Preview: Jackets focused on power plays as road trip begins in Florida

GAME 12: BLUE JACKETS (8-4-0) AT PANTHERS (4-6-1)
BB&T Center, 7:30 P.M., THURSDAY
TV: FOX SPORTS OHIO/FOX SPORTS GO
RADIO: 97.1 FM & BLUEJACKETS.COM
After going 5-2-0 at home during the season's first month, the Blue Jackets are hitting the road for the next three games against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers.
Columbus finished the month of October playing five of its final six games at Nationwide Arena, and concluded the stretch with a 4-3 win in a shootout Monday against the Boston Bruins.
The Blue Jackets are third in the Metropolitan Division with 16 points, two behind the first-place New Jersey Devils. Despite a power play that's struggling and a tendency to start games slowly, the Jackets have found ways to win thus far.
"The penalty killing's been really good," said Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, whose PK units were ranked sixth in the league (84.4 percent) on Wednesday. "We have lived a little bit here, and found a way to win some games, really, basically, without a power play."

The Jackets were unable to build off their fast start against the Bruins on Monday, coughing up a 3-0 lead, primarily because they went 0-for-5 on power plays. They're now 3 of 35 (8.6 percent) overall on power plays, which ranks 31st in the league. That includes 0-for-13 in five road games.
"The last game we played, it's zero setup," Tortorella said. "The concept, the foundation that we did have, even though it was struggling, was out the window the last game - and that's just frustration. Guys start trying to turn into individuals, and you're just not on the same page. We had a very extensive meeting [Wednesday], before we went on the ice, as far as explaining roles, explaining the concept and hopefully we'll get something done here."
SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (0-0-0). This is the first of three games this season. The Blue Jackets will host the Panthers on Jan. 7 and Mar. 22.
All-time: 15-7-2 overall; 6-5-1 at BB&T Center
"BY THE NUMBERS"
EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
EYES ON: THE PANTHERS
QUOTABLES
"I'd just like to see a guy take a shot." - Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, on his team's power play.
"Law of averages, you get that many good players on a unit together, good things are going to happen. It's just a feeling out process. It's just guys that want to do so well, and have success so badly, that it almost works the opposite way. We've just got to relax, know who we are and get into it, and I guarantee the success will start happening before long." - Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno on lagging power-play
"It's gotten to the point with the frustration level, that it was individual stuff the last game, and we're very fortunate. We find a way to win another game, without a power play." -Tortorella on power-play struggles
PROJECTED LINEUPS
BLUE JACKETS
Forward lines
Artemi Panarin - Nick Foligno - Josh Anderson
Boone Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky - Tyler Motte
Matt Calvert - Alex Wennberg - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Sonny Milano - Zac Dalpe - Pierre-Luc Dubois
Defense pairings
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - David Savard
Ryan Murray - Markus Nutivaara
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Out:Cam Atkinson, Markus Hannikainen, Scott Harrington
Injured reserve:Gabriel Carlsson (undisclosed), Lukas Sedlak (ankle)
PANTHERS
Forward lines
Jonthan Huberdeau - Aleksander Barkov - Evgenii Dadonov
Jamie McGinn - Vincent Trocheck - Radim Vrbata
Nick Bjugstad - Derek MacKenzie - Owen Tippett
Michael Haley - Denis Malgin - Chase Balisy
Defense pairings
Keith Yandle - Aaron Ekblad
Ian McCoshen - Mark Pysyk
Michael Matheson - Mackenzie Weegar
Goaltenders
James Reimer
Antti Niemi
Out: Connor Brickley (upper body), Alex Petrovic
Injured reserve: Roberto Luongo (upper body), Jared McCann (lower body), Colton Sceviour (upper body)