Right, wrong or indifferent, the Columbus Blue Jackets (0–2–0) don't seem too concerned with the state of their game right now.
| KNOW YOUR ENEMY |
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| DETROIT RED WINGS |
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1–1–0 (2 points) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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12 P.M. – MONDAY, JAN. 18 LITTLE CAESARS ARENA DETROIT, MI |
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NBC SPORTS NETWORK FOX SPORTS GO |
There are a couple of ways to digest this. One, they've played only two games and there's *something* to the notion that these early games are pseudo-exhibitions. But at the same time, they count all the same–and the Blue Jackets haven't won yet.
They'll take on the Detroit Red Wings on Monday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena hoping to get on the board with a win for the first time in this new season. And if there's a place to do it, it may as well be in a place they've become quite comfortable in recent years. Columbus is 11-1-0 in its last 12 meetings with the Red Wings, whom they were old division rivals with in the old Central.
The Blue Jackets have won four straight meetings with Detroit, a team that is in the midst of a rebuild but has a stronger, deeper roster than a year ago. No games are pushovers or sure things, especially when you're the Blue Jackets, but this is one they should win and use to start building some momentum.
Columbus Blue Jackets Projected Lines
| LW | C | RW | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Mikhail Grigorenko | 18 | Pierre-Luc Dubois | 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand |
| 38 | Boone Jenner | 16 | Max Domi | 13 | Cam Atkinson |
| 71 | Nick Foligno | 42 | Alexandre Texier | 19 | Liam Foudy |
| 50 | Eric Robinson | 20 | Riley Nash | 52 | Emil Bemstrom |
| LD | RD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Zach Werenski | 3 | Seth Jones |
| 44 | Vladislav Gavrikov | 58 | David Savard |
| 15 | Michael Del Zotto | 14 | Dean Kukan |
| Goalie | Backup | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | Joonas Korpisalo | 90 | Elvis Merzlikins |
Storylines
- TOO LOOSE? The Blue Jackets want to be a team that takes more risks this season, but as we know, they pride themselves on a commitment to defending (it has served them well, after all). John Tortorella has to be concerned with the number of rush chances and goals they gave up in two losses to Nashville, but also, doesn't want to deter them from a more aggressive offensive approach. On the bright side? The Blue Jackets averaged 37 shots per game in their two-game set against the Predators and generated 25 scoring chances in a 5-2 loss on Saturday.
- GET 'EM GOING: Players who have scored goals for the Blue Jackets so far: Boone Jenner, Nick Foligno, Alexandre Texier. That's good news if you're those guys, but not so much if you're the Blue Jackets. Cam Atkinson was more involved Saturday with six shots on goal and a few quality chances, but they need Max Domi, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand to start finding the sheet if they're going to climb the ladder.
- DEL ZOTTO-MATIC: Don't blink twice. Michael Del Zotto has been the Blue Jackets' most dangerous offensive player in the first two games. He had two assists on Saturday and made a wonderful play to set up Foligno's opening goal. He's been the Blue Jackets' best player in terms of Game Score and seems to have the trust of Tortorella to jump up and chip in.
