Scratches: Zach Aston-Reese, Luca Del Bel Belluz, Mathieu Olivier (higher physique damage), Dmitri Voronkov (higher physique damage), Damon Severson (shoulder surgical procedure, out for season), Egor Zamula
Injured Reserve: D Brendan Smith (knee surgical procedure, out three to 4 months as of Jan. 8)
Roster Report: Christiansen will return into the lineup for Zamula, whereas Greaves will get the beginning in web. The Blue Jackets switched up the ahead traces as Thursday’s recreation went alongside and can persist with these tonight.
This Day in CBJ History
April 11, 2015: Cam Atkinson scores the deciding aim in a shootout because the Blue Jackets take a 5-4 win on the New York Islanders in what was to be the ultimate common season recreation performed at Nassau Coliseum to increase their then-club file regulation unbeaten streak to 13 video games. Columbus rallies from third-period deficits of 3-1 and 4-3, with Scott Hartnell tying the sport with 1:35 to go.
April 11, 2021: The Blue Jackets purchase a 2021 first-round choice and 2022 fourth-round choose from Toronto in trade for captain Nick Foligno.
The Numbers Game
Zach Werenski has moved into fourth place in CBJ single-season annals with 80 factors this 12 months. With 22 objectives and 58 assists – one in need of tying the franchise file – he’s tied for third amongst NHL defensemen in objectives and second in factors. He is simply the third American-born defensemen to have consecutive 80-point seasons, becoming a member of Hall of Famers Brian Leetch and Phil Housley, and simply the second lively blueliner (Cale Makar) to achieve 80 factors in back-to-back years. He leads NHL defensemen with a CBJ-record 26 multipoint video games. … With 13 objectives, Denton Mateychuk is sixth all-time amongst CBJ defensemen in a single season. He is simply the third CBJ D to achieve that mark (Werenski, 4 instances; Seth Jones, as soon as). … Adam Fantilli has 10 objectives in the final 23 video games and posted an 11-15-26 line in the final 29 contests. He has set a brand new profession excessive in factors with 56. … Kirill Marchenko is second in the NHL with six shootout objectives and has six factors in the final six video games (1-5-6). He is the fifth CBJ participant with consecutive 25-goal seasons. … Charlie Coyle has 12 objectives and 31 factors in the previous 35 video games, whereas Mason Marchment has six factors in his final 5 contests (1-5-6). … Jet Greaves is 13-5-3 in his final 21 appearances with a 2.44 GAA, in addition to a .913 save proportion in his final 11 video games. … Blue Jackets defensemen have scored 58 objectives this season, essentially the most in the NHL and a brand new franchise file. … Columbus has scored first in 47 of 79 video games total, tied for second behind Washington for essentially the most in the NHL. … Jenner has 210 profession objectives, three behind Cam Atkinson for second in workforce historical past. … Coyle (fourth, 408) and Provorov (seventh, 372) are each in the highest 10 amongst lively NHLers in consecutive video games performed. Provorov is about to play in his 244th consecutive recreation with the Blue Jackets, which might go Jason Chimera for second in franchise historical past. … Miles Wood is one aim from 100 and 4 factors from 200 in his NHL profession.
Know The Foe: Montreal Canadiens
Head coach: Martin St. Louis (Fifth season)
Team stats: Goals per recreation: 3.43 (seventh) | Scoring protection: 3.06 (sixteenth) | PP: 23.2 p.c (eleventh) | PK: 78.1 p.c (twentieth)
The narrative: Boosted by an underrated captain in Nick Suzuki and stocked with younger offensive abilities like Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, Montreal adopted three straight last-place finishes in the Atlantic Division by edging out the Blue Jackets for the ultimate Eastern Conference wild card spot a 12 months in the past. They’ve been even higher this season, rising to second in the Atlantic Division and clinching a playoff spot, a lot to the delight of some of the passionate cities in the NHL.
Scoring leaders: Suzuki has set a profession excessive in scoring, posting a 28-70-98 line that locations him tied for seventh in the league in factors and tied for third in assists. Caufield has had a magical season, putting second in the league with a career-high 50 objectives amongst his 87 factors. Just 22, Hutson gained the Calder Trophy a 12 months in the past and is tied for fifth this 12 months amongst league defensemen in scoring with 75 factors (12 objectives, 63 assists). Slafkovsky, the No. 1 choose in the 2022 draft, has a 30-41-71 line, whereas rookie Ivan Demidov leads league rookies with 61 factors (18 objectives, 43 assists).
In web: With the struggles of Sam Montembeault, Montreal has turned to a pair of children in web in Ohio State product Jakub Dobeš and rookie Jacob Fowler. Dobeš leads the workforce with 40 begins and is 29-8-4 with a 2.69 GAA and .904 save proportion, whereas the 21-year-old Fowler is 8-6-2 with a 2.52 GAA and .904 save proportion.
What’s new: For a lot of the season, the Canadiens had been one of many top-scoring groups in the league however one of many worst defensively, however the younger squad has discovered how one can maintain the puck out of the web of late. Montreal has gained 10 of the final 11, permitting simply 21 objectives (1.91 per recreation) in that span, whereas Dobeš has gained seven straight begins and allowed two objectives or much less in eight of his final 11 begins. Montreal is rounding into kind heading into the postseason, and Centre Bell ought to be rocking when the playoffs start.
Trending: The groups have cut up the earlier two video games, with the Blue Jackets successful a 4-3 remaining in a shootout Nov. 17 earlier than Montreal took a 2-1 win at house March 26. Columbus has misplaced 5 straight in Centre Bell during the last three seasons.
Former CBJ: Now in his sixth season in Montreal, Josh Anderson has a 13-9-22 line in 70 video games, whereas Alexandre Texier joined the workforce midseason and has eight objectives and 19 factors in 40 contests. Patrik Laine has performed simply 5 video games, none since October since struggling an damage early in the marketing campaign, whereas St. Louis served as a CBJ teaching guide through the 2018-19 season.
