Game #14 Preview: Looking to Rebound
The Jackets got a couple of days to catch their breath after a demoralizing weekend. An equally down-on-their-luck Senators team comes to Nationwide tonight.
Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets
November 5, 2013 - 7:00 pm EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Silver Seven
SBN's Senators vs Blue Jackets coverage
Tickets
On paper at the beginning of the season, this probably looked like a marquee goaltending matchup. This is no slight to the backups for either squad, but funny things tend to happen on the way to the arena, at they say. Both starting goaltenders are out tonight--Sergei Bobrovsky for performance, and Craig Anderson for injury--and the Jackets do a little shuffling yet again on their forward lines.
There wasn't much about who the starting D pairs would be for Columbus, but with Nick Foligno out tending to a personal matter (meaning he misses his first chance to play against his former team), Sean Collins gets the call-up from Springfield and draws in on the fourth line. Other moves include jockeying some centers to wing (Anisimov, MacKenzie), and Michael Chaput making his debut at center on the fourth line, his natural position.
The Sens have been scuffling a bit, and Anderson left the ice on a stretcher (but was later up and walking in the dressing room) after a knee to the head on Sunday. Backup Robin Lehner has played well over the past week, but has just two shut-out losses to show for it. That said, his save percentage has been insane (.938), and he recently posted a 53-save game. !!!!!
That said, the Sens' defense has not been, how you say, helpful (and, sidebar, welcome back Marc Methot!). The team is giving up the 27th-most goals in the league per game, and that's not a recipe for long-term success. Hopefully, the Jackets can capitalize on those shot-generation numbers as well as that goals-allowed number. After the weekend against Pittsburgh, anything would be an improvement, honestly.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
(5-8-0, 10 Points; 6th division, 12th conference)
| Artem Anisimov | Brandon Dubinsky | Marian Gaborik |
| R.J. Umberger | Ryan Johansen | Cam Atkinson |
| Derek MacKenzie | Mark Letestu | Blake Comeau |
| Sean Collins | Michael Chaput | Jared Boll |
| Fedor Tyutin | Dalton Prout |
| Jack Johnson | David Savard |
| Ryan Murray | James Wisniewski |
| Curtis McElhinney |
| Sergei Bobrovsky |
Ottawa Senators
(4-6-4, 12 Points; 6th division, 10th conference)
| Colin Greening | Jason Spezza | Mika Zibanejad |
| Clarke MacArthur | Kyle Turris | Bobby Ryan |
| Milan Michalek | Zack Smith | Chris Neil |
| Cory Conacher | Derek Grant | Matt Kassian |
| Jared Cowen | Erik Karlsson |
| Marc Methot | Mark Borowiecki |
| Chris Phillips | Eric Gryba |
| Robin Lehner |
| Craig Anderson |
Season Series
11/05/13 - Ottawa at Columbus
11/17/13 - Columbus at Ottawa
01/28/14 - Ottawa at Columbus
Head to Head Stats
Ottawa Columbus 3.00 (12) GPG 2.46 (21) 3.14 (27) GAPG 2.77 (16) 19.5% (15) PP% 17.4% (20) 86.2% (6) PK% 77.3% (26) Bobby Ryan / Jason Spezza, 8 G leader Marian Gaborik, 5 Kyle Turris, 12 A leader James Wisniewski, 9 Erik Karlsson, 15 Pts leader Marian Gaborik / James Wisniewski, 10 Chris Neil, 25 PIM leader Brandon Dubinsky, 32 3-3-2 Road/Home 3-4-0 11/03 vs. Dallas, L 4-3 (SO) Last Game 11/02 vs. Pittsburgh, L 3-0 3-5-2 Last 10 3-7-0