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| FLORIDA PANTHERS |
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29-12-5 (63 points) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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7:00 P.M. – TUESDAY, APRIL 20 BB&T CENTER SUNRISE, FL |
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BALLY SPORTS OHIO FOX SPORTS |
Entering this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets had defeated the Florida Panthers in nine of the last ten matchups.
Entering tonight, the Blue Jackets have defeated the Panthers just once in the seven games between the two teams since the season opened in January.
What a difference a year makes.
The two teams will conclude their eight games against each other from the BB&T Center in Sunrise on Tuesday night, as the Blue Jackets will look to end a six game losing streak. Columbus, who sat at 13-12-7 exactly one month ago, is now in last place in the Central Division, with a 15-23-9 record and the losers of a tiebreaker with the Detroit Red Wings to determine who is in the basement.
Columbus fell 4-2 to the Panthers on Monday night, but the game was closer than the score indicated. It was one of the more inspiring efforts from the Blue Jackets as of late, though that isn't saying much. Zac Dalpe scored his second of the season, Oliver Bjorkstrand took the team lead with his 15th on the campaign, and Elvis Merzlikins made a bevy of saves that kept the game close into the final minutes.
Former Jackets Alexander Wennberg and Anthony Duclair have had success against their previous employer this year, combining for 11 points in 10 total games the duo has appeared in.
Here's a look at tonight's projected (and subject to change) lines for Columbus:
Columbus Blue Jackets Projected Lines
| LW | C | RW | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand | 26 | Zac Dalpe | 29 | Patrik Laine |
| 16 | Max Domi | 96 | Jack Roslovic | 13 | Cam Atkinson |
| 50 | Eric Robinson | 42 | Alexandre Texier | 25 | Mikhail Grigorenko |
| 23 | Stefan Matteau | 21 | Josh Dunne | 88 | Kole Sherwood |
*lines are subject to change
| LD | RD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Michael Del Zotto | 3 | Seth Jones |
| 44 | Vladislav Gavrikov | 4 | Scott Harrington |
| 7 | Gavin Bayreuther | 2 | Andrew Peeke |
| Goalie | Backup | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | Joonas Korpisalo | 90 | Elvis Merzlikins |
Storylines
- LAWN DARTS: On his way out, John Tortorella seems to be choosing the Columbus lineup through a game of lawn darts. Patrik Laine and Stefan Matteau were paired up in Monday's loss, with Matteau seeing more than 17 minutes of ice time, a season high by several minutes. Zac Dalpe scored and a had a career-high six shots on net in the first game of the series, so seeing him at the top of the lines and next to Laine seems as plausible as anything anything.
- TIME TO FIND YOUR GOALIE: In the debate between Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo for which goalie the Blue Jackets should make their long-term guy, the correct answer may actually be Daniil Tarasov, but that's another story for another time. For now, the two goalies the Blue Jackets have in the big leagues have had very average seasons. Merzlikins has been slightly better across the board: His 2.98 goals against average is noticeably better than Korpi's 3.21, and his .910 save percentage outdoes Korpisalo's .896. The Blue Jackets have to commit to one at some point - if they're leaning towards Elvis, expect to see him get a majority of the starts from here out.
- PLAYING FOR KEEPS: There isn't much motivation to win as a team, but there certainly is motivation amongst specific players as the season finishes up. Is Josh Dunne ready to be a regular NHL player? Will Michael Del Zotto get his wish and be resigned this offseason? Is Gavin Bayreuther a player that the Jackets will keep in the fold? These guys, amongst others, are playing for their NHL careers in varying degrees. Keep an eye on them these final nine games.
