Games that matter, 2/16/11

First, a quick recap.  Three games mattered last night, and some of the chips finally fell the Columbus Blue Jackets' way.  To summarize:

• Oilers beat the Stars
• Canucks beat the Wild
• The Sharks beat the Predators in overtime

The Sharks' OT win (CBJ fans were rooting for the Sharks to lose - Are we capable of rooting for the Preds to win?) did not help, nor did the fact that it was a three-point game.  The improbable Oilers win, even against a slumping (fading?) Stars team, helped.  So did the Canucks win.
After the night's dust settled, the CBJ's playoff chances rose to 10.6%.  Every little game helps at this point!  In addition, the Blue Jackets sit in 12th place, 5 points behind the 8th place Calgary Flames.

Ooooh - the Chicago Blackhawks are one point, and one standings rank, above the CBJ right now.  And they just happen to be playing on Friday night in Chicago.  That'll be a big game...

Anyhoo, let's look at tonight's docket.  If you're a Blue Jackets fan, you should be rooting for the following:

• Blue Jackets beat the Kings (no-brainer, but CBJ wins are monumentally important)
• Capitals beat the Ducks
• Blackhawks and the Wild resolve the game in regulation (both scenarios equally help the CBJ, just as long as it's not a 3-point game)
• Same thing for Stars and Flames - get the game decided in regulation

Game on!