Monday, November 6, 2023
FLA Live Arena, Sunrise, FL
TV: Technically Bally Sports Ohio – Radio: 97.1 The Fan
Opponent’s Blog: Litter Box Cats
Columbus Blue Jackets (4-5-2, 10 points, 7th Metropolitan, 14th East)
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Florida Panthers (5-4-1, 11 points, 7th Atlantic, 11th East)
Following an exciting win over the other Floridian NHL team last Thursday, the Blue Jackets look to get back to .500 versus the Florida Panthers. Both teams enter the game 7th in their respective divisions, and look to get back on track as we enter the second week of November.
Player to Watch
Johnny Gaudreau
Because the NHL’s most forgettable franchise can apparently never have a dull moment, speculation is swirling surrounding Johnny Hockey from every NHL fan not from Ohio. In a statement move from new head coach Pascal Vincent, Gaudreau was benched for the majority of the third period in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. And for good reason: it took the former All-Star nine games to score a goal, and that was an empty netter. To say he’s struggled would be an understatement. How will Gaudreau respond in his first game back? Hopefully well, because the Blue Jackets desperately need help finishing.
Jackets Notes
I mean, I could try to drum up some other headlines, but it’s all overshadowed by the Gaudreau situation. While jumping to Gaudreau demanding a trade is way out of proportion, how he responds is almost more important than a win or loss. … Do I really have to do more? … Okay fine, let me open up Twitter. … Sorry, X. … Still no timetable on Patrik Laine’s return. … Uh, Nick Blankenburg is on a five-game point streak in Cleveland?
The Other Bench
Matthew Tkachuk hit 500 points in Florida’s last outing, doing so in 520 games. Keith Tkachuk took 519 games, so he still holds that family record. … The Panthers are missing three key pieces in Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Brandon Montour. … Oliver Ekman-Larsson is back on the upswing after a couple of disastrous years in Vancouver, earning a pair of goals and assists through 10 games. … Sam Reinhart has eight goals this season for the Panthers. The next highest player is Carter Verhaeghe with three.
Season Series
11/5/23 – Blue Jackets at Panthers
12/10/23 – Panthers at Blue Jackets
4/11/24 – Blue Jackets at Panthers
Stats
| Florida | Columbus | |
| 2.60 (25) | GPG | 2.55 (27) |
| 2.80 (8) | GAPG | 3.09 (16) |
| 13.9% (25) | PP% | 12.8% (26) |
| 72.2% (26) | PK% | 86.5% (8) |
| 55.2% (8) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 49.2% (16) |
| 54.4% (7) | 5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt % | 48.6% (19) |
| 6.5% (27) | 5v5 Shooting % | 7.1% (22) |
| .936 (7) | 5v5 Save % | .911 (18) |
| Sam Reinhart, 8 | G Leader | Boone Jenner, 5 |
| Tkachuk/Barkov, 7 | A Leader | Ivan Provorov, 8 |
| Sam Reinhart, 11 | P Leader | Ivan Provorov, 8 |
| Dmitry Kulikov, 12 | PIM Leader | Cole Sillinger, 13 |
| 3-1-0 | Home/Road | 1-2-1 |
| 5-4-1 | Last 10 | 4-4-2 |
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Johnny Gaudreau | Boone Jenner | Jack Roslovic |
| Yegor Chinakhov | Adam Fantilli | Emil Bemstrom |
| Dmitri Voronkov | Cole Sillinger | Kirill Marchenko |
| Alexandre Texier | Sean Kuraly | Justin Danforth |
| Zach Werenski | Damon Severson |
| Ivan Provorov | David Jiricek |
| Jake Bean | Erik Gudbranson |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Spencer Martin |
Florida Panthers
| Evan Rodrigues | Aleksander Barkov | Sam Reinhart |
| Carter Verhaeghe | Anton Lundell | Matthew Tkachuk |
| Eetu Loustarinen | Kevin Stenlund | Nick Cousins |
| Ryan Lomberg | Steven Lorentz | Will Lockwood |
| Gustav Forsling | Oliver Ekman-Larsson |
| Niko Mikkola | Dmitry Kulikov |
| Josh Mahura | Uvis Balinskis |
| Sergei Bobrovsky |
| Anthony Stolarz |