Here are three takeaways: Defeating Ottawa pulled the Blue Jackets even with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings at 79 points each. All three have five games left and now they’re chasing just one final playoff spot controlled by the Montreal Canadiens — who are close to clinching the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended a three-game losing streak and a lengthy goalless drought on Tuesday with a 5-2 victory over the visiting Ottawa Senators.

Columbus sits eight points back of the final wild card spot occupied by Montreal, meaning it would take a miracle run for the CBJ – and essentially a collapse out of the Habs – to get the Blue Jackets back into the top eight in the Eastern Conference.