Monday, March 4, 2024 – 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Bally Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Site: Knights on Ice
Vegas Golden Knights (33-21-7, 73 points, 3rd Pacific, 6th West)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (20-30-10, 50 points, 8th Metro, 16th East)
Player to Watch
Jonathan Marchessault
What a career for the man once known as JAM. He had just 19 points in 49 NHL games spread over a 4 year period, then took off for 30 goals at age 26 in his one season in Florida. They stupidly let him go to Vegas in the expansion draft, where he has consistently been a 20+ goal/50+ point pace guy. This culminated in him winning the Conn Smythe Trophy last season after a 13/12/25 run in 22 playoff games on the way to winning the Stanley Cup.
This season may be his best yet, at age 33. He has 32 goals in just 61 games, which is already a career high. Currently he is riding a 5 game point streak.
Jackets Notes
A couple bits of unfortunate news on the injury front, led by Kent Johnson going on the IR with a torn labrum. It’s a shame he wasn’t used more effectively this season, and now it’s a question as to his availability and/or readiness to start next season … Elvis Merzlikins is day-to-day with an upper body injury. Jet Greaves has been recalled on an emergency basis in the meantime … After winning in Chicago on Saturday, the Blue Jackets will once again be trying to earn their first pair of consecutive wins since Thanksgiving.
The Other Bench
The defending champs are in a bit of a rough spot now, having won just 2 of their last 9 games (2-6-1), inluding a 1-2-1 record on this current Eastern road trip … Jack Eichel and Mark Stone are both on the injured list, which certainly doesn’t help.
Season Series
03/04/2024 VGK @ CBJ
03/23/2024 CBJ @ VGK
Stats
| Vegas | Columbus | |
| 3.18 (14) | GPG | 2.93 (24) |
| 2.90 (10) | GAPG | 3.65 (31) |
| 19.6 (19) | PP% | 14.7 (28) |
| 80.4 (11) | PK% | 77.0 (25) |
| 47.1 (25) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 48.1 (22) |
| 48.0 (23) | 5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt % | 48.3 (21) |
| 8.9 (12) | 5v5 Shooting % | 9.3 (7) |
| 92.1 (7) | 5v5 Save % | 91.0 (19) |
| Jonathan Marchessault, 32 | G Leader | Boone Jenner, 19 |
| Mark Stone, 37 | A Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 34 |
| Jonathan Marchessault, 53 | P Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 43 |
| Ivan Barbashev, 40 | PIM Leader | Erik Gudbranson, 59 |
| 14-12-5 | Home/Road | 10-16-4 |
| 3-6-1 | Last 10 | 4-6-0 |
Projected Lines
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Johnny Gaudreau | Boone Jenner | Jack Roslovic |
| Yegor Chinakhov | Dmitri Voronkov | Kirill Marchenko |
| Alexandre Texier | Cole Sillinger | Alex Nylander |
| Justin Danforth | Sean Kuraly | Mathieu Olivier |
| Zach Werenski | Adam Boqvist |
| Ivan Provorov | Damon Severson |
| Jake Bean | Erik Gudbranson |
| Daniil Tarasov |
| Jet Greaves |
Vegas Golden Knights
| Brendan Brisson | William Karlsson | Jonathan Marchessault |
| Ivan Barbashev | Chandler Stephenson | Michael Amadio |
| Paul Cotter | Nicolas Roy | Keegan Kolesar |
| Mason Morelli | Byron Froese | Grigori Denisenko |
| Alec Martinez | Alex Pietrangelo |
| Brayden McNabb | Shea Theodore |
| Nicolas Hague | Zach Whitecloud |
| Logan Thompson |
| Adin Hill |