Nothing like a home and home series...unless one of the homes is Columbus.

Look, I know the Blues can't take any team for granted -- all two points are created equal. But the Blue Jackets are just a hot mess. Rick Nash is taking cheap shots and not standing up for himself. Even when they do drop the gloves, the Jackets want to end fights the cheap way (Dane Byers, I saw you trying to trip B.J. Crombeen while he was denting the back of your skull). Ryan Reaves had a flight to think about who he wants to make his rag doll this afternoon in rematch in Ohio.

It's sad when all I can think bout to preview for this game is the rough stuff, but that's about all we have to look forward to. That and maybe seeing if Curtis Sanford can produce a similar performance as last night's. Granted, dude allowed four goals. It could have been eight. He was fairly good in traffic and his glove was sharp. But when his team is giving up so many frequent chances and not clearing the crease, well goals are going to happen.

And the Blues are serious about winning today. They saved Jaroslav Halak, one of the hottest goaltenders in the NHL, for this game instead of skating him on home ice last night.

Let's talk big picture goals for this game, late-night wrappity wrap style.

• Two points.
• Staying healthy.
• Two points.
• Reaves making a point with the points of his knuckles
• And finally, two points.

As the TV broadcast crew has said, the key to this game is getting off to a good start and scoring more goals than the other team. This is your game day thread. Comment like your Blues are first overall in the NHL. Which they totally are.