On the heels of a 6-1 loss Monday in Buffalo to the Sabres, the Columbus Blue Jackets are at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night to take on the St. Louis Blues. Here's what to keep an eye in the first home preseason game of the 2024-25 campaign:
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WEDNESDAY, 9/24/24
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It's never fun to lose — especially by five — but don't pay too much attention to Monday's score. Columbus fielded a generally young and inexperienced roster for the game, while the Sabres lineup consisted mostly of their regular NHL lineup. Buffalo has an abbreviated six-game preseason schedule as a result of their Global Series trip that kicks off the NHL season next Friday, so there was a bit more sense of urgency by head coach Lindy Ruff to get his group into regular-season form. A 6-1 final isn't ideal, but let's file that game under "no big deal."
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Wednesday's game might mean a little more. It's at home, sure, but the lineup will feature nine locks to make the opening night roster compared to Monday's seven. Forwards Yegor Chinakhov, Kent Johnson, Sean Kuraly, Kirill Marchenko, and newcomer James van Riemsdyk will be in the lineup, as well as defensemen Erik Gudbranson, Ivan Provorov, and Damon Severson (Jake Christiansen is in the lineup and is probably the 7th defenseman, though not a lock), along with goalie Elvis Merzlikins.
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It's also the first in-game look this season at wingers James Malatesta and Gavin Brindley and defenseman Denton Mateychuk. Any of those three are one good preseason away from claiming a roster spot. Really interested to see what Mateychuk is able to do. He'll be wearing #5.
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Merzlikins will likely see two periods of the game, with free agent acquisition Zach Sawchenko getting the other 20 minutes. The 26-year-old came to Columbus in July after time with San Jose, Carolina, and Vancouver. Waddell signed him in 2022 while he was with the Hurricanes, so he must see something he likes in the goaltender. It's not a stretch to think he's the fourth goalie in the Columbus hierarchy of netminders (Merzlikins, Daniil Tarasov, and Jet Greaves),
- The Blues aren't going to phone it in in their third preseason contest. They'll have Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Kasperi Kapanen on the ice, as well as defenseman Justin Faulk and Ryan Suter. There is a former Blue Jacket who will be in the St. Louis lineup, too. No, it's not Alexandre Texier — instead, Scott Harrington, who is on a tryout contract with the Blues, will be on the blueline.
