614Sports: Plenty of wind to sail Clippers into season opener

Penguins March into Columbus Shoulder-to-Shoulder with Blue Jackets

Was it a good thing that the Columbus Blue Jackets came from behind and scored four unanswered goals—including two goals in the third period—to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 in OT this past Tuesday night?

Yes and no.

The answer is yes because the “never say die” grit and determination of the CBJ à la the Goonies was impressive and strangely reassuring as Columbus vies for a favorable spot in the playoffs.

The answer is no because the Red Wings have been underwhelming this year, the game was at Nationwide Arena and the playoffs will feature tougher competition. Speaking of which, the Penguins are in town. This high-stakes Midwestern battle on the ice will provide a golden opportunity for Columbus to pass Pittsburgh for second place in the Metro Division with one game subsequently remaining in the regular season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (96 points) host the formidable Pittsburgh Penguins (96 points) tonight at Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m. on Fox Sports Ohio.

Columbus Clippers: There’s Plenty of Wind for Sailing into the 2018 Season

It’s looking like high-to-mid-30s for the 2018 season opener for the Columbus Clippers. This temperature forecast for the game in Indy tomorrow evening—along with 12 MPH wind—should make for some interesting pitching and batting strategies.

The 10-time Governors’ Cup winners will be looking to bring a nice winning streak back to Columbus when they return home to Huntington Park this time next week. The Columbus Clippers open the 2018 season by venturing west to play the Indianapolis Indians this Friday night at 7:15 p.m., which is part of a 3-game weekend series.

OSU Men’s Ice Hockey: The Quest for Victory in the Viking State

In a Midwestern Frozen Four, the Ohio State men’s ice hockey team will play the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs later this evening. The Buckeyes blasted Denver 5-1 to reach its second Frozen Four appearance in program history, while the Bulldogs beat Air Force 2-1 in their quarterfinal matchup to qualify for its sixth Frozen Four.

Admittedly, playing Minnesota Duluth in Saint Paul, Minnesota may not be ideal concerning the crowd environment and fan ratio. However, Buckeye fans do travel.

Look for scarlet & gray in the crowd as the Ohio State Buckeyes play the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs tonight at the Xcel Energy Center at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Crew SC Will Be Looking to Light up the Chicago Fire

Suburban Chicago will be the scene where Columbus Crew SC will look to earn three points against a dejected Chicago Fire squad.

Following a disappointing 2-1 home loss against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC this past weekend with a flat second half performance (of course Kei Kamara scored the game winner), the original Black & Gold in MLS will hopefully take advantage of Chicago’s porous defense that’s allowed eight goals passed their goalie #45 Richard Sanchez in its first three matches.

Moreover, Crew SC is tied for second in scoring goals thus far

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