Game #26 Preview: Blue Jackets look to bounce back as they host visiting Flames

Calgary Flames at Columbus Blue Jackets
Friday, December 9, 2022 – 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
TV: Bally’s Sports Ohio – Radio: WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Matchsticks and Gasoline

Calgary Flames, 13-10-3, 29 points, 5th Pacific, 8th West
@
Columbus Blue Jackets, 8-15-2, 18 points, 8th Metro, 16th East

The Columbus Blue Jackets got their teeth kicked in on Wednesday night, in a completely embarrassing display that, were this a competent organization, would have seen someone forward.

Instead, we march forward, with absolutely no changes expected or anticipated.

LeBrun on IT says CBJ organization was embarrassed from top to bottom last night, the players held a “players only” meeting, but this won’t force Kekäläinen to make any rash decisions, they’ve had a ton of injuries, they’ll take their lumps knowing this year’s draft is a deep one

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) December 8, 2022

Maybe the Blue Jackets will win tonight. Maybe they won’t. Maybe the fans can at least earn some curly fries and a car wash for enduring this game tonight. MAYBE lucky fans who attend tonight will even get chili!

What a time to be alive.

Player to Watch

Sean Kuraly

Well, after 18 penalty minutes on Wednesday, maybe Kuraly can contribute in a positive way tonight?

Kuraly, as a fourth line center this year, has been fine. 3-6-9 in 23 games, killing penalties, playing fourth line center duties – he’s been fine. Wednesday night though, absolutely nothing Kuraly did contributed toward winning and successful hockey in the year of our Lord 2022. He took four minor penalties, gifting Buffalo goals on two of those four, before getting tossed with a misconduct in the third period long after a competent coach would have sat him down for the night.

Can Kuraly bounce back? We’ll see! He’s been a solid contributor this season, but the Wednesday game got away from him in a big way. Let’s hope he bounces back tonight.

Jackets Notes

In other news, we have reporters confirming reports about the team being terrible at practicing.

Erik Gudbranson spoke openly about how practices are not going well. Aaron Portzline just stated in an Athletic open conversation that players do not know the drills for practice beforehand.

— CBJ Center (@CBJcenter) December 8, 2022

So, that’s not great … In positive news, Gustav Nyquist’s two goal effort was his first milti-goal game of the season … Johnny Gaudreau extended his point streak to six games (2-8-10) … The 18 penalty minute effort was Sean Kuraly’s 100th game as a Blue Jacket

The Other Bench

The Flames are coming off a game where they fell down 2-0 before coming back to win 5-3 to go 3-0 in their reverse retros … the Flames, who lost Matt Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau in the offseason, the Flames have been in fits and starts to get going this year, but new acquisition Nazem Kadri leads the team in goals with 10 … Kadri, despite leading the Flames in goals, is a -6 on the season

Season Series

12/09/2022 CAL @ CBJ
01/23/2023 CBJ @ CAL

Stats

Projected Lineups