SETTING THE STAGE: As emotional and exciting as Saturday's win was, the Blue Jackets must put it behind them quickly. The second of this rare home-and-home series with the Arizona Coyotes comes Monday night at Nationwide Arena, where the Blue Jackets have played their best hockey so far this season.
Their last outing won't soon be forgotten, and if there's one thing the players want to remember about it, it's how they rejected frustration and continued pushing for a tying goal late in regulation, even when it appeared that Mike Smith would be unbeatable despite their best effort. The Blue Jackets set a team record with 60 shots on goal in that game, tying the game on their 49th shot, and won the game in a shootout.
If they're to continue on this mini-roll they've developed (three straight wins heading into Monday's game), more of what they've been doing is required. Their even strength play has been overall solid and, at times, dominant; they attempted more than 60 shots at even strength on Saturday and had the puck a lot. Controlling even strength play on a regular basis has helped the Blue Jackets overcome a slumping power play, which went 0-for-5 in Glendale on Saturday (including an extended 5-on-3 advantage).
Now, they're not going to tease 60 shots every night - you may not see that happen again for a while - but the Blue Jackets' mentality of shooting the puck has become an encouraging trend.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS:Matt Calvert was activated off IR on Friday and returned Saturday after missing five games with an upper body injury. Markus Hannikainen, who played well on the fourth line in Calvert's absence, was returned to Cleveland (AHL) on Sunday. Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start in goal for the Blue Jackets.
PROJECTED CBJ LINEUP:
Saad - Wennberg - Foligno
Jenner - Dubinsky - Atkinson
Hartnell - Karlsson - Anderson
Calvert - Sedlak - Gagner
Werenski - Jones
Johnson - Savard
Murray - Nutivaara
Bobrovsky
