A few items of note that may have changed since the game preview earlier today…
According to BlueJackets.com, Sammy Pahlsson will be back in the lineup tonight following a brief illness. The website also mentioned that Curtis Sanford was the first goaltender off the ice in the morning skate, a pretty good indication that it will be Sanford, not Steve Mason in goal for the Jackets tonight.
The Jackets need to keep in mind that the Kings have dropped five straight. They can not be easy pickin’s for the SoCal boys. I’d like to see the Jackets come out and assert themselves physically early on. I’m also looking forward to a lot of puck movement as well as plenty of digging in the corners in the offensive zone.
The constant harassment of the Sedin twins paid big dividends for the Jackets on Tuesday night. Look for more of the same tonight. If they give the Kings the opportunity to move the puck, the Kings will do it.
Finally, the Jackets need to be mindful of players like Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, two D-men who can play both ends of the rink with equal amounts of skill.