The Latest Breaking News from Blue Jackets

BOSTON — Being the top dog in the National Hockey League comes with its challenges, as the Bruins are learning. It doesn’t matter where an opponent sits in the standings, a date with the league leaders has a way shaking that team out of its doldrums.

TAMPA, Fla. — Closing their six-game homestand Thursday night against a Blue Jackets squad with the fewest points in the Eastern Conference, the Lightning had to be careful not to be lulled into a letdown game.

PITTSBURGH — One dominant period was all the Penguins needed to take care of business against the Columbus Blue Jackets, winning, 4-1, Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The short-handed Blue Jackets made the Islanders work for this win, to be sure. But the Islanders’ biggest victory may have been sustaining a concentrated effort coming off two emotional wins, the Thanksgiving holiday and a questionable second-period sequence that yielded two power-play goals.

Friday’s game is postponed, and Saturday’s remains in flux due to the damage.

The Florida Panthers had a prime chance to take the lead late Sunday. The Panthers found themselves on the power play 33 seconds into the third period after the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Mathieu Olivier committed a tripping penalty.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Standing behind his players in the first period, Flyers coach John Tortorella summed up their play in two words: “We suck.”

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