The Columbus Blue Jackets' unlikely pursuit of a playoff spot is still alive following Tuesday's win over the Philadelphia Flyers, and head coach Dean Evason said he's proud of how his group has rallied against the odds.
"I think the team is feeding off each other," Evason said, per team reporter Jeff Svoboda. "I think the team is saying, doing the right thing. It's not an individual game, it's a team game, and everybody is pulling in the same direction. They're all on the same page, and we've been fortunate to get some wins here. We need to get one more."
The Blue Jackets have won five in a row and are two points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Habs can clinch with a point in Wednesday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, but Montreal losing would give Columbus a chance to sneak into the playoffs with a win Thursday against the New York Islanders.
Columbus has been in the playoff mix most of the season but appeared to be dead in the water after back-to-back losses April 5 and 6, in which it was outscored 9-0. The Blue Jackets trailed the Canadiens by eight points following the disappointing weekend.
A key reason for Columbus' sudden turnaround has been goaltender Jet Greaves' play. In four starts since April 10, he's undefeated with a .976 save percentage and two shutouts.
"It's been a lot of fun," Greaves said. "It's always great to be playing important games this time of the year, and I think we're enjoying that, just enjoying every day. ... It's pretty cool. Obviously, growing up, you always think about playing those games at the important time of the year and hopefully winning them. Just try to keep that going."