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Big in the 80’s: Columbus jumps to East’s first wild card spot after beating Detroit

Detroit Red Wings v Columbus Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 25: on March 25, 2014 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** name

Kirk Irwin

Plenty of people might take issue with Cam Atkinson’s game-winning goal for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, but it seems kind of fitting. Things are just that close in the Eastern Conference’s frantic race for the final two playoff spots, making quite a debut for the wild card system.

Before we get to how the Blue Jackets jumped from 10th place in the East to seventh (aka the first wild card spot), let’s ponder the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 win ... which obviously - and importantly - came in regulation.

Here’s Atkinson’s goal followed by the league’s explanation regarding why it stood, via the NHL.com Situation Room blog.

According to rule 63.6 “In the event that the goal post is displaced, either deliberately or accidentally, prior to the puck crossing the normal positions of the goal posts, the referee may award a goal. In order to award a goal in this situation, the goal post must have been displaced by the actions of a defending player, the puck must have been shot (or the player must be in the act of shooting) at the goal prior to the goal post being displaced, and it must be determined that the puck would have entered the net between the normal position of the goal posts. The goal frame is considered to be displaced if either or both goal pegs are no longer in their respective holes in the ice, or the net has come completely off one or both pegs, prior to or as the puck enters the goal.” This is not a reviewable call. Good goal Columbus.

Well, there you go.

Beyond that controversy, it seemed like a battle of scrappy teams. The Red Wings have been overcoming a staggering array of injuries, yet the Blue Jackets shook off Sergei Bobrovsky’s injury to win with Curtis McElhinney, who was only beaten once tonight.

They also overcame red-hot Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist, who scored two more goals today:

East outlook

In other East news, the Toronto Maple Leafs dropped a dispiriting sixth consecutive loss while the Washington Capitals snared a “charity point” from the red-hot Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

So, with all this activity, here’s how the wild card race looks:

wild

James OBrien

Long story short: buckle up.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins