Game Preview: Blue Jackets Back At Nationwide Arena After Winless Road Trip, Face Penguins In Second Half Of Home-And-Home

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

32-30-10 (74 pts; .514%) 7th, Metro Division ROSTER SCHEDULE

7:00 P.M. – SATURDAY, MARCH 30 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OH

TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ Power Play (Out of Market)

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at Nationwide Arena for the first time in two weeks Saturday night when they conclude their season series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sidney Crosby's bunch is 3-0-0 against the Blue Jackets this season, including a 3-2 win Thursday night in Pittsburgh. Columbus' loss continued a remarkable 14-game, nine-year losing streak in the Steel City, with their last win against the Penguins in Pittsburgh coming in 2015.

Saturday's game will be delayed by just a few minutes as the Blue Jackets are honoring Jeff Rimer, the longtime broadcaster who will be retiring at season's end. Rimer, 72, has been the television voice of the Blue Jackets for 20 seasons and has been in the industry for nearly 50 years.

Here's what else to know when Pittsburgh and Columbus square up for the final time this season:

TALKING POINTS: PIT

• After 16 straight seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Penguins are now heading for their second consecutive season without a postseason hockey. Age and the salary cap are finally rearing their collective heads for Pittsburgh, who are 5-8-2 in March and seven points out of a playoff spot with ten games left. MoneyPuck gives the Penguins a 3% chance of making playing in the postseason, and even that feels high.
   
• The lack of postseason play can't be put on Sid the Kid, though: Crosby leads the Penguins in goals (35) and assists (43), meaning he's also the team-leader in points (78). That's not much of a surprise, but what does raise an eyebrow is the depth at which he leads the club in points: Evgeni Malkin is second on the team with just 55 points, and Jake Guentzel — who was moved to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline a month ago — is the only other Penguin with 50+ points.

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• There's gotta be another two points in there somewhere, but the Blue Jackets schedule over these last nine games is tough as nails and Saturday's game against Pittsburgh is the "easiest" remaining game of the season by opponents record. Still, any win Columbus puts up between now and the April 16th season finale definitely has the potential to be their final win of the season. 
   
• For the fifth consecutive game, the Blue Jackets gave up a power play goal Thursday. Opponents are 6-of-15 (40%) on the power play over that five-game stretch, sending Columbus to 26th in the league on the penalty kill and continuing their downward spiral after a strong start to the season on the PK.
   
• The Blue Jackets moved Tyler Angle back to Cleveland on Friday, a sign that Alex Nylander is set to return to the lineup. Here are Saturday's projected (and subject to change) lines: