The Blue Jackets' Deron Quint is leveled by Matt Cullen of the Mighty Ducks after clearing the puck in the first period last night.
Expansion teams deal in a form of hope that is buttressed by reality.
Last night, the Blue Jackets came upon something different. They played a game they were supposed to win. They were riding a four-game point streak, and they were hosting a foundering bunch of Anaheim Mighty Ducks, who had lost four in a row and eight of their previous nine. 18,136 jammed Nationwide Arena. There was a weight of expectation.