BLUE JACKETS (21-31-10) vs. OILERS (38-20-2), 7 PM, NATIONWIDE ARENA
COLUMBUS, 8th in Metropolitan | EDMONTON, 2nd in Pacific |
PREVIEW: Blue Jackets welcome red-hot Oilers to Nationwide
Columbus has won two of the last three but has a big challenge against Edmonton, a winner of five in a row
If there was an overwhelming emotion for the Blue Jackets after Tuesday night’s loss at Pittsburgh, it would be frustration.
Columbus didn’t play a perfect game, but it did do enough to win in the Steel City, controlling possession the last two periods and creating a bevy of scoring chances with their speed. But a tough first period, two unfortunate power-play goals against and a late defensive lapse all added up to a 5-3 win for the Penguins, who extended their winning streak over the Jackets at home to 14 games.
Afterward, head coach Pascal Vincent was left to rue a game in which a few tough breaks led to goals in the back of the net.
“That’s frustrating,” head coach Pascal Vincent said postgame. “We were in a position to win this game. The first goal goes over (Damon) Severson’s stick. Like it's a clean breakout, just goes over Severson stick, and the first thing you know, it's in the back of your net. There are two (power-play) goals in our net basically we wouldn’t change anything.
“But we played hard. We competed. The second period was our best period of the game. Understanding that we're on the back-to-back and the energy and the way we competed tonight, that's why it's frustrating because this one, I really feel we should have won that game.”
Defenseman Zach Werenski agreed, especially after the Blue Jackets had had a 53-28 edge in shot attempts, 27-12 edge in shots on goal and an 8-2 edge in high-danger chances at 5-on-5 per Natural Stat Trick over the final 40 minutes.
“I think for most of the game we were probably the better team tonight,” Werenski said. “We played well. Obviously some tough bounces there on their power plays. But for the most part, we were in control of that game. We just have to find ways to score and get a lead, but I thought we played well. It’s just an unfortunate outcome.”
The challenges don’t get any easier, though, as one of the hottest teams in the NHL comes to Nationwide Arena tonight.
Guarantee Your Seat at The Shoe
2024-25 Ticket Plan Holders will receive priority presale access to 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series™ tickets^ before the general public.
^Tickets subject to availability. Additional terms and conditions will apply.
Know The Foe: Edmonton Oilers
Head coach: Kris Knoblauch (First season)
Team stats: Goals per game: 3.53 (4th) | Scoring defense: 2.88 (10th) | PP: 26.6 percent (4th) | PK: 79.7 percent (14th)
The narrative: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have helped push the Oilers to four straight playoff appearances, with series wins each of the past two seasons. Now, can the star-studded squad make the next step? A midseason coaching replacement has ignited Edmonton, which is 34-11-1 under Knoblauch and looking like a hard out in a division full of them in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With two of the best players in the NHL in their primes, the Oilers have been active in the trade market and are expected to go for it this spring.
Team leaders: McDavid hasn’t put up quite the same numbers as the past few years, yet there he is leading the NHL with 76 assists while adding 23 goals to place third in the league with 99 points. Draisaitl isn’t that far behind in points with a 32-48-80 line, while Zach Hyman’s incredible 42-goal season places him third in the league in tallies. Evan Bouchard has a 15-45-60 line from the blue line, ranking him tied for fourth in NHL defensemen in goals and tied for fifth in points.
In net, Stuart Skinner has established himself as an NHL starter who can handle quite a workload, with his 44 starts tied for sixth in the league. Skinner has a 29-13-2 record, 2.60 GAA and .906 save percentage.
What's new: The Oilers’ run under Knoblauch has moved the team all the way to second in the Pacific Division behind the Canucks, and Edmonton has won five in a row after rallying for a 2-1 overtime Tuesday night in Boston. Edmonton’s defense continues to have undergone a massive improvement, allowing just seven goals in that five-game span. The Oilers have been active on the trade market, adding forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from Anaheim in a Wednesday deal ahead of the deadline.
Trending: Edmonton pulled away from the Jackets to claim the opening game of the season series, taking a 4-1 win in Oil Country on Jan. 23. Columbus has won two straight at home against the Oilers.
Former CBJ: Sam Gagner has a 5-5-10 line in 27 games this year, but the 34-year-old forward was placed on waivers Tuesday and cleared yesterday.
Roster Report
Projected Lineup (subject to change)
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Jack Roslovic
Yegor Chinakhov – Dmitri Voronkov – Kirill Marchenko
Alexandre Texier – Cole Sillinger – Alex Nylander
Justin Danforth – Sean Kuraly – Mathieu Olivier
Zach Werenski – Adam Boqvist
Ivan Provorov – Andrew Peeke
Damon Severson – Erik Gudbranson
Daniil Tarasov
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratches: Adam Fantilli (calf laceration, out eight weeks as of Jan. 31), Jake Bean
Injured reserve: Kent Johnson (torn labrum in left shoulder, out for season)
Roster Report: Tarasov gets the start in net while Marchenko returns after being a healthy scratch Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Peeke stays in the lineup given his two-point night in the Steel City, leaving Bean as a healthy scratch on defense.
3 Stats to Know
- The CBJ top line has been streaking, with Johnny Gaudreau scoring 16 points (3-13-16) in the last 15 games, Boone Jenner posting 6-5-11 in 12 games since the All-Star break, and Jack Roslovic notching 3-9-12 in the last 11 contests.
- Alex Nylander has a 4-2-6 line in six games since joining the Blue Jackets, placing him tied for sixth all-time among CBJ players in scoring in their first six games with the team.
- Milestone watch: Cole Sillinger played in his 200th NHL game against Pittsburgh, while Zach Werenski notched his 200th assist to become the first defenseman in CBJ history to reach the mark. Werenski is now four assists from tying David Vyborny for second in team history.
Who’s Hot
Blue Jackets goalies Daniil Tarasov and Elvis Merzlikins have combined to post a .924 save percentage in their last seven games, stopping 218 of 236 shots against. ... Cole Sillinger had a four-game point streak (3-1-4) snapped Tuesday but is now one of three CBJ players all-time to have at least 30 goals before their 21st birthday (Rick Nash, 58; Pierre-Luc Dubois, 47). ... Alexander Texier has six points in his last six games (1-5-6) and has notched a new career-high for points (22). ... Erik Gudbranson’s goal Monday vs. Vegas gave him a career-high 18 points on the season. ... Gaudreau has four multipoint games in the last 12 contests (3-10-13). He now has 30 points in the last 32 games (6-24-30) and 20 points in the last 20 (3-17-20). ... Zach Werenski has a four-game assist streak with five helpers in that time. ... Dmitri Voronkov is among NHL rookie leaders in goals (16, tied for third) and points (30, fifth). ... The team’s rookie stat line of 29-37-66 is first in the NHL in goals and third in points.
This Day in CBJ History
March 7, 2008: Dan Fritsche ties the score with an extra-attacker goal with 0.8 seconds to go, but Edmonton battles back to claim a 2-1 overtime win at Nationwide Arena.
March 7, 2009: Rick Nash becomes the first player since Montreal’s Maurice “Rocket” Richard in 1947-48 to record an unassisted hat trick as the Jackets set a franchise record for goals in a game in an 8-2 win at Detroit.
March 7, 2017: Sergei Bobrovsky earns his third shutout in six days, making 33 saves to blank the New Jersey Devils by a 2-0 score in Nationwide Arena.
March 7, 2022: Zach Werenski becomes the franchise's all-time leader in points by a defenseman (224) with an assist vs. Toronto, surpassing Seth Jones (223).
