The title is an understatement. In the days leading up to the Christmas holiday, the Blue Jackets have four winnable games and three games against teams that will be less-than-100 percent.

I don’t subscribe to many theories or conventional wisdoms, but I’m going to shed light on one for a minute. Both of this week’s opponents at Nationwide Arena (Calgary and Vancouver) will be playing their third game in four nights, and each will be playing the tail end of back-to-back sets.

Choose to believe in the theory or not, but you saw some of it in the second period against the Oilers last week. Playing their sixth game in nine days, the Blue Jackets lost a little steam at the crescendo of that contest. Edmonton recognized that and amped up its pressure and its forechecking.

The Blue Jackets have to do the same against the Flames and Canucks. Calgary dropped a 4-1 decision to the Wild last night in St. Paul and will bring a better effort tonight. Miikka Kiprusoff is the Flames’ iron man, and with the team desperately needing points, I’d be surprised if coach Brent Sutter puts Henrik Karlsson in net against the Blue Jackets—especially given how well Kipper played them in the Saddledome last week.

Though Columbus is in the midst of a four-game winless skid (0-2-2), I don’t think it’s cause for a heightened state of alarm.

The Blue Jackets have been competitive and engaged in each of those four defeats (save for a dreadful second period in Edmonton) and were the tough-luck losers on both overtime defeats in Western Canada.

Jarome Iginla’s winner in OT was a lucky bounce right to his tape—not to mention a pre-lockout hold by Alex Tanguay on Fedor Tyutin, who was trying to get back to the front.

Ryan Kesler’s game-winner in Vancouver was a great 2-on-1, but one guy beat them and Mathieu Garon had just made a dazzling stop on Daniel Sedin seconds earlier. Disappointing losses that deserved a better fate, but losses nonetheless.

So…

–Tonight begins that pivotal stretch. A win against the Flames is much-needed, and all the motivation required is some film of the 6-2 drubbing they fell victim to Oct. 22 in Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets had little life in that game after pulling to 2-1 in the first period. Need a better start.

–First periods haven’t been an issue lately. Yes, Columbus has yielded the game’s first goal nine times in the last ten, but their puck pursuit and checking have been outstanding from the drop of the puck.

–Tom Reed (@TReedDispatch) of the Columbus Dispatch reported yesterday that Garon will likely start in goal tonight. I suspect that will be the case for the foreseeable future with Steve Mason in a bit of a rough patch.

–Also, the great crew at the Dispatch reported on line changes by head coach Scott Arniel. With Kristian Huselius back and contributing points, why not move him up with Rick Nash? Arniel did so, adding Antoine Vermette to center the duo.

–R.J. Umberger will play alongside Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek. Other than those changes, I don’t anticipate any major shakeups in the lineup.

Oh, did I mention the next four games are important? But remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint.