Wednesday, November 24, 2021 – 7:00p.m. EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Bally Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey
Winnipeg Jets (9-5-4, 22 points, 3rd Central, 6th West)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (10-6-0, 18 points, 4th Metro, 7th East)
After a wild win in Buffalo, the Blue Jackets return home to face Pierre-Luc Dubois and the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets are currently enduring a two game losing skid after dropping games to Pittsburgh and Vancouver. Outside of the Dubois return, this could be an interesting matchup. The Jackets enter this game 7th in the league in 5v5 goals for per 60. In contrast, the Jets are 2nd in goals against per 60. The Jets are an experienced team and the Jackets will need to play a more structured and disciplined game tonight.
Player to Watch
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Dubois returns to Columbus tonight for the first time since being traded for Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. The young center famously asked for a trade out of Columbus, but the reason why has never been revealed. He’s off to a hot start this season with a scoresheet of 10-6-16 in 18 games.
After the death of Matiss Kivlenieks, Dubois decided to change his number to 80 in honor of the late goalie. He said in an interview before the season that he plans to wear the number for the rest of his career. For that reason, this fan won’t be booing Dubois when he hits the ice tonight.
PLD on wearing Matiss Kivlenieks’ No. 80: “I thought about it for a while. One of the things that was so tragic about it was his career had just started … If I could wear No. 80, in some way his career could keep going.” #CBJ pic.twitter.com/6akxyG0kWX
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 24, 2021
Blue Jackets Notes
Tonight would have been Laine’s first game against his former team, but his injury will delay that reunion. Jack Roslovic, however, will be facing his former team for the first time. After his two goal game on Monday, look for the Columbus native to come out confident and ready.
No lineup changes for Columbus tonight. Elvis Merzlikins is the starting goalie.
Jets Notes
Riley Nash will be making his first return to Columbus after spending three seasons with the Blue Jackets. He’s recorded no points in his 14 games with the Jets.
Projected Lineups
Columbus
| Yegor Chinakhov | Cole Sillinger | Jakub Voracek |
| Gus Nyquist | Captain Boone Jenner | Oliver BJORKSTRAND |
| Eric Robinson | Sean Kuraly | Alexandre Texier |
| Max Domi | Jack Roslovic | Justin Danforth |
| Zach Werenski | Jake Bean |
| Vladislav Gavrikov | Andrew Peeke |
| Gavin Bayreuther | Adam Boqvist |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
Winnipeg
| Andrew Copp | Mark Scheifele | Nikolaj Ehlers |
| Kyle Connor | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Blake Wheeler |
| Jansen Harkins | Adam Lowry | Evgeny Svechnikov |
| Dominic Toninato | Riley Nash | Kristian Vesalainen |
| Josh Morrissey | Nate Schmidt |
| Brenden Dillon | Neal Pionk |
| Logan Stanley | Dylan Demelo |
| Connor Hellebuyck |
| Eric Comrie |
Personal Note
Tonight will be my first game in Nationwide Arena since 2017. It’ll be my son’s first regular season game in Columbus. Hopefully we’ll get to see the cannon fire more than a few times tonight.