A glimmer of hope.
The Blue Jackets' second line of Dmitri Voronkov, Adam Fantilli, and Kirill Marchenko have been an effective line in their brief time together this season.
| Time On Ice | Shot Attempts For/Against | Shots on Goal For/Against | Scoring Chances For/Against | High Danger Chances For/Against | Expected Goals For/Against | Goals For/Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26:21 | 33/35 | 13/18 | 20/15 | 6/8 | 1.59/1.70 | 2/0 |
In Thursday's 5-2 loss to Dallas, Voronkov blocked a shot leading to a puck race that Fantilli won before finding Marchenko with a cross-ice pass to set up the team's second goal.
#CBJ Marchenko (3) goal pic.twitter.com/l9VvLNz6Fy
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 10, 2023
These three players each have unique skill sets. Voronkov's size (6'5", 240lbs) is impossible to miss on the ice and he's not afraid to be physical, especially at the front of the net. Fantilli is one of the league's fastest skaters and is quickly establishing himself as one of the team's best players. Marchenko has a wicked wrist shot and can score from all areas of the ice. Of the 35 scoring chances charted while they are on the ice, 20 have been for the Blue Jackets, which offsets the fact Columbus has an expected goals share of 48.32% during that span.
#CBJ Voronkov (2) goal pic.twitter.com/zR8mQmCGD7
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 5, 2023
With all three players all 23 years old or younger and a combined 90 NHL games played, there will be growing pains. But the talent and production have been there, so it'll be interesting to see how long this line sticks together and how effective they can be.
The Blue Jackets have lost nine of their 13 games thus far, so it's difficult to try and find some positives for the future, which still looks extremely bright for this franchise. However, the Voronkov-Fantilli-Marchenko line has to give the team some excitement based on how they've played.
Will it continue?
