Blue Jackets Try to Tame Panthers, Get Back to Winning Ways
Here’s what you need to know about Sunday’s game as the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Florida Panthers.
Sunday, January 7, 2018 - 5:00 EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
TV: Fox Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Litter Box Cats
Florida Panthers, 17-18-5, 39 points, 5th Atlantic, 13th East
at
Columbus Blue Jackets, 23-16-3, 49 points, 4th Metro, 7th East
Season Series
11/2/2017 CBJ 7 @ FLA 3
1/7/2018 FLA @ CBJ
3/22/2018 FLA @ CBJ
Stats
| Florida | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 2.73 (T-23) | GPG | 2.64 (27) |
| 3.20 (25) | GAPG | 2.71 (T-8) |
| 15.4% (27) | PP% | 11.4% (31) |
| 80.8% (18) | PK% | 80.5% (20) |
| 48.92% (20) | EV Corsi % | 51.22% (10) |
| 99.1 (23) | EV PDO | 99.7 (20) |
| Vincent Trocheck, 15 | G Leader | Josh Anderson, 14 |
| Jonathan Huberdeau, 24 | A Leader | Artemi Panarin, 24 |
| Jonathan Huberdeau, 38 | P Leader | Artemi Panarin, 34 |
| Micheal Haley, 85 | PIM Leader | Nick Foligno, 32 |
| 7-12-2 | Home / Road | 14-7-0 |
| 5-4-1 | Last 10 | 3-5-2 |
Sunday is a critical game for two teams looking to get back on the winning track.
The Florida Panthers come in on a two-game losing streak, most recently, a 4-2 loss Friday night in Detroit. James Reimer has been in net for Florida’s last 13 games since Roberto Luongo suffered a lower-body injury Dec. 4. Following a stretch of five-straight wins, including two shutouts, a .966 save percentage, and 1.20 goals-against average, Reimer has allowed nine goals in the past two games.
For the Blue Jackets, they are back home after a brief two-game road trip and a 2-0 loss to the Avalanche. Columbus seeks to solve offensive woes, having suffered shutouts in two of the last three games. Oliver Bjorkstrand has both goals, scored in Dallas, so far in the new year.
Sergei Bobrovsky will likely see action for a third-consecutive game. After a shaky month of December (4-6-2, .891 SV%, 3.46 GAA), he has rebounded back to form in a pair of January games. In Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Stars, he stopped 21 of 22 shots, picking up his 200th career win. Against the Avalanche, he was the hard-luck loser, making 30 saves.
Joonas Korpisalo played for the Cleveland Monsters in Saturday night’s shootout loss in Rockford. He'll be among those on the recall train today.
TRANSACTION: #CBJ have recalled C Zac Dalpe, G Joonas Korpisalo and D Dean Kukan from @monstershockey and assigned G Matiss Kivlenieks to #AHL Club.
— CBJ Public Relations (@BlueJacketsPR) January 7, 2018
Who To Watch
Florida’s Aleksander Barkov‘s four shorthanded goals pace the NHL. Jonathan Huberdeau, team-leader in points and assists, has been hot with six points (five goals, one assist) in his last six games. One way for the Jackets to get going is for Josh Anderson to find the net. He is looking to shake a goalless rut, with just one goal in his last eight games.
Panthers at Blue Jackets Game Notes
Projected Lineups
| Jonathan Huberdeau | Aleksander Barkov | Evgeny Dadonov |
| Connor Brickley | Vincent Trocheck | Denis Malgin |
| Jamie McGinn | Jared McCann | Nick Bjugstad |
| Michael Haley | Derek MacKenzie | Colton Sceviour |
| Keith Yandle | Aaron Ekblad |
| Michael Matheson | Mark Pysyk |
| Ian McCoshen | Alex Petrovic |
| James Reimer |
| Harri Sateri |
| Artemi Panarin | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Josh Anderson |
| Sonny Milano | Lukas Sedlak | Nick Foligno |
| Matt Calvert | Boone Jenner | Oliver Bjorkstrand |
| Tyler Motte | Jordan Schroeder | Markus Hannikainen |
| Zach Werenski | Seth Jones |
| Markus Nutivaara | David Savard |
| Scott Harrington | Jack Johnson |
| Sergei Bobrovsky |
| Joonas Korpisalo |