Time is running out for the San Jose Sharks as they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
San Jose (32-31-7, 71 points) is six points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card in the Western Conference. The Sharks, currently sixth in the race for two spots, have at least one game in hand on every team ahead of them, but need to get help and start winning fast as they have dropped six straight (0-5-1).
Columbus (38-23-11, 87 points), on the other hand, controls its own destiny. The Blue Jackets are tied for third in the Metropolitan Division with the New York Islanders, who have played one more game. Both teams are one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After a four-game winning streak, the Blue Jackets have lost two of three as they open a three-game homestand. On Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and held on for a 2-1 win.
Damon Severson scored for Columbus, and Jet Greaves made 18 saves.
“I think we played a really good game,” Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner said afterward. “Both goalies played well. We created a bunch, we just weren’t able to get that second one.”
The Blue Jackets’ offense disappeared on their three-game road swing. After totaling 16 goals in a three-game homestand, Columbus managed just four while going 1-2-0 against the Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Canadiens.
And they may have suffered another loss as Severson left the game midway through the third period with an upper-body injury. His status for Saturday is uncertain.
The Sharks, meanwhile, were also on the wrong end of a 2-1 decision on Thursday as the St. Louis Blues scored with three seconds left in overtime to win it. However, San Jose did earn a point for the first time in six games.
Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks, who have been outscored 29-12 over their past six games.
“Hopefully a step in the right direction,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “… Details were good. We had seven chances 5-on-5 against, that’s pretty good. We should win those games.”
The Sharks had a big injury on Thursday as well. Goalie Yaroslav Askarov left the game at 9:06 of the second period after Blues forward Nathan Walker was shoved into the net by Vincent Desharnais. Alex Nedeljkovic finished the game in net.
Wennberg tied the game early in the third period.
“We’re in this position right now fighting for a playoff spot and we’re letting ourselves down,” Wennberg said. “But that’s part of it as well. It’s not going to be easy. No one right now is giving up at all. We have to look forward to the next game.”
Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli played 13:03 in his return after missing two games (lower-body injury).
After a nine-game point streak, forward Macklin Celebrini is struggling, producing just one assist in his past five games. He is four points away from becoming the sixth NHL teenager to reach 100 points in a season.
The good news for San Jose is that after Saturday it returns home for six straight games.
