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Elite eight: Blue Jackets beat Flames handily to keep streak going

Columbus Blue Jackets v Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, FL - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets watches a replay during a break in action against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on November 26, 2016 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shoot out. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

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The Columbus Blue Jackets aren’t just winning, they’re dominating.

Just look at Friday’s 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames. That’s their eighth consecutive win, and it’s not mere dumb luck; six of those eights victories have been by at least two goals. Maybe more impressively, they’re 13-1-2 in their last 16 games. Wow.

Playing fewer games that their peers muddles the Metropolitan Division, but the bottom line is that the Blue Jackets are right up there with the best:

1. Penguins - 44 points in 31 games played (after overtime loss to Kings)
2. Rangers - 43 points in 32 GP
3. Blue Jackets - 42 points in 28 GP
4. Capitals - 41 points in 29 GP (after shootout win against Hurricanes)
5. Flyers - 41 points in 32 GP

Columbus is also right up there with the elites as far as goal differential goes. After Friday’s win, they’re at +36, tied with the Rangers for the league’s best mark.

The scary thing for opponents is that you can’t really focus on one Blue Jackets player. Sergei Bobrovsky is the MVP, but as far as scoring goes, they’re getting goals from a wide variety of sources.

As an example, Sam Gagner is going from free agent afterthought to 13 goals, the current team lead. Zach Werenski continues to be as dominant as you’ll see a rookie defenseman, generating two assists to give him 20 points already in 2016-17.

(It’s possible that Werenski actually got the goal.)

Matt Calvert’s 4-1 goal feels emblematic of the best moments so far for the Blue Jackets, moments that have been in remarkably steady supply:

This team just won’t be stopped.

Speaking of which, John Tortorella could win his 500th game as a coach and extend Columbus’ win streak to nine games against (wait for it) the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. Yeah, sometimes things just fall into place.