Montreal Canadiens at Columbus Blue Jackets
Friday, January 18, 2019 – 7:00 EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Eyes on the Prize
Montreal Canadiens 26-17-5, 57 points, 4th Atlantic, 6th East
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Columbus Blue Jackets 28-15-3, 59 points, 1st Metro, 2nd East
The Columbus Blue Jackets, first place in the Metro Division and second in the Eastern Conference (seriously, who saw that turn coming?), go for their fifth straight win tonight as they host the Montreal Canadiens in Nationwide Arena. For the first time in what feels like forever, Columbus is facing off with a team with a worse power play as the Canadiens come in with a league-last 12.9% power play. Carey Price, named an All Star, will get the start for the Canadiens.
Player to Watch
Brandon Dubinsky
After his most recent injury, this time his hamstring, Dubinsky was activated from injured reserve on Thursday and appears to be drawing into the lineup in the spot of Anthony Duclair on Alex Wennberg’s line. Dubinsky has been a valuable face-off man this season, setting up several overtime goals with his face-off duty. Dubinsky has accepted his reduced role this season, playing just 12:48 per game and chipping in just 4-6-10. Dubinsky has been effective and, if he can remain so the rest of the way, can provide valuable contributions to the team going forward.
Jackets Notes
Columbus has won six straight home games … Torts has coached 285 games behind the bench, making him the longest tenured coach in franchise history … Columbus has had just two games with three goals in the first period this season … Each player on the first line is on a four game point streak
The Other Bench
Paul Byron was suspended three games for charging MacKenzie Weegar … After several games as a healthy scratch, Karl Alzner was sent down for conditioning but will travel with the team … Goalie prospect Cayden Primeau was nominated for the Hobey Baker award … Phillipp Danault leads the NHL in shorthanded face-offs won
Season Series
01/18/2019 MTL @ CBJ
02/19/2019 CBJ @ MTL
03/28/2019 MTL @ CBJ
Stats
| Montreal | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.00 (13) | GPG | 3.30 (9) |
| 2.96 (16) | GAPG | 3.02 (20) |
| 12.9% (31) | PP% | 14.5% (27) |
| 79.2% (17) | PK% | 82.0% (10) |
| 53.74% (4) | EV Corsi % | 49.82% (17) |
| 1.004 (10) | EV PDO | 1.007 (7) |
| Brendan Gallagher, 19 | G Leader | Cam Atkinson, 27 |
| Max Domi, 26 | A Leader | Artemi Panarin, 34 |
| Max Domi, 41 | P Leader | Artemi Panarin, 52 |
| Max Domi, 57 | PIM Leader | Josh Anderson, 42 |
| 13-8-3 | Home / Road | 14-8-2 |
| 6-4-0 | Last 10 | 7-3-0 |
Projected Lineups
| Artemi Panarin | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Cam Atkinson |
| Nick Foligno | Boone Jenner | Josh Anderson |
| Brandon Dubinsky | Alexander Wennberg | Kevin Stenlund |
| Oliver Bjorkstrand | Lukas Sedlak | Riley Nash |
| Zach Werenski | Seth Jones |
| Ryan Murray | Markus Nutivaara |
| Scott Harrington | David Savard |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Sergei Bobrovsky |
| Jonathan Drouin | Phillip Danault | Brendan Gallagher |
| Arturri Lehkonen | Max Domi | Tomas Tatar |
| Peca Hudson | Jesper Kotkaniemi | Joel Armia |
| Kenny Agostino | Michael Chaput | Nicolas Deslauriers |
| Victor Mete | Shea Weber |
| Mike Reilly | Jeff Petry |
| Brett Kulak | Jordie Benn |
| Carey Price |
| Antti Niemi |