Game #13 Preview: Blue Jackets go to Hollywood

Saturday, November 3, 2018 – 10:30 EST
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
TV: Fox Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Jewels From The Crown

Columbus Blue Jackets (7-5-0, 14 points, 3rd Metro, 7th East)

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Los Angeles Kings (3-8-1, 7 points, 8th Pacific, 15th West)

It’s Saturday Night Hockey from The House That LeBron Rents! The Columbus Blue Jackets come into the City of Angels riding high after a 4-1 win in San Jose. Meanwhile, the host Los Angeles Kings find themselves buried at the bottom of the league standings. Who is staying up for this one?

Player to Watch

Brandon Dubinsky

Dubi was one of the best players in the first two games before suffering an oblique injury in practice. He’s been practicing with the team all week and is with them for this California trip? Will he make his return to the lineup tonight? Or will he make me look like an idiot and not play until tomorrow or Tuesday? Whenever he returns, let’s hope he can make an impact as he did at the start of the season.

Jackets Notes

There’s no place like the road for this group, as they are 4-1-0 so far this season away from Nationwide Arena…After some struggles to start the season, Sergei Bobrovsky has saved 67 of 69 shots faced over 105:24 ice time over the last two games…Hooray for offense! The Jackets have scored 4 or more goals in half of their games, and have yet to be shut out (knock on wood).

The Other Bench

The Kings find themselves in last place in the league, trailing Florida by 2 points for that distinction and trailing Vegas and St. Louis by 4 points each in the West. They’re 8 points out of the last playoff spot…They are without the services of star goalie Jonathan Quick, who underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his knee…Free agent signing Ilya Kovalchuk has been worth it so far in his return to the NHL, leading the team in goals and points…If you feel bad about our power play, maybe you’ll feel better that Kings fans feel the same way. Check out this description from our colleagues at Jewels From The Crown:

But it’s sloppy, disinterested play from the Kings that continues to sink them. They squandered multiple power play opportunities in the game, including an extended five-on-three in the first period. Once again, the team spent more time trying to set up on the power play than actually getting shots through to the net. Despite all those highly paid, uber-talented players on the roster, the Kings only put five shots on net with the man advantage in the whole game, and three of those shots came off the stick of Jeff Carter.

Season Series

11/03/2018 CBJ @ LAK
12/13/2018 LAK @ CBJ

Stats

Projected Lineups