Game 33 Preview: Series vs Canes shifts home

Monday, March 22, 2021 – 7:00 EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Canes Country

Carolina Hurricanes, 20-7-3, 43 points, 3rd Central

@

Columbus Blue Jackets, 13-12-7, 33 points, 4th Central

I know it’s due to the circumstances of this year’s Covid-shortened NHL season that teams only play within their division, and at such an added frequency. And while we’ll probably get back to the normal scheduling next year, I really enjoy these series of games against divisional opponents.

Coupled with the fact the Columbus Blue Jackets are in such a tight race for a playoff spot, it’s apropos that tonight’s Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes feels like playoffs.

And this stretch of games is playoffs for a team in Columbus — always living and dying — on the bubble. On Thursday, Columbus took Game 1 in Overtime 3-2, before winning 3-2 on Saturday in a shootout — after somehow winning an off-sides review. I mean, these things traditionally seem to go against them.

Tortorella: “For a couple seconds there, I thought we lost the game, but they had full control of it. It was just making sure we got the refs’ attention and I’m sure the league would’ve, uh, I hope so … remember, we ran into a couple of problems with this before, so …”#CBJ

— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) March 21, 2021

I also brought this article back from the vault.

clockwork https://t.co/nRrAh43oXR

— Will Chase (@willgchase) March 21, 2021

Player to Watch

I basically pick a name out of a hat and tonight I’ll go with Max Domi. Is he on the trade block? He’s entering tonight’s game with nine career points against the ‘Canes (three goals, six assists) and has five points (two goals, three assists) in his last five games. All that follows nine-straight games without a point. So at least it looks like Domi is playing his best hockey and maybe starting to feel some comfortable.

Obviously huge for the newcomer.

Jackets Notes

It’s interesting that so far, the Jackets have been able to contain the Hurricanes just enough. Seeing as though the ‘Canes dominate the stats as illustrated below. … Interestingly enough, the Blue Jackets have won seven of their last nine meetings with the Hurricanes going back to Mar. 15, 2019 per Jeff Svoboda. … Saturday night’s shootout win was Columbus’s second this season, while simultaneously snapping Carolina’s streak of 10-straight shootout wins since Dec. 14, 2018. … Seth Jones is hot with three goals in his last two games, and he has six points versus Carolina (three goals, three assists). … Carolina has the league’s top power play but has been contained over the past two games (1-for-5).

The Other Bench

Carolina is a strong hockey team and it was just a few years ago they began as an emerging playoff contender. Now they’re looking like a team that can challenge for the whole thing. Maybe one day Columbus will get there. Let’s see if the Jackets can take the third game tonight!

Season Series

02/07/2021 CAR 6 @ CBJ 5
02/08/2021 CAR 2 @ CBJ 3
02/15/2021 CBJ 3 @ CAR 7
03/18/2021 CBJ 3 @ CAR 2 OT
03/20/2021 CBJ 3 @ CAR 2 SO
03/22/2021 CAR @ CBJ
03/25/2021 CAR @ CBJ
05/01/2021 CBJ @ CAR

Lineups

Stats