Game 65 Preview: Depleted Jackets Take on the Sharks

Tonight’s game is the first for the Jackets after the trade deadline. Gone from the lineup are Raffi Torres, Fredrik Modin and Milan Jurcina. The only new body coming in to the locker room is Nathan Paetsch– a bottom of the lineup plugger, who can fill in on defense and at forward. He’ll start his Blue Jacket career on the fourth line. The new lineup that Claude Noel has come up with is listed below, you’ll notice that Derick Brassard is out again with a hand injury. He’s still having a hard time gripping the stick. Commodore was activated from IR as well, so he’ll slide in to the lineup. At this point it looks like Mase will go up against Nabokov between the pipes tonight.

I couldn’t think of a more difficult game for the Jackets to have to play with a depleted lineup. After trading away the vets, and with Brass out, the Sharks are not the team to rally against. They are going to come at the Jackets hard and often. Mase will need to be sharp, and the penalty killers will have to be top notch tonight. I’m just hoping we don’t have a blowout. I’ll also be looking to see what Paetsch has to offer.

Fearless Prediction: No prediction today, just hoping we don’t get embarrassed.

Game Time: 10:30pm ET

Opponent’s Blog: Fear The Fin

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Sharks coverage

TV: FSN

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump…

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Jackets are 1-14-2 in the Silicon Valley. Since 2000, the winning percentage of .118 is the worst by any road team against a single opponent in the NHL having played at least 10 times.

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

San Jose Sharks