Game Day #30: Jet Greaves Earns Another Start In Net As Blue Jackets Battle Ducks

Two days after making 35 saves on 37 shots against the highest scoring offense in the NHL, Jet Greaves is back in goal Saturday night when the Columbus Blue Jackets face the Anaheim Ducks.

Thursday's game — an overtime loss to the Washington Capitals — was an outstanding season debut for the 23-year-old Greaves. 

"He's earned the right to be here," said head coach Dean Evason following the game, adding that the young netminder "won a point for us" in Thursday's contest.

Greaves will look to do it again — and perhaps stick around in Columbus for the long-haul — against an Anaheim offense that is almost the exact opposite of Washington's: the Ducks rank 31st of 32 in goals, averaging 2.36 per game.

Here's what else to know when Columbus and Anaheim wrap up their season series:

• RE: DUCKS
  Anaheim comes into Columbus wrapping up a four-game road trip, but looking for their first wins after three losses in Canada against Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto ... The Ducks offense has struggled mightily this season, ranking bottom-five in the league in goals (31st at 2.36) and power play (29th at 15.9%). Their league-worst faceoff percentage (41.9%) doesn't do them any favors. … The Ducks traded defenseman Cam Fowler on Saturday. The veteran spent his entire career with Anaheim, and was just nine games shy of his 1,000th with the team.
   
• STREAK SNAPPED*
  The Blue Jackets did not allow a power play goal in Thursday's game, putting to bed a streak of 14 straight games in which the penalty kill gave up at least one goal. The asterisk? The Capitals only had one power play in the game. It counts and the streak is over, but are the Blue Jackets PK woes behind them? Anaheim ranks 29th on the power play, converting about one in every six opportunities. 
   
• Z-POWERED
  Zach Werenski collected his 100th career goal Thursday and became the first NHL defenseman this season to reach ten goals. Add that to his 20 assists, and Werenski has 30 points in 29 games, which puts him on pace for 85 points. Artemi Panarin has the franchise record, amassing 87 points in the 2018-19 season.
   
• KENT'S CLIMB
  Kent Johnson assisted on Werenski's goal, giving him his 17th point of the season in just his 15th game. He had 16 points in 42 games last season. If he stays healthy, he'll easily pass the 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) he put up in 79 games during his rookie season in 2022-23.
   
• LINEUP CHANGES & PROJECTIONS
  For the second straight game, Greaves will be backed up by Elvis Merzlikins; Daniil Tarasov is a healthy scratch. Justin Danforth will miss a second straight game with a lower-body injury, and Jack Johnson remains in for Jordan Harris — he'll be a healthy scratch again.
  
   Per team reporter Jeff Svoboda, lineups could be shuffled a bit. Here are the complete projections, though subject to change: