After a disappointing second period doomed any chance of a win against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Columbus Blue Jackets had a day off to recuperate and re-focus before taking on the Arizona Coyotes.
Cam Atkinson appears set to make his return to the lineup just four weeks after fracturing his foot on a Seth Jones slap shot, in what will be the team's final game before yet another January break - the All-Star Weekend in Tampa Bay, FL.
MATCHUP:
Blue Jackets at Arizona Coyotes
T-Mobile Arena, 9:00 PM
TV: FOX Sports Ohio
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
- Cam Atkinson's expected return to the lineup should pay dividends. It's no secret that Atkinson was struggling to produce points before he was injured (6-7-13 in 32 games), but he's been a 20-goal guy for the past four seasons, and notched 35 a year ago. For a team that is starved not just for offense, but for help on their dreadful power play and penalty kill, getting Atkinson back in the lineup is a huge deal.
- The Metropolitan Playoff race is in full swing, and the Blue Jackets have parlayed what appeared to be on the schedule a light, relatively easy January into a nightmare. Sure, you can't win games on paper, but losing those final two games before the NHL's mandated bye week to Vancouver and Buffalo in back-to-back nights took away any cushion in the standings that the Blue Jackets might have enjoyed. Simply put, losing to three of the four worst team's in the NHL in a two week span would be an incredibly hard pill to swallow.
- Only the New York Islanders have given up more goals (179) than Arizona (170). While the Blue Jackets could head into the All-Star break with exactly zero players over the 15-goal mark, this is still advantage: Blue Jackets. The last game before a significant break gives players an opportunity to empty their proverbial tanks. Not that this isn't the case for Arizona, but with the Blue Jackets playing a more desperate brand of hockey, look for the club to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the Coyotes goaltender, whether it's Antti Raanta or Scott Wedgewood.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
ARIZONA COYOTES
12-28-9 / 8th in Pacific Division (Last in NHL)
PP: 17.0% (24th) / PK: 79.7% (20th)
5v5 Corsi: 47.69% (25th)
BLUE JACKETS
26-19-3 / 4th in Metropolitan Division (Wild Card 1)
PP: 13.0% (31st) / PK: 78.1% (25th)
5v5 Corsi: 51.19% (12th)
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