Game Day #54: Injury-Riddled Blue Jackets Wrap Up Four-Game Road Trip Tuesday Against Sabres

There was nothing easy about Sunday's loss to the Dallas Stars.

The 5-3 loss was tough enough, but between questionable officiating, errant pucks, and just plain bad luck, the Columbus Blue Jackets are limping into Buffalo as they conclude their four-game road trip Tuesday night.

One of those questionable calls (or, in this case, non-calls) came when Dante Fabbro was elbowed in the face just before Dallas' first goal of the night. 

"(Fabbro) gets elbowed square in the face, and then they score," said head coach Dean Evason. Fabbro left the game, did not return, and is not expected to play Tuesday. The Blue Jackets have not indicated how long he may be out. 

Later in the game, Kirill Marchenko was struck by an errant puck while on the bench, cutting him near the left side of his chin.

Marchenko, the leading scorer for the team, was placed on Injured Reserve on Monday with a broken jaw. He had surgery Monday and is out indefinitely, according to the team.

The Blue Jackets have perhaps avoided the most significant blow, though: Zach Werenski left in the second period with some type of upper-body injury that seemed to be rather serious. He returned for the third, but did not skate Tuesday and appears to be out for the game. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports Werenski is day-to-day.

So, sans their top defensive pairing and leading-scorer — in addition to the rest of their injuries — the Blue Jackets take on a Sabres team that has won three straight games.

Here's what else to know as Columbus tries to work around the lack of depth:

• RE: SABRES
  A win Tuesday for the Sabres would give them a season-high four-game winning streak, but they'll be without Tage Thompson. The Buffalo leader in goals and points took a vicious hit in their game Sunday. ... That hit, from New Jersey's Stefan Noesen, was not met with any of the Buffalo skaters coming at Noesen for the hit. That prompted questioned about the team's toughness, which was dismissed by Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff. He said that perception was "bullshit." ... The Sabres have killed off all nine opposition power-plays over the last two games and 14/15 over their last six games. The power play has struggled during that time too, thouh, going just 1-for-20.
   
• TOP LINE SILLI
  Cole Sillinger has been bumped up to take Marchenko's spot on the top line. After missing three games with an injury, Sillinger has points in all three games of the road trip, including the overtime game-winner Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 21-year-old picked up his 100th career point in Sunday's loss. 
   
• ELVIS STARTS
  He allowed five goals Sunday, but most weren't his fault as Elvis Merzlikins continues to play his best hockey in several seasons. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for Merzlikins, who allowed just four goals to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, and the Golden Knights in that stretch. A weakened blue line for Columbus tonight may be a big test for Elvis.
   
• LINEUPS & PROJECTIONS
  Sillinger's promotion to the top line puts Luca Del Bel Belluz and Justin Danforth up the middle on the second and third lines. Kevin Labanc draws in and will be on the fourth line with Mikael Pyyhtia and Sean Kuraly. 
  
  Defensively, Jordan Harris and Jack Johnson are in as the new third pairing, with everyone else being bumped up.
  
  Here are the complete lineup projections: