PREVIEW: Blue Jackets vs. Sabres
Columbus looks to continue mean streak and physical play against Buffalo
By
Craig Merz
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
An injury to Seth Jones prevented Zach Werenski from playing with his longtime defense partner the first seven games of the season.
For Werenski, 21, it was an opportunity to prove his doubters wrong by pairing with David Savard.
"Ever since I've been in this league everyone's thought that playing with Seth makes it easier," Werenski said. "To me, it's a chance to prove I'm a good player in this league as well. That gives me some confidence."
If it sounds like Werenski feels he's underappreciated, that would be the case.
"It's always, '(Jones) is such a good player anyone can play with Seth, right?'" he said. "I wanted to prove that I could play too and be good."
Jones and Werenski have been reunited the past two games and it was like they never missed a beat since coach John Tortorella put them together at Werenski's first NHL camp.
"The second I got here, me and him being aggressive, being offensive, having a feel for each other, Torts could see how well we worked together," Werenski said.
"It's the only partner he's known, quite honestly, coming into the league," Tortorella said.
Werenski has five points (goal, four assists) in a four-game point streak and in nine games this season he has seven points (two goals, five assists) going into the game vs. the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.
In 2016-17, Werenski set the Blue Jackets' rookie record of 47 points (11 goals, 36 assists). Last season he sustained a shoulder injury in the 12th game vs. the Boston Bruins that hampered him the rest of the way. Still, he tied with Jones for the team mark for goals by a defenseman with 16 and had 21 assists in 77 games.
Werenski underwent surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder on May 3 but was ready for preseason camp.
The absence of Jones this season because of a Grade 2 MCL sprain his right knee may have helped Werenski's development.
"It allows your game to become more well-rounded," Jones said. "You may have to do more offensively or in the D-zone with different guys. It depends on little things like that, but it shouldn't change your aggressiveness in the way you play."
Savard said he and Werenski learned from each other in their limited time together. For his part, Savard got more involved in the offense.
"That's the kind of game he plays and you have to go along a little bit," he said. "If not, you'll be standing by yourself back there."
Savard, by the way, scored his first goal of the season, as did Jones, in the 7-4 win at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.
As to what Savard offered Werenski?
"He plays with Jonesy. He doesn't need to learn too much from me," Savard joked. "It was mostly trying to get used to each other. I was trying to do my job as much as possible to keep his offense too. I'm not as offensive as Jonesy, but Z still had a chance to go up there."
Savard can't understand why some would think Werenski is riding Jones' coattails.
"We all know how good Jonesy is," he said. "We sometimes forget how Z was his first year. He came into the league and dominated. He's a great skater in his ability to make plays, see plays. It's pretty unbelievable."
Count Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet among Werenski's fans. He was an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs vs. the Blue Jackets.
The first-round series was cut short in Game 3 for Werenski when he took a puck to his face that resulted in a fractured orbital bone and sinus cavity plus 18 stitches.
"I remember in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago when we played them in the playoffs, he was the best player on the ice for them," Tocchet said this week. "He was incredible, then he broke his jaw, so we got lucky there."
Decision, decisions
The Blue Jackets did not practice Friday so there was no update on possible lineup changes for Saturday.
The most intriguing spot is in goal where backup Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves vs. the Blues to run his record to 3-0-0 with a 3.29 goals-against average and a.898 save percentage. He has allowed four goals twice this season.
Sergei Bobrovsky is 2-4-0, 3.87, .872. He has given up at least three goals in each of his past four starts.
On defense, Scott Harrington returned from a one-game benching to get two assists vs. St. Louis and will likely play over Dean Kukan. On the fourth line, Markus Hannikainen made his season debut Thursday with Sonny Milano a scratch. Hannikainen played 11:22 vs. the Blues.
He said it
"We were definitely a meaner team tonight and playing that physical part of the game. I think it's going to help us going into the next game too." -- F orward Josh Anderson on how playing with more edge against the Blues paid off
Blue Jackets projected lineup
Artemi Panarin -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno -- Boone Jenner -- Josh Anderson
Oliver Bjorkstrand -- Alex Wennberg -- Anthony Duclair
Lukas Sedlak -- Riley Nash -- Sonny Milano
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Ryan Murray -- Markus Nutivaara
Scott Harrington -- David Savard
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched: D Adam Clendening, D Dean Kukan, F Markus Hannikainen
Injured:F Brandon Dubinsky (oblique strain)
