Game 44 Preview: Struggling Jackets crawl into Vancouver
I'm running out of things to type in this space. How can I spin things towards the positive when the team has lost 20 of their past 23 games? The new "It starts now" mantra the team has adopted started off with a thud on Saturday when the team was beaten by the Avs. The Jackets will be in tough tonight against the Canucks.
Brass is moving up the second line to start the game tonight, he'll play wing with Vermmy and Jake. Pic is out with a cut above his knee, and Raffi has the flu so Murr-Dogg and MacKenzie will slot into the lineup. MacKenzie was called up on emergency recall.
Fearless Prediction : Chris Clark scores a goal.
Game Time: 10:00pm ET
Opponent's Blog: Nucks Misconduct
Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Canucks coverage
TV: None
Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)
More after the jump...
From the Columbus Dispatch:
How much more water can the S.S. Blue Jacket take on before an SOS is sounded? The Jackets have lost 20 of the past 23 and 12 straight on the road. Coach Ken Hitchcock is turning back to goaltender Steve Mason, reneging on his "win and you're in" policy. The Canucks are good at home, going 16-6, although the Jackets spoiled their home opener this season.
Jackets Links:
Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule
Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats
Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Kristian Huselius | R.J. Umberger | Rick Nash |
| Derick Brassard | Antoine Vermette | Jakub Voracek |
| Fredrik Modin | Samuel Pahlsson | Chris Clark |
| Andrew Murray | Derek MacKenzie | Jared Boll |
| Fedor Tyutin | Anton Stralman |
| Milan Jurcina | Kris Russell |
| Jan Hejda | Mathieu Roy |
| Steve Mason |
| Mathieu Garon |
| EXTRA: Mike Commodore |
| INJURED: Alexandre Picard, Raffi Torres, Marc Methot, Rostislav Klesla, Derek Dorsett |
| Daniel Sedin | Henrik Sedin | Alex Burrows |
| Mason Raymond | Ryan Kesler | Mikael Samuelsson |
| Tanner Glass | Kyle Wellwood | Steve Bernier |
| Darcy Hordichuk | Alexandre Bolduc | Rick Rypien |
| Willie Mitchell | Sami Salo |
| Shane O"Brien | Christian Ehrhoff |
| Alexander Edler | Aaron Rome |
| Roberto Luongo |
| Andrew Raycroft |