This season has been a period of rebuilding, growth and developing the team’s skills. The San Jose Sharks have struggled to find themselves out of the bottom of the league. Each game, win or lose, is never the same in the end.

They didn’t get to six goals, but the Blue Jackets did move into the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference over the Boston Bruins by extending their season-high winning streak to six straight games Thursday at Nationwide Arena.

James van Riemsdyk scored twice and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 to extend their win streak to six games — their longest since January 2020.