’re in.

The Jackets are 26-18-6. They have 60 points, their second-best record through 50 games, trailing only the 2016-17 team, which had 71 points through 50 games and ended the regular season with 108. That was a healthy group touched by magic. This is something else.

The past 21 games, by the numbers (and the goaltending stats are crazy):

Nineteen players have combined to score 63 goals (3.0 a game). Twelve players have scored winning goals.

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