614Sports: Buzzer beater in the Bus

CBJ: Playoff Hopes Will Be Determined in 3-2-1…

A 5-4 OT loss to the Vancouver Canucks this past weekend prevented the Columbus Blue Jackets from clearly separating themselves from the ready-to-pounce Philadelphia Flyers as they are equal on points with the CBJ yet stuck playing second fiddle because of a tiebreaker.

With three games remaining in the regular season (two at home, one away), the Blue Jackets could finish second in the Metro Division, earn one of the Wild Card spots, or—dare I even write it—miss the playoffs.

This razor-thin margin for error will make for some intense, consequential battles on the ice that proves the notion that every game matters in the NHL’s demanding 82-game season. And if the CBJ can maintain its recent pace of scoring (16 goals in the last three games), then the climb into the playoffs could be just the beginning of this team’s eventual summit this season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (94 points) host the Detroit Red Wings (71 points) tonight at Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m. on Fox Sports Ohio.

Columbus Had the Thrills & Villanova Had the Wright Stuff

The NCAA Women’s Final Four in Columbus was, by all accounts, a wonderful success on and off the court.

Both of the two semifinal games went into OT—one of which saw the undefeated juggernaut UConn Huskies upset—and the national championship was won at the buzzer 61-58 on a déjà vu play by Notre Dame’s star guard #24 Arike Ogunbowale that broke the hearts of Mississippi State players, coaches and fans. The ESPN announcers even asked when they’re going to get to come back to Columbus.

On the men’s side, the Wolverines from that team up north fell just short were thoroughly defeated in a 79-62 loss to the Villanova Wildcats. With this win, Nova head coach Jay Wright and his program earned its second national championship in three years with the three-point shooting equivalence of a Rocky Balboa punch.

Speaking of which, it’s a very good time to be a Philadelphia sports fan right now. As Jim Nantz said late last night, Philly’s sports fans are experiencing a “supernova” with that velvety voice of his (according to Charles Barkley).

From the first ever #16-seed UMBC Retrievers not only beating but beating down the overall #1-seed Virginia Cavaliers to Ohio State’s promising future with Chris Holtmann to brackets being busted in record time to Villanova earning serious name recognition and respect nationally to the equally inspiring and informative 98-year-old Sister Jean of Loyola-Chicago, this March delivered every kind of madness we could’ve (and never could’ve) imagined.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY