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Blue Jackets defeat Stars, clinch playoff berth

Columbus Blue Jackets v Dallas Stars

at American Airlines Center on April 9, 2014 in Dallas, Texas.

Ronald Martinez

For only the second time in their franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets are going back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Blue Jackets clinched their spot in the post-season with a 3-1 win over the host Dallas Stars on Wednesday. This game was a makeup for the March 10 meeting between the two teams, which was postponed after Dallas forward Rich Peverley collapsed due to a cardiac event.

Columbus was leading that game 1-0 on a goal from Nathan Horton early in the first period, when Peverley collapsed and was eventually taken to hospital.

Horton did not play Wednesday, however he was still credited with the opening goal, which the league has now given to him at the 0:00 mark of this game.

The Blue Jackets took a three-goal lead in the first period - they only needed to score twice in order for that to happen - before holding on to for the win and two points.

Not that the Stars, in a playoff race of their own in the Western Conference, didn’t try to pull out all the stops in the third period to try and at least get a single point.

As per Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, Stars head coach Lindy Ruff pulled Tim Thomas from the net on a power play just before the midway point of the third period. The bold move did result in a goal from Trevor Daley, but that was all the Stars would get.

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