Preview: Blue Jackets host Red Wings, looking for fourth straight win

GAME 69: RED WINGS (26-30-11) AT BLUE JACKETS (35-28-5)
Location:Nationwide Arena, 7 P.M., Friday
TV:Fox Sports Ohio/Fox Sports Go (Jeff Rimer, Jody Shelley)
Radio:97.1 FM & BlueJackets.com (Bob McElligott)
There are still two teams hot on their trail, but the Blue Jackets are starting to target what's ahead of them after winning three straight games.
Their 5-4 overtime victory Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche, a come-from-behind win, moved Columbus to 75 points and within one point of the New Jersey Devils (76 points) for the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets, who hold the East's second wild-card spot, are also within four points of the Philadelphia Flyers (79 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
Neither team plays Friday, so the Blue Jackets can pass New Jersey and pull within two points of Philadelphia with a victory against Detroit.
"We've got to stop looking at who's behind us and start looking at who's in front of us, trying to catch them," said defenseman Zach Werenski, who had a goal and assist against Colorado. "We're playing some good hockey right now and we're not that far off the teams in front of us, so hopefully we can catch one."

It will help if the offense keeps scoring the way it has the past three games.
The Blue Jackets have scored four-or-more goals in each, which is the first time all season they've scored that many in three consecutive games. After struggling to score goals most of the season, Columbus is starting to find the back of the net at a great time of the year.
There are only 14 games left on the Jackets' regular-season schedule and only four of their remaining opponents are currently holding playoff spots. The Devils, meanwhile, play 10 of their final 14 games against teams in playoff position and the Flyers play seven in their final 14 games.
The next two games for Columbus are against teams that aren't even close to playoff contention, beginning with the Red Wings to conclude the Jackets' 16th of 17 back-to-backs this season.
"That's a huge win for us, just to keep it going here a little bit and trying to gain our confidence," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said Thursday, after Seth Jones scored 59 seconds into overtime. "We held in there, we get a little bit of balance within our lineup, as far as some result scoring. Celebrate it for a few minutes and then we've got another one Friday