Gameday Guide: Tarasov called up, could make debut vs. Dallas

It was certainly an interesting morning in Dallas for the Blue Jackets.
After both goaltenders on the team -- Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo -- came down with a non-COVID illness, Columbus had to make a roster move, calling up top goalie prospect Daniil Tarasov from AHL Cleveland.

But he was not at the American Airlines Center in time for practice, so a local construction company owner by the name of Casey Sherwood was the lone goalie at the team's morning skate.
Tarasov should be in Dallas by game time and, while head coach Brad Larsen said no official decision has been made, seems likely be in net for the Jackets against Dallas. Merzlikins, meanwhile, hopes to be well enough to serve as the backup, while Korpisalo has been deemed unavailable for
the 8:30 p.m. contest against the Stars
.
Should it be Tarasov between the pipes, the Blue Jackets will have to roll with the punches as the 22-year-old Russian makes his NHL debut.
"Every day it's a different thing," Larsen said. "You're out for a walk and get a few calls and the whole dynamic changes. That's what it is. If you read the papers, teams are going through it every day. That's what you deal with, and there's opportunity for other guys when you get in."
While Tarasov is yet to play in an NHL game, he's been the team's top goaltending prospect for a while. Drafted in the third round of the 2017 draft, he spent a year in Finland as a starter with Assat then returned to his home country a year ago, posting a 11-3-2 record, 2.07 GAA and .925 save percentage with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL.
He made his North American debut with six games in Cleveland a year ago, and has started nine contests with the Monsters this season. In that time, he's 5-2-2 with a 2.96 GAA and .897 save percentage. After a bit of a rough start he's been better of late, giving just one goal in three of his last four starts and posting a .926 save percentage in that span.
"He's a good goalie," Larsen said. "We've been high on him for a while and watched him and got to see him. He's done a good job down there in Cleveland. We're comfortable with him coming in if he has to play tonight. I'm sure he'll be excited if he does."
Perhaps it could be just the thing the Jackets need to break a two-game losing streak. The team has been beset by defensive breakdowns in recent games but could have a youngster to rally around in net against the red-hot Stars.
"Obviously we've had a little bit of a rough patch for our team," defenseman Zach Werenski said. "I don't think it matters who plays tonight. No matter what the situation is, it's just about playing as a team and keeping things simple."

3 Keys to the Game

Help the rookie: If Tarasov is in net, it makes the focus on cleaning up the defensive zone that much more important to try to help the youngster in his debut.
Rally together: It was a weird morning, but that's the kind of thing that can help a team that's been struggling a bit of late. A lightened mood could lead to a better showing tonight.
Forecheck: With Columbus unable to break out of its own zone in some recent game, the forecheck has been missing in recent games. Tilting the ice back toward the other end has to be a focus.

Notable

Columbus ranks tied for second in goals (16) and tied for fifth in the NHL in points (53) by defensemen this season. … Boone Jenner became the first CBJ player to reach double digits in goals with his 10th tally of the season Saturday. … Oliver Bjorkstrand is four points from 200 in his NHL career (89-107-196) … Jakub Voracek leads the NHL with 15 primary assists. … The last goalie to make his NHL debut in a starting role for the Blue Jackets was Matiss Kivlenieks, who made 31 saves in a 2-1 win at the New York Rangers on Jan. 19, 2019. … Veini Vehvilainen made his NHL debut last season in a relief role at Dallas on March 6 before being traded later in the season to Toronto. … The Jackets have scored three or more goals in 14 of their contests this season, including four of the last five, and rank eighth in the NHL in goals per game (3.25) … Twenty of the 24 skaters to play this year for Columbus have scored a goal and 22 have at least one point. … The teams met eight times a season ago as Central Division foes. Columbus was 3-4-1 in the series but just 1-3-0 on the road. … This game is the last of five in a row against Western Conference opponents. Columbus owns an 8-3-0 mark against the West this season.

Projected Lineup

(Subject to change)
Gustav Nyquist - Boone Jenner - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Yegor Chinakhov - Cole Sillinger - Jakub Voracek
Max Domi - Jack Roslovic - Justin Danforth
Eric Robinson - Sean Kuraly - Alexandre Texier
Zach Werenski - Jake Bean
Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Boqvist
Gavin Bayreuther - Andrew Peeke
Daniil Tarasov
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratches:Gregory Hofmann, Gabriel Carlsson, Scott Harrington, Joonas Korpisalo (illness)
Injured Reserve:Dean Kukan (wrist; eight weeks as of Oct. 26); Patrik Laine (oblique; four to six weeks as of Nov. 5)
Roster Report:The big news will come in net, but the Jackets will use the same 18 skaters as the last game and return to the lines the team has used most of the season. Emil Bemstrom was activated from injured reserve today and optioned to Cleveland as well.

This Day in CBJ History

Dec. 2, 2006: Fredrik Norrena makes 21 saves in a 4-0 win for the Blue Jackets at Edmonton, marking the Finnish goalie's first-ever shutout for the Jackets. He'd earn one three days later against Colorado on the way to a shutout streak of 155:28, then the longest in CBJ history.
Dec. 2, 2011: R.J. Umberger played in his 500th NHL game, suiting up for the Blue Jackets in a game at Edmonton.