Game Preview: Blue Jackets Hope To Shake Off Tough Tuesday Loss; Face Winnipeg Thursday

WINNIPEG JETS
34-19-1 (69 points; .639%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE
7:00 P.M. – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16 NATIONWIDE ARENA  COLUMBUS, OH
TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Market)
PROJECTIONS:
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: 34%
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER THE 538: 39%
CAESAR'S SPORTSBOOK: WPG -205

It was Valentine's Day, but there were few in attendance Tuesday night who loved the Columbus Blue Jackets last-second loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Ryan Graves scored with just one second left on the clock to give the Devils a 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets, who will look to shake off the tough ending from Tuesday when they face the Winnipeg Jets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday night.

Columbus will seek their first two-game sweep of the season series since 2017-18. The Blue Jackets won the first game of the set, a sound 4-1 defeat of the Jets in early December. Patrik Laine scored twice against his former team and the Blue Jackets never trailed.

Here's what to know when the two teams go at it for the second time this season:

TALKING POINTS: JETS

• These games may not mean much for the Blue Jackets, but we have quickly approached the "every game is crucial" stage of the season for teams jockeying for playoff position. Winnipeg is right in the thick of that: they hold second place by six points in the Central division but are just two points out of first and just six points ahead of a dangerous Colorado Avalanche team that is turning a corner after a tough start to the season. From a Winnipeg state of mind, these are two must-have points.
   
• Winnipeg is among the most balanced teams in the league when it comes to point production, with five players over 40 points. (Columbus has just one — Johnny Gaudreau — with more than 32.)
   
• Tuesday night was tough for the Blue Jackets, but it was just the opposite for Winnipeg. They defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-2 in a shootout for their third consecutive win. 
   
• This is the first game of a four-game road trip for the Jets. The other three games are in the NYC metro area: Rangers, Islanders, Devils. As for Thursday, it will be Winnipeg's first road game in over three weeks.
   
• The Jets are fueled by their special teams. Their power play converts at a 22.1% clip, but it's the penalty kill — third in the league at 83.4% — that makes them a tough draw. 

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• Thursday should give us some indication of the resiliency of these young Blue Jackets. Saturday's regulation win in Toronto was huge for their confidence, but how much of it was lost with a literal last-second loss Tuesday? Columbus is 1-3-1 in games following a one-goal, regulation loss this season. 
   
• Gaudreau has a point in three of his last four games. With 51 points in 54 games, his pace currently sits at 77. His 2.89 points per 60 minutes leads the team, but is tied for just 60th in the NHL.

PROJECTED CBJ LINES
Updated: 7:05 a.m. // Subject to Change