The Columbus Blue Jackets toppled the undefeated Hurricanes on the road last weekend, and look to keep the momentum going against the Dallas Stars.
 |
| DALLAS STARS |
|
1–5–1 (3 points) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
|
|
|
7 P.M. – WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OH |
|
|
|
FOX SPORTS OHIO FOX SPORTS GO |
To say the Dallas Stars are underperforming this season would be an understatement, because despite the fact that they are 1-5-1 and sitting 28th in the standings, the talent is there. And the Jackets don't want to be the team that allows the talent to blossom like it did against the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs.
Despite the Blue Jackets record, they have controlled most of the last three games, leading to a win over Buffalo, a tough loss to the Ducks, and the aforementioned win in Raleigh. In that loss to the Ducks, the Columbus power play let them down, going 0-for-3 and allowing a shorthanded goal (they were also 0-for-3 on Saturday against the Hurricanes). If the Blue Jackets find themselves up a man, this might be the game to give the power play some confidence, but they need to find the space to set up and establish a presence in the offensive zone.
Here's a look at tonight's projected lines for the Blue Jackets:
Forwards
Nyquist–Dubois–Atkinson
Texier–Wennberg–Bjorkstrand
Foligno–Jenner–Bemstrom
Milano–Nash–Lilja
Defenseman
Werenski–Jones
Murray–Nutivaara
Gavrikov–Savard
Goaltender: Joonas Korpisalo
Extras: Harrington, Kukan, Hannikainen
Storylines
- Build on the momentum generated in Carolina. The Blue Jackets gained a lot of confidence and momentum from their victory over the red-hot Hurricanes, and they cannot let it go to waste. They need to come out strong in the first 5-10 minutes of this game and keep their tempo up. The Stars will be motivated after a 4-0 loss in Buffalo and need to get their season turned around quickly.
- Shots on net. It's no coincidence that the Blue Jackets put 35 or more shots n their two victories this season. Neither Ben Bishop or Anton Khudobin have looked particularly strong early on this season, so the team needs to test them early and often.
- Stay out of the box. Despite the Stars' lackluster power play out of the gate, they still boast many formidable players. This is a team that can strike at any moment, and giving them extra room to operate is never a good idea.
