Game Preview: (The Other) Foligno And The Wild Come To Columbus As The Blue Jackets Look To Snap Four-Game Losing Streak

MINNESOTA WILD

34–19–3 (71 points; .634%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE

7:00 P.M. – FRIDAY, MARCH 11TH NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OH

Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Network)

For a team that's above .500 through the first 59 games of the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets sure do have a lot of "burn the tape" games.

Thursday night's 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders was the latest, but likely not last, really tough game of the season. 

Joonas Korpisalo allowed six goals on 33 shots and Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped all 25 shots from the Blue Jackets for his fifth shutout of the year. After missing time with an injury, Thursday's game was Korpisalo's first in-game action since January. His rust showed.

The loss equaled Columbus' worse loss of the season. It was the fifth time they've been held scoreless, and three of those five were 6-0 finals. The other two were 4-0 losses; at least they leave little doubt.

Another tough game awaits Friday night at Nationwide Arena, when the Blue Jackets take the ice against the Minnesota Wild for the second half of an away-to-home back-to-back.

RE: WILD

Any tired legs under the Blue Jackets will likely be shared by the Wild, who will be playing their second game in as many nights and third game in the last four. Minnesota won their second straight game Thursday in a wild thrilling 6-5 shootout in Detroit over the Red Wings. Friday's game at Nationwide Arena is Minnesota's last road game of the month, as the Wild start a ridiculous nine-game homestand Sunday.

These aren't the defensive-minded, score when you can Wild of yesteryear. This team ranks third in the league in goals per game, trailing only Florida and Colorado. They give up their fair share, too, ranking 22nd in the league in goals allowed per game. All signs would point to a 5-4 type game Friday night. 

Kirill Kaprizov, the 24-year-old, leads the way for the Wild. Kaprizov is the team-leader in goals (29), assists (43), and points (72). In just his second year in the NHL, don't be surprised if he finishes in the top ten on league MVP balloting.

He's not along in gaudy numbers, though. At age 34, Mats Zuccarello is having a career year. With 17 goals included, Zucs is at 58 points in 48 games — that's just three away from his record for points in a season, which he did in 81 games. 

Winger Kevin Fiala recently joined Kaprizov and Zuccarello in the 50-point club, and winger Ryan Hartman (42 points) will likely join them soon. Hartman ranks fourth on the Wild in scoring, one ahead of Marcus Foligno. The little brother of former Columbus captain Nick Foligno sits at 31 points on the season — three of which came in a one-goal, two-assist performance against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

STORYLINES

• CAN'T GET ANY WORSE
  Combined with Washington's winning streak, the Blue Jackets can just about close the door on any hopes for a surprise playoff berth this season. It was never likely, but the fact that they kept it interesting going into the middle of March is nothing to shake your head at. The retooling team remains above .500 on the season despite four consecutive games without a win. But the 6-0 loss was one of the worst games of the season, and win or lose, they've absolutely got to show more fight Friday night when they're back on home ice.
   
• TIME TO DEVELOP
  These next six weeks are going to be important, even without much left to play for in the standings. Cole Sillinger and Yegor Chinakhov have stuck around as NHL regulars in their rookie season’s, but a good end to their 2021-22 season will help set the table for 2022-23.

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