The Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena. It'll be a battle of two teams on winning streaks. It'll also be a battle internally for the Blue Jackets as they have not been able to get over the hump against the better teams in the league.
The Flames aren't at the upper echelon but they are a strong team with depth throughout their lineup. It is a test that the Blue Jackets desperately need.
The last time the Flames came to Nationwide Arena they shut out the Blue Jackets 2-0 and afterward, the Blue Jackets started their historic streak. Could we be in for another omen tonight?
VIDEO: John Tortorella
Blue Jackets Projected Lineup
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Artemi Panarin | 21 GP, 5-10-15 | 18 | Pierre-Luc Dubois | 21 GP, 3-2-5 | 77 | Josh Anderson | 29 GP, 7-3-10 |
| 38 | Boone Jenner | 14 GP, 3-5-8 | 17 | Brandon Dubinsky | 21 GP, 2-7-9 | 13 | Cam Atkinson | 17 GP, 4-3-7 |
| 22 | Sonny Milano | 18 GP, 5-3-8 | 71 | Nick Foligno | 20 GP, 3-5-8 | 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand | 21 GP, 5-8-13 |
| 64 | Tyler Motte | 10 GP, 2-1-3 | 45 | Lukas Sedlak | 8 GP, 2-0-2 | 14 | Jordan Schroeder | 3 GP, 0-0-0 |
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Zach Werenski | 21 GP, 6-6-12 | 3 | Seth Jones | 21 GP, 3-9-12 |
| 7 | Jack Johnson | 21 GP, 1-3-4 | 58 | David Savard | 20 GP, 2-4-6 |
| 27 | Ryan Murray | 21 GP, 1-3-4 | 65 | Markus Nutivaara | 16 GP, 0-8-8 |
| # | Player | GS | W-L-OL | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | Sergei Bobrovsky | 17 | 12-4-1 | 2.02 | .933 | 2 |
| 70 | Joonas Korpisalo | 4 | 1-3-0 | 3.28 | .896 | 0 |
Three Storylines
- Here's Johnny: Johnny Gaudreau is one of the best young talents in the league. He plays on a line with Sean Monahan that makes other defenses have nightmares. With 19 points in his past ten games, Gaudreau is on another level. He is putting the puck where he wants to when he wants to and it makes for entertaining hockey. Watch to see which defensive pairing goes up against that line the most. A conservative approach may pay off.
- Tkachuk-y Cheesing Everyone Off: Matthew Tkachuk was in the middle of the line brawl against the Detroit Red Wings and it earned him a suspension. He is a known instigator and after fighting Alex Wennberg last year, he doesn't care who he picks on. The Blue Jackets aren't known for fighting but watch out for Tkachuk and the antics he pulls tonight.
- Sedlak Matters: The fourth line had been missing an anchor down the middle and Lukas Sedlak is the reason why. Surprisingly effective at even strength, Sedlak moves play in the right direction. That can't be glossed over when talking about a unit that has seen about six or so minutes a night. That number should see an uptick with Sedlak in the lineup. Who he plays with could give insight to what the Blue Jackets are thinking when filling out the lineup.
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