BLUE JACKETS NIP BLACKHAWKS TO CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

The Columbus Blue Jackets are heading to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history.  The only active team to have never reached the postseason—until tonight—clinched their berth with a come from behind 4-3 shootout victory over the host Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Columbus got off to a dismal start as the Blackhawks scored twice in the waning minutes of the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the break.  Brent Seabrook got the team on the board with his power play goal assisted by Brian Campbell and Duncan Keith.  Dave Bolland gave Chicago a two goal led as he scored with 21 seconds left in the period with assists to Keith and Kris Versteeg.  The Blue Jackets quickly got back into the game in the middle frame, with Antoine Vermette scoring at the 5:37 mark assisted by Rick Nash and Raffi Torres to bring his team within one.  Jason Williams would pull the Jackets even less than three minutes later as he scored set up by Vermette and R.J. Umberger.  The Blackhawks would pull ahead before the end of the period, as Martin Havlat scored at 17:43 assisted by Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews to give Chicago a 3-2 advantage heading into the final twenty minutes.

The Blackhawks did an excellent job defensively in the third period, holding Columbus to only four shots on goal.  One of those shots, however, found its mark as Rick Nash beat Nikolai Khabibulin at the 14:30 mark assisted by Jason Chimera and Jan Hejda to tie the score.  After a scoreless five minute overtime session, Columbus’ Steve Mason outdueled Khabibulin in the shootout to give the Jackets the victory and their first postseason berth. 

After the game, Columbus’ Nash—who was named ‘first star’ for the contest—said that the reality of the playoffs still hadn’t sunk in:

"To get that one point was huge, to come back after being down 2-0. To get the win was even more important. We're going to try to win these last two games to keep our position in the standings. I don't know if it's quite sunk in yet. We're so used to playing out the season."

Jackets’ coach Ken Hitchcock praised his charges for their effort:

"I'm proud of the guys. I wasn't happy about the first period. I thought we were light on the puck. In the second and third period we came back and managed the play."

The Blue Jackets will finish the regular season with games at St. Louis on Friday and at home against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.  The Blackhawks face the stern challenge of a ‘home and home’ series with the Detroit Red Wings to close out their schedule.  They’ll play the Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday, with the rematch in Chicago the following day.