This is a big game for the Blue Jackets.
They've thrown away two games in southern California in the last three days. Now it's up the coast to San Jose, where a confident Sharks team awaits at SAP Center. Tonight's game (9 p.m. ET, FOX Sports Ohio) wraps the three-game trip before heading home for a week of games at Nationwide Arena.
VIDEO: John Tortorella
Blue Jackets Projected Lineup
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Artemi Panarin | 65 GP, 18-35-53 | 18 | Pierre-Luc Dubois | 65 GP, 14-17-31 | 13 | Cam Atkinson | 49 GP, 13-13-26 |
| 22 | Sonny Milano | 38 GP, 10-5-15 | 71 | Nick Foligno | 61 GP, 13-13-26 | 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand | 65 GP, 10-24-34 |
| 26 | Thomas Vanek | 2 GP, 0-0-0 | 17 | Brandon Dubinsky | 47 GP, 5-10-15 | 38 | Boone Jenner | 58 GP, 6-13-19 |
| 11 | Matt Calvert | 53 GP, 7-12-19 | 55 | Mark Letestu | 3 GP, 1-0-1 | 45 | Lukas Sedlak | 50 GP, 4-4-8 |
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Zach Werenski | 61 GP, 12-17-29 | 3 | Seth Jones | 65 GP, 10-31-41 |
| 7 | Jack Johnson | 65 GP, 3-5-8 | 27 | Ryan Murray | 30 GP, 1-4-5 |
| 23 | Ian Cole | 3 GP, 0-0-0 | 58 | David Savard | 64 GP, 4-7-11 |
| # | Player | GS | W-L-OL | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | Sergei Bobrovsky | 53 | 27-21-5 | 2.45 | .919 | 4 |
| 70 | Joonas Korpisalo | 12 | 5-7-0 | 3.30 | .899 | 0 |
Three Storylines
- Salvage Something: The Blue Jackets have not looked great in their last two games (regulation losses to Los Angeles and Anaheim), and coupled with surges from Carolina and Florida, they're on the outside of the playoff picture. They're tied on points with the Hurricanes and one ahead of the Panthers, so they're by no means out of it – but it's crucial to get something out of this game before heading home for three home games this week.
- Center Shuffle: We don't know yet if the Blue Jackets will be without Alexander Wennberg tonight, as John Tortorella had no update following Friday's game in Anaheim. Nick Foligno moved to the middle, as he's done a few times this season, and was flanked by two of the Jackets' best forwards in that game: Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand.
- Bob, Be Bob: Sergei Bobrovsky's got to be better if the Blue Jackets are to have a chance. When he's not sharp, everything seems to fall apart. It's not the most ideal situation but their No. 1 goaltender has be on his game; the confidence permeates the lineup and gives them a boost. When soft goals are going in (see: Friday), it goes the other way.
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