Game Preview: Blue Jackets Battle San Jose To Conclude Road Trip; Seek First Win At The Shark Tank Since 2018

SAN JOSE SHARKS

29–34–12 (70 points; .467%) LINE: SJ -125

10:30 P.M. – TUESDAY, APRIL 19TH SAP CENTER SAN JOSE, CA

Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Network)

The list of current Columbus Blue Jackets on the roster when the team last won a game in San Jose is a short one. 

Only Oliver Bjorkstrand and Zach Werenski were on the team November 1st, 2018 — the date of Columbus' most recent road victory against the Sharks. That's not as bad as it sounds, as there has been only one game in San Jose since that point as a result of the fallout from COVID-19. 

Still, it's been a while, and the Blue Jackets would certainly like to come back to Columbus on the heels of a victory that would stop them from coming back winless on their three-game road trip.

RE: SHARKS

A March 26th victory over the Anaheim Ducks put the Sharks one game above .500, but since that point, the Sharks have lost ten straight games. It's not that they're completely overmatched: four of those games have been in overtime, and six of the ten losses (including the last four) have all been by one goal. But a ten-game losing streak is, in fact, not good. 

The game Tuesday will be the first back at the Shark Tank (SAP Center) in a couple of weeks for San Jose, who returns home after a five-game road trip. It'll be their third game in four nights, in three cities, so the Sharks could have some fatigue.

That may be the only thing to slow down Timo Meier. The 25-year-old is the team leader in goals (33), assists (40), points (73), shots (300, and leads everyone else on the team by over 100), and hits (153), amongst other categories. He and Tomas Hertl have been the anchors for San Jose this season. Hertl has a stat line of 28-34-62 and leads the team in minutes amongst forwards. If the Blue Jackets can shut down that duo, they're almost assured a victory: The Sharks are 1-13-2 this season when both players are held scoreless in a game.

STORYLINES

• INJURY WOES
  Zach Werenski left Sunday's game before the first television timeout and did not return. How serious the upper-body injury is remains unknown, but the Blue Jackets may be wise to shut down their best defender for the season to avoid risking anything more serious. Patrik Laine, who also missed Sunday's game in Anaheim, remains day-to-day as well. That'll mean more action for recent Michigan departees Kent Johnson and Nick Blankenburg, as they continue to use the end of this season to showcase themselves.
   
• SPEAKING OF KENT...
  Johnson had nearly 15 minutes of ice time Sunday night in Anaheim, far more than he had in his debut game (11:05) or in the first game of the road trip, a measly 10:33 against the Los Angeles Kings. Johnson's time this season is, of course, limited, so Sunday's ice time should be a sign of things to come over the last half dozen games this season. His first goal is surely coming — he almost got it in the third period to tie the game — will it be Tuesday against the Sharks or something that may wait until the Blue Jackets return to Columbus for a pair of games this weekend? 

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