The phones at R Bar in Columbus, Ohio, have been ringing more often than usual this week.

"We're already getting calls to make sure we have the Jackets game on New Year's Eve," co-owner Michael Darr said Thursday.
"Jackets" is short for Blue Jackets, the hottest team in the NHL and professional sports. The buzz surrounding the team in Columbus is beginning to bleed union blue into Ohio State's dominance of the local sports market.
The calls Darr and his staff fielded this week wanted confirmation the Blue Jackets TV time would not be interupted by Ohio State football when the team's big games overlap for about an hour Saturday night. The Blue Jackets face the Wild at 5 p.m. and the Buckeyes appear in the College Football Playoff at 6 p.m.
The Blue Jackets won a franchise record 14th straight game Thursday night beating Winnipeg 5-3 to move into first place in the league with a 25-5-4 record.
"Everyone is talking about it," Darr said. "We haven't seen this since we went to the playoffs in 2009. Once they beat Pittsburgh and Montreal, it became the talk of the town. I've heard more coverage on the radio than I've ever heard. More people are coming into the bar to talk hockey.
"The hype is there. … The city is engaged."
Todd Jones, senior writer at the Columbus Dispatch, said "Columbus has really taken to the team again" after "years of failure drained away a lot of the fans.