Game 50 Preview: Yay! The Hawks again!
Let's just hope this isn't a blowout. The Jackets looked weak Thursday night against the Hawks, and they get the pleasure of facing them again in the second game of a home-and-home. There have been a handful of lineup changes (shocking, i know) with the most significant being Juice getting demoted to the third line and Brass moving to second line center. Steve Mason gets the start tonight, his first in six games.
Here's hoping that the fact they are playing at home, combined with the lineup changes, can spark the Jackets to an underdog victory. It's certainly possible, but it will be very difficult. Last game, no offense was created because it was obvious that the team was playing safe, afraid of making mistakes. They need to take chances this game offensively, because prevent defense just doesn't work.
Fearless Prediction: Nash (doesn't) score tonight!
Game Time: 2:00pm ET
Opponent's Blog: Second City Hockey
Game Page: Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets Coverage
TSN Preview: Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets Preview
TV: FSN
Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)
More after the jump...
From the Columbus Dispatch:
The Blackhawks toyed with the Blue Jackets on Thursday like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. Only the work of goaltender Mathieu Garon kept the score respectable. Wary of the Blackhawks' transition game, the Jackets dumped the puck from the neutral zone but rarely recovered it to set up quality scoring chances.
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
| R.J. Umberger | Antoine Vermette | Rick Nash |
| Raffi Torres | Derick Brassard | Jakub Voracek |
| Kristian Huselius | Samuel Pahlsson | Chris Clark |
| Derek Dorsett | Andrew Murray | Jared Boll |
| Fedor Tyutin | Anton Stralman |
| Milan Jurcina | Kris Russell |
| Jan Hejda | Mike Commodore |
| Steve Mason |
| Mathieu Garon |
| EXTRA: Alexandre Picard, Mathieu Roy |
| INJURED: Fredrik Modin, Marc Methot, Rostislav Klesla |
| Troy Brouwer | Jonathan Toews | Patrick Kane |
| Andrew Ladd | Patrick Sharp | Marian Hossa |
| Kris Versteeg | John Madden | Dustin Byfuglien |
| Ben Eager | Colin Fraser | Tomas Kopecky |
| Duncan Keith | Brent Seabrook |
| Brian Campbell | Niklas Hjalmarsson |
| Cam Barker | Brent Sopel |
| Cristobal Huet |
| Antti Niemi |