NHL playoff scores 2017: Thank you for the good times, Blue Jackets

And so we bid farewell to a NHL team that provided us with so much surprising joy this season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets bowed out of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs on Thursday, putting up a meager fight as the Pittsburgh Penguins won Game 5 by three goals.

Nothing went right for the Jackets in this series after a season of things constantly going right. An errant Phil Kessel shot literally broke their best defenseman’s face. Sergei Bobrovsky was quite un-Boblike. Cam Atkinson was good, but not great.

Columbus looked unprepared for the test, even with the Penguins down a gadzillion defenseman and the hand of Sports God injuring Matt Murray during Game 1 warm-ups.

Even after such a brilliant, out-of-nowhere season, we can file the Blue Jackets back in the “Not Ready For Prime-Time” file for now. But ever so briefly. I can already hear those kids rattling around inside that cabinet, yearning to break free again next season.

Rangers 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
Penguins 5, Blue Jackets 2
Predators 4, Blackhawks 1
Oilers 4, Sharks 3 (OT)

1.. Okay, nice joke. Now please tell us what you did with the real Blackhawks.

Chicago didn’t just get swept. They got swept for the first time in 24 years. They got swept for the first time in 24 years and only scored three goals all series. They got swept for the first time in 24 years and only scored three goals all series and Jonathan Toews scored his first in two years. They got swept for the first time in 24 years and only scored three goals all series and Jonathan Toews scored his first in two years a—

2. WE GET IT. GOOD GRAVY.

3. Mika Zibanejad saved his best (and only) for first (or last?)

He had a nice season, and was a nice pickup from the Senators. But anytime you heard his name this series with the Canadiens it was associated with the words “bad,” “ineffective,” or “nondescript.” Okay, only I said that last one. Too wordy for TV, Pat.

But he showed up when it counted, scoring the overtime winner that sends New York back home with a chance to eliminate the Habs this weekend.

Everything I just mentioned, Headline Man.

OH YEAH.

Look at what Duncan Keith did.

Yes, we get it. Thank you.

Rangers front office man Glen Sather.

That’s it. That’s the list.