PREVIEW: Blue Jackets head south to take on Lightning

The Blue Jackets were shut out Sunday in Carolina, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.

Playing one of the fastest, most structurally sound teams in the league, the Blue Jackets’ patchwork lineup played hard but just couldn’t generate the second opportunities and crease chaos that leads to goals in the modern NHL.

Columbus stuck with the Hurricanes for most of the game, but Carolina took an early lead and grinded out a 3-0 win over the visiting Jackets, who hit three posts but couldn’t score.

“They play a style that is very fast,” head coach Pascal Vincent said. “They’re playing north. That’s a good hockey team. We had some chances. They went post and out instead of post and in. We had some big (penalty) kills in the second period, huge ones. But when you trail against a team like this, it’s hard to come back.

“But, you know, considering the back-to-back, considering the lineup, lots of young players, the guys played well. They competed hard against a very good hockey team.”

Moral vicotries aren’t exactly what Vincent and the Blue Jackets are looking for, but they also have to be cognizant of the fact the team’s injury-plagued lineup is going up against teams gearing up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs down the stretch.

Carolina plays a suffocating style and was on the front foot after scoring on the first shift, making it a tough night for the Blue Jackets to create consistent offense.

“We definitely had some chances,” said forward Sean Kuraly, who returned after a nearly monthlong injury layoff. “I think probably turnovers and puck management probably got us tonight, but a good team, they’ll capitalize on your mistakes.”

Things don’t get any easier the rest of the season, as all four remaining opponents are in playoff positions coming down the stretch.

Know The Foe: Tampa Bay Lightning

Head coach: Jon Cooper (12th season)

Team stats: Goals per game: 3.52 (5th) | Scoring defense: 3.26 (22nd) | PP: 29.5 percent (1st) | PK: 83.2 percent (5th)

The narrative: This is a team that needs no introduction, as the same core that won the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cups – and also lost to Columbus in 2019 – is still in place in Tampa Bay. It’s fair to wonder if age has somewhat caught up to the squad, which will be a wild card in this year’s playoffs, but don’t tell the Bolts, who have finished strong and will be a tough out yet again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Team leaders: In a tightly contested Hart Trophy race, Nikita Kucherov may win his second league MVP honors as he’s pulled away in the scoring race to post an NHL-best 136 points on 43 goals (tied for seventh in the NHL) and 93 assists (second). Brayden Point ties Kucherov with 43 goals among his 85 points, while Victor Hedman’s 75 points (13 goals, 62 assists) are fifth among league blueliners. Steven Stamkos adds a 36-37-73 line while Brandon Hagel has 70 points on 24 goals and 46 assists.

In net, Andrei Vasilevskiy has come back from an early-season injury to earn solid numbers, posting a 29-18-2 record, 2.87 goals-against average and .900 save percentage.

What's new: It always seems like Tampa Bay ramps it up going into the postseason, and this year is no different, as the Lightning is 11-3-1 in its last 15 games and is averaging 4.27 goals per game in that span. The squad brought in Anthony Duclair and Mathew Dumba at the deadline for depth, which proved product as the Bolts are without heavy forward Tanner Jeannot and defensemen Haydn Fleury and Mikhail Sergachev down the stretch because of injury.

Trending: The teams have exchanged 4-2 wins on the season, both in Nationwide Arena, as the Blue Jackets won the series opener Nov. 2 before Tampa Bay returned serve Feb. 10. The Bolts have dominated the series since 2017-18, as the Blue Jackets are just 5-14-4 in that span.

Former CBJ: Duclair leads the way and has been a shrewd acquisition, posting a 6-5-11 line in 13 games since he was acquired from San Jose. Tyler Motte has been a regular with the squad this year and has a 6-3-9 line in 67 games.

Roster Report

Projected Lineup (subject to change)

Johnny Gaudreau – Dmitri Voronkov – Alex Nylander
Alexandre Texier – Cole Sillinger – Kirill Marchenko
Mikael Pyyhtia – Sean Kuraly – Justin Danforth
James Malatesta – Brendan Gaunce – Mathieu Olivier
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – Erik Gudbranson
Nick Blankenburg – David Jiricek
Jet Greaves
Malcolm Subban

Scratches: Adam Fantilli (calf laceration), Yegor Chinakhov (upper-body), Adam Boqvist (upper body), Boone Jenner (day to day), Elvis Merzlikins (lower body), Daniil Tarasov (upper body), Jake Bean (upper body), Carson Meyer

Injured reserve: Kent Johnson (torn labrum in left shoulder, out for season)

Roster Report: The Blue Jackets look likely to use the same skater lineup tonight, though Pascal Vincent did note there was a game-time decision that could lead Meyer to play. Greaves, meanwhile, will get the start in net.

3 Stats to Know

• Zach Werenski has set a career high with 52 points on the season thanks to nine goals and 43 assists. His point total is second all-time for a single season among CBJ defensemen (Seth Jones, 57, 2017-18), and his assist total is second behind only James Wisniewski (44, 2013-14).
• Johnny Gaudreau’s two assists Saturday gave him 100 in a CBJ uniform, making him the 20th Blue Jackets player to reach that mark in his career.
• Milestone watch: Johnny Gaudreau is one assist from 500 for his NHL career (242-499-741, 759 GP). ... Werenski is three points from 300 for his NHL career (88-209-297, 481 GP). ... Alexandre Texier is three games from 200 for his NHL career (33-44-77, 197 GP).

Who’s Hot

Dmitri Voronkov’s 18th goal of the season Thursday moved him into third place alone in CBJ annals in goals for a rookie, behind only Kirill Marchenko (21, 2022-23) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (20, 2017-18). He is currently fourth this season among NHL rookies in tallies. … Kirill Marchenko has scored in three of the last five games and has a 3-2-5 line in that span, while Cole Sillinger has a 2-3-5 line in the last six contests and Alexandre Texier has assists in three of the last four. ... Alex Nylander’s 10 goals since making his Blue Jackets debut Feb. 23 are a franchise record for a player in his first 20 games with the squad. He has three multigoal contests in that time span. ... Zach Werenski has a 5-9-14 line in the last 13 games, and his seven goals since Feb. 17 are second among NHL defensemen. ... Johnny Gaudreau has a 4-25-29 line in the last 30 games and has reached the 40-assist plateau for the second straight season. ... The team’s rookie stat line of 31-42-73 is first in the NHL in goals and fourth in points.

This Day in CBJ History

April 9, 2010: Steve Mason ties his own CBJ record for saves in a shutout, making 45 stops in a 1-0 shootout loss to Detroit at Nationwide Arena.

April 9, 2013: Sergei Bobrovsky stops 30 shots and the Blue Jackets’ faint playoff hopes are given some life as the team takes a 4-0 win over San Jose in Nationwide Arena.

April 9, 2014: Columbus clinches the second playoff berth in franchise history with a 3-1 road win over the Dallas Stars.

April 9, 2017: The Blue Jackets reach 50 wins in a season for the first and so far only time ever, downing Toronto by a 3-1 score in the season finale.

April 9, 2022: The Blue Jackets capture a 5-4 win in overtime at Detroit, with Jack Roslovic completing a hat trick with the extra-time winner. Roslovic added an assist for a four-point night, Zach Werenski had three helpers, and Justin Danforth and Cole Sillinger also scored.