If you had asked us before the year about the importance of an early January matinee game against the Buffalo Sabres, we would have been very wrong. But, as things go, this afternoon's Blue Jackets game has massive implications for their entire season.
This weekend may be their final chance to test their mettle and get back into the playoff race. Once these two games are complete, they will be at the halfway mark of their season.
It's not going to be easy. Today, they get to face the NHL's hottest team. Since naming Jarmo Kekalainen (remember him?