COLUMBUS http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-tre_davious-wh ite-jersey , Ohio (AP) The Columbus Blue Jackets backing into a playoff spot with an overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday somehow seemed fitting, considering the weird season it¡¯s been.The road to a second-straight postseason appearance ¨C the first time in franchise history that¡¯s happened ¨C was pocked with potholes for the Blue Jackets. Major injuries, slumping stars and an NHL-worst power play seemed to doom them as the grinding days of midwinter wore on.Not like last year, when the surprising young team had juice, momentum, healthy players having career years and a stunning 16-game winning streak that was the talk of the league. The Blue Jackets cruised to the playoffs with 11 games left in the schedule.By the time February rolled around this time, Columbus looked like an average team at best. The Blue Jackets lost eight of their first 11 games in the month and were slipping down the table in the rugged Metropolitan Division. A series of significant injuries to top players had coach John Tortorella piecing together lines from what was left and call-ups from the AHL team in Cleveland.The Feb. 26 trade deadline brought veteran forwards Thomas Vanek and Mark Letestu, as well as scrappy defenseman Ian Cole. After a pair of West Coast losses at the beginning of March, the Blue Jackets ripped off a 10-game winning streak on the way to winning 13 of 15 games.Still, it took three straight games of overcoming a three-goal deficit to get at least a point Cheap Christian McCaffrey Jersey , and the overtime loss to Pittsburgh in the season¡¯s penultimate game Thursday to earn a needed point and lock up a playoff spot. New Jersey and Philadelphia were always within a point or two, creating urgency every time the Blue Jackets stepped onto the ice in the past week.¡±There was a point that we stayed in it when we were playing lousy, we were banged up with injuries and we weren¡¯t playing that well at certain times, even when some (injured) guys came back,¡± Tortorella said. ¡±We stayed in because (other teams) were losing. We¡¯re just fortunate that we kept on winning when everybody else started winning. It¡¯s crazy.¡±Crazy, indeed, considering key contributors Boone Jenner, Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg, Seth Jones Authentic Christian McCaffrey Jersey , Brandon Dubinsky and captain Nick Foligno all missed significant chunks of the schedule with injuries.The Blue Jackets wouldn¡¯t be preparing for the postseason without Artemi Panarin, brought to Columbus in an offseason trade with Chicago, and 19-year rookie sensation Pierre-Luc Dubois, who got his 48th point of the season Thursday night, breaking the franchise rookie record set by Zach Werenski last season.The 26-year-old Panarin has become the dangerous puck distributor and sniper the Blue Jackets had been seeking, getting 27 goals and 55 assists for a Columbus franchise record of 82 points. He¡¯s put up 13 points in the last five games, including a pair of assists against Pittsburgh.Columbus is playing its grittiest hockey at just the right time.¡±I am absolutely thrilled,¡± Tortorella said. ¡±The amount of work they put in; we were dead and gone there a couple of months ago. I¡¯m thrilled we get to experience what we¡¯re going to experience here.¡±If they can beat Nashville in the regular-season finale Saturday, they have a chance to secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the postseason. That¡¯s never happened in Columbus, either.¡±We¡¯ve been playing our best stretch of hockey and coming together as a group http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-christian-m ccaffrey-jersey , so obviously it¡¯s a good time of year,¡± Jenner said. ¡±We have to keep going.¡±¡ª PHILADELPHIA (AP) Sidney Crosby¡¯s continued dominance of the Flyers helped the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins move back into first place.Conor Sheary scored two goals, Crosby had three assists and Pittsburgh surged into the top spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 5-2 victory over the Flyers on Wednesday night.Phil Kessel, Jamie Oleksiak and Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins, who have won three straight. Pittsburgh (39-25-4, 82 points) moved one point ahead of idle Washington and three in front of third-place Philadelphia.Crosby continued to haunt the Flyers, upping his total to 91 points in 62 career games against Pittsburgh¡¯s intrastate rival.¡±Everybody gets up for it,¡± Crosby said of the rivalry. ¡±It brings out the best in everybody.¡±Crosby¡¯s third assist gave him 1,100 career points.¡±His line was dynamic,¡± Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.Sheary began the game on the fourth line Baker Mayfield Jersey Elite , but played alongside Crosby for parts of the night ¨C and benefited greatly. Crosby assisted on both goals to help Sheary break out of a slump, as he entered without a goal in 15 straight contests.¡±He goes to tough areas and plays bigger than he is,¡± Crosby said of the 5-foot-8 Sheary.¡±Thrilled for Conor,¡± Sullivan said. ¡±Essentially what I told him is, `Nothing lasts forever.¡±¡¯Travis Konecny and Jakub Voracek had goals for the Flyers, who lost their fourth in a row.¡±We didn¡¯t play a complete game 5-on-5,¡± Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said. ¡±We made some mistakes.¡±The teams combined for six goals in an electrifying second period.Voracek netted his 15th of the season 2:07 into the period to tie it at 1. Nolan Patrick caused a turnover with strong backchecking, passed to Voracek and his shot from the side boards deflected off Pittsburgh¡¯s Derick Brassard and past Tristan Jarry.Konecny put Philadelphia ahead 3:54 later when he batted the puck over Jarry¡¯s right pad.But the Penguins scored three straight goals to take a 4-2 lead into the third.¡±They scored when they needed to score,¡± Voracek said. ¡±They make you pay.¡±Oleksiak tied it at 2 with 10:36 remaining with a slap shot that got through the screen of Crosby and Jake Guentzel and past Peter Mrazek.¡±He can really shoot the puck, has a bomb of a shot http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/baker-mayfield-jers ey ,¡± Sullivan said.Sheary gave the Penguins a 3-2 lead with his first of the night, finishing a 2-on-1 break with Crosby with 5:35 remaining in the period. Mrazek made a good pad save on Crosby¡¯s initial shot. But the rebound went right to Sheary, who backhanded it in for his 13th of the season.Sheary¡¯s second goal from a sharp angle with 49.3 seconds left in the period put Pittsburgh ahead by two goals. Guentzel¡¯s shot from the high slot deflected off Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning to a wide-open Sheary to the right of the net, and Mrazek couldn¡¯t recover in time. Crosby got a secondary assist on the goal, his third of the night.Kessel, playing in his 900th NHL game, opened the scoring with 1:25 left in the first period on the power play on assists from Malkin and Crosby. Malkin set the goal up with a perfect pass across the crease, and Kessel converted the easy finish with a forehand shot for his 28th goal.Malkin¡¯s goal was an empty-netter with 1:41 remaining.NOTES: Philadelphia Eagles LB Mychal Kendricks helped provided on-ice commentary during the first period. ¡­ Pittsburgh improved to 3-0 against the Flyers this season. The teams wrap up their regular-season series on March 25 in Pittsburgh. ¡­ Mrazek has allowed 19 goals while losing the last four games. ¡­ Philadelphia F Wayne Simmonds returned after missing seven games due to a lower-body injury. D Andrew MacDonald also was back on the ice after sitting out Sunday¡¯s 4-1 loss at Florida due to an upper-body injury. ¡­ Pittsburgh RW Bryan Rust (upper body) didn¡¯t return after being checked by Robert Hagg with 11:32 left in the first period, and C Dominik Simon (lower body) didn¡¯t play after getting hurt in the second period. Sullivan said both would be re-evaluated Thursday.UP NEXTPenguins: At Toronto on Saturday night.Flyers: At Boston on Thursday night.