from Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch,

Whatever happens, the Jackets have written one of the best stories of this truncated season. Their goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, is the front-runner for the Vezina Trophy (best goaltender) and is integral to the script. Yet the cast is large and the tale seems pure fantasy.

Since Feb. 26, when they had the worst record in the NHL, the Jackets have lost fewer games (five) in regulation than any other team in the league. Over the same span, they have accrued more points (41) than any team save for Pittsburgh, Washington and Chicago. It is crazy.

They are 18-5-5 in 28 games over the past 60 days. They went 5-1 in their final six road games after going 5-11-2 in their previous 18. They have won at Minnesota, Anaheim and San Jose. They have won without Artem Anisimov, one of their top centers; and Nikita Nikitin, who mans a point on their power play; and Matt Calvert, their bowling-ball winger.

On Thursday night, they won in Dallas when the alternative was elimination. Dare anyone doubt them?

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