Game #30 Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets Look to Bounce Back Hosting Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 – 7:00 EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
TV: Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: 97.1 WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Nucks Misconduct

Vancouver Canucks, 13-16-3, 29 points, 6th Pacific, 11th West
@
Columbus Blue Jackets, 16-11-2, 34 points, 2nd Metro, 7th East

The NHL season continues on, even after non-competitive blowouts, and tonight is no exception. After a spectacular no-show on home ice Saturday night that has been described as, well … let’s let the coach take it from here:

#CBJ coach John Tortorella … pic.twitter.com/3kbzF4Bvle

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) December 10, 2018

Brutal honesty, and some necessary honesty from the head coach – Saturday night was inexcusable. Bad losses happen over the course of a season, but Columbus was put down from the opening face-off and showed no fight whatsoever as they welcomed Washington back to Columbus for the first time since the Capitals knocked them out on the Jackets’ ice. Torts responded to the loss by shaking up his coaching staff:

#CBJ coach John Tortorella on switching the assistants — Brad Shaw and Brad Larsen — back to their previous spots: pic.twitter.com/K8qivLRCv3

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) December 10, 2018

Tonight, the Blue Jackets welcome the Vancouver Canucks to town. While the Canucks have just three wins in their last ten games, the Canucks are coming in on the heels of a 6-1 drubbing of the St. Louis Blues that saw Brock Boeser score a hat trick and Elias Pettersson put up a five point game. Columbus, who has allowed 13 goals in their last two home games, must play with sound gap control and play responsibly on the defensive end to limit Vancouver’s chances or Columbus may be in for another long night in Nationwide Arena.

Player to Watch

Elias Pettersson

Elias Pettersson, rookie sensation who was drafted 5th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, has done nothing short of light the league on fire this year. At just 20 years old, Pettersson leads the Canucks in goals scored, assists, and points and is averaging better than a point per game for the season. Last week, Pettersson put up two goals and six assists in three games played, including a 1-4-5 performance Saturday night to lead the Canucks to a win in St. Louis. Pettersson won NHL first star of the week honors to go along with his Rookie of the Month in October win from earlier this season.

Jackets Notes

Cam Atkinson had his twelve game point streak snapped Saturday night, leaving him in second place for the longest point streaks in franchise history, one game behind Ryan Johansen … The Blue Jackets are on pace to score the most goals in a season in franchise history, but are also on pace to allow the most goals in a season in franchise history … Columbus was shut out for the first time this season on Saturday night … Despite returning to the lineup Saturday, Anthony Duclair played just 7:49 and had no shots on goal

The Other Bench

Elias Pettersson has basically locked up the rookie of the year award, currently sitting on 1/5 odds to win, where the next best odds (for Miro Heiskanen) are at just 6/1 …  Pettersson has two five point games this season … Pettersson is on pace to challenge Pavel Bure’s record for scoring by a Canucks rookie. Pettersson has 15-15-30 in 26 games played, Bure’s record is 34-26-60 in 65 games played … Brock Boeser scored his second career hat trick Saturday night

Season Series

12/11/2018 VAN @ CBJ
03/24/2019 CBJ @ VAN

Stats

Projected Lineups