Preview: Blue Jackets ready for Round 2 with Penguins

GAME 38: BLUE JACKETS (22-13-2) AT PENGUINS (18-16-3)
PPG PAINTS ARENA, 7 P.M., WEDNESDAY
TV: FOX SPORTS OHIO/FOX SPORTS GO
RADIO: 97.1 FM & BLUEJACKETS.COM
Neither the Blue Jackets nor the Pittsburgh Penguins should worry about a slumbering restart coming out of Christmas break.
If their last game was any indication, each team should be ready once the puck is dropped. The Penguins edged the Jackets, 3-2, in a shootout last Thursday at PPG Paints Arena to start the season series, but that game was a lot more than the final score.
It looked like two old rivals going after each other, even though their rivalry is still in its early stages.
"After the break, some teams have a little lull," Jackets forward Matt Calvert said. "I've been a part of teams like that, and it's never fun. You're not going to get out of shape in a couple days, but you've got to turn your minds back on right away. [The Penguins] are obviously our biggest rivals, and that's an easy one to get up for."

All it takes is a glance back at the game last week to see why.
There were numerous post-whistle skirmishes. There were a couple fights that officially went down in the scoresheet as roughing penalties. Then, there was Lukas Sedlak, the Jackets' fourth-line center, challenging Penguins enforcer Ryan Reaves in the first period, after Reaves ran Markus Hannikainen into the boards.
Sedlak, who's smaller, lost the fight decisively. He won a lot of respect from his teammates. It was that kind of night, and that wasn't the only notable altercation.
Columbus also lost forward Boone Jenner after the second period ended, when he was assessed a game misconduct for a crosschecking major. The game misconduct was later rescinded, but Jenner's absence for the third period, overtime and the shootout was still a point of contention afterward.
Penguins star forward Evgeni Malkin also caught Columbus captain Nick Foligno with a gloved punch to the face late in the second, Seth Jones and Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby were paired off at one point and both sides used the term "rivalry" to explain what led to it all.
"That drags you right into the game when you get some fights," Calvert said. "I know it sparks me. It gets me going on the bench, and helps my game out."
Now, it's time for Round 2.
The Blue Jackets, however, will have a significantly different look up front. Since the first game, they've lost center Alex Wennberg (back injury) and forward Cam Atkinson (fractured foot) for 4-to-6 weeks each.
Combined with defenseman Zach Werenski (undisclosed), defenseman Ryan Murray (upper body) and center Brandon Dubinsky (orbital bone fracture), that's nearly one-third of the Jackets' usual starting lineup unable to play.
Reinforcements from the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League were recalled Tuesday, but this will be the start of a challenging stretch for the Jackets.
"We just have to deal with it," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Tuesday. "It's going to be a great test for our depth, and a great opportunity for some other guys to play more significant roles right now, and we'll just have to deal with it."
SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (0-0-1). This is the second of four games this season. The Blue Jackets will host the Penguins on Feb. 18 and April 5 to conclude the series.
All-time (W-L-T-O): 12-15-0-5 overall; 4-10-0-2 in Pittsburgh
SERIES SNAPSHOT
First game: Pittsburgh won, 3-2, in a four-round shootout at PPG Paints Arena on a goal by defenseman Kris Letang, who beat Sergei Bobrovsky with a wrist shot to give the Penguins the second point. The 65 minutes that preceded the shootout were spirited, physical and exciting, as the Metropolitan Division opponents played more like rivals.
Pierre-Luc Dubois and Artemi Panarin scored goals in regulation for the Blue Jackets, while Patric Hornqvist and Malkin scored for the Penguins. Bobrovsky made 39 saves for the Blue Jackets, and Pittsburgh's Matt Murray made 30.
WHO'S HOT
Blue Jackets: Jones has a four-game point streak, with five points (three goals, two assists) in that stretch. Jones has also scored goals in four of the past six games.
Penguins: Malkin has four points (three goals one assist) in the past four games;
EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
EYES ON: THE PENGUINS
PROJECTED LINEUPS
BLUE JACKETS
Forward lines
Artemi Panarin - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Josh Anderson
Boone Jenner - Nick Foligno - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Sonny Milano - Lukas Sedlak - Matt Calvert
Tyler Motte - Jordan Schroeder - Markus Hannikainen
Defense pairings
Markus Nutivaara - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - David Savard
Scott Harrington - Gabriel Carlsson
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Others:Dean Kukan, Zach Werenski (upper body)
Injured reserve:Ryan Murray (upper body), Brandon Dubinsky (fractured orbital bone), Alexander Wennberg (back), Cam Atkinson (fractured foot)
PENGUINS
Forward lines
Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Carl Hagelin - Evgeni Malkin - Patric Hornqvist
Conor Sheary - Riley Sheahan - Phil Kessel
Tom Kuhnhackl - Carter Rowney - Ryan Reaves
Defense pairings
Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang
Jamie Oleksiak - Ian Cole
Olli Maata - Chad Ruhwedel
Goaltenders
Matt Murray
Tristan Jarry
Others: Matt Hunwick, Dominik Simon
Injured reserve: Justin Schultz (lower body)