Saturday, February 18, 2023 – 6:00 P.M. EST
American Airlines Arena – Dallas, Texas
TV: Bally Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Defending Big D
Columbus Blue Jackets (17-34-4, 38 points, 8th Metro, 16th East)
at
Dallas Stars (30-14-12, 72 points, 1st Central, 1st West)
On Thursday, the Blue Jackets faced the #2 team in the Central Division and Western Conference, who was top 3 in defense and goaltending. The Jackets won! Now they face the top team in the Central and West, who is also an elite goaltending team. This time on the road. Will it also go well? Or can the tank resume?
Player to Watch
Jason Robertson
This kid friggin rules. Still just 23 years old and he’s seventh in the league in points, and fifth in goals. He’s at 34/37/71 through 56 games after scoring 41/38/79 in 74 games last season. The top line featuring him, Roope Hintz, and the timeless Joe Pavelski is fun as hell. As a California-born son of a Filipino mother, Robo should be one of the faces of the league…that is, if the league knew what the hell it was doing from a marketing perspective.
Just give them their own reality show 😂🤖🪵 pic.twitter.com/4pvCbLGGG5
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) February 17, 2023
Jackets Notes
Horrible news dropped as I was writing this:
Johnny Gaudreau will NOT play for the #CBJ tonight. His ironman streak ends at 349 games.
Lane Pederson will go in and make his Blue Jackets debut.
— Dylan Tyrer (@DylanTyrer) February 18, 2023
Gaudreau is day-to-day with a lower body injury.
In happier news, the Cleveland Monsters won their fourth straight last night.
The Other Bench
The Stars lost at Minnesota in a shootout last night, so we’re the more rested team … Dallas has gone to extra time in six of their last eight games … They are also 0 for 18 on the power play since the All Star break … Jake Oettinger started last night, so Scott Wedgewood gets the start tonight. He is putting up good numbers for a backup goalie, however (.913, 2.91).
Season Series
12/19/2022 DAL 2 @ CBJ 1
02/18/2023 CBJ @ DAL
Stats
| Dallas/th> | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.25 (13) | GPG | 2.53 (30) |
| 2.52 (2) | GAPG | 3.76 (30) |
| 23.1% (11) | PP% | 16.1% (31) |
| 83.5% (3) | PK% | 77.0% (19) |
| 50.9% (16) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 45.4% (29) |
| 50.0% (20) | 5v5 Unblocked shot attempt % | 45.2% (29) |
| 8.5 (16) | 5v5 Shooting % | 7.5 (28) |
| .934 (2) | 5v5 Save % | .906 (26) |
| Jason Robertson, 34 | G Leader | Boone Jenner, 16 |
| Jason Robertson, 37 | A Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 37 |
| Jason Robertson, 71 | P Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 52 |
| Mason Marchment, 74 | PIM Leader | Mathieu Olivier, 72 |
| 15-6-7 | Home / Road | 5-17-2 |
| 4-1-5 | Last 10 | 4-4-2 |
Projected Lineups
| Patrik Laine | Boone Jenner | Kirill Marchenko |
| Lane Pederson | Cole Sillinger | Kent Johnson |
| Liam Foudy | Jack Roslovic | Emil Bemstrom |
| Eric Robinson | Sean Kuraly | Mathieu Olivier |
| Tim Berni | Erik Gudbranson |
| Nick Blankenburg | Andrew Peeke |
| Gavin Bayreuther | Adam Boqvist |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Jason Robertson | Roope Hintz | Joe Pavelski |
| Mason Marchment | Radek Faksa | Tyler Seguin |
| Jamie Benn | Wyatt Johnson | Ty Dellandrea |
| Fredrik Karlstrom | Luke Glendening | Denis Gurianov |
| Miro Heiskanen | Colin Miller |
| Ryan Suter | Nils Lundkvist |
| Esa Lindell | Jani Hakanpaa |
| Scott Wedgewood |
| Jake Oettinger |