Game #72 Preview/Gamethread: Tank battle in the desert

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 – 10:00 PM EDT
Mullett Arena, Tempe, Arizona
TV: Bally Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Site: Five For Howling

Columbus Blue Jackets (23-36-12, 58 points, 8th Metro, 16th East)

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Arizona Coyotes (29-37-5, 63 points, 7th Central, 13th West)

Believe it or not, with 11 games left, this is the last game the Blue Jackets have against a team that’s not in the playoff race. It’s not a meaningless game, however. There are potential lottery implications. The Jackets are only five points behind the Coyotes. A regulation win for Columbus increases their chances of moving up in the standings. A loss in any fashion makes a 29th-place finish very likely.

Player to Watch

Clayton Keller

With 30 goals and 62 points, Keller has outscored every Blue Jacket. He has 25 power-play points, surpassing the Jackets’ leader, Gaudreau, by 10 points. Is he good at hockey? Yes. Should he be beating every Blue Jacket in nearly every category? No. This is just another reason to be embarrassed by the Blue Jackets’ performance this season.

Jackets Notes

Congrats to the Ohio State Women’s Hockey Team for winning their second National Championship in three years! … Aaron Portzline reported yesterday that Rick Nash and others currently employed by Columbus are not candidates for the open GM position … Trey Fix-Wolansky was sent back to Cleveland … Portzline also reported that Fantilli’s timeline keeps getting pushed back. It’s now unknown if he’ll be 100% before the end of the season … Yesterday was an off day, so there is no word as of this morning on the status of Chinakhov or Boqvist, who are both listed as day-to-day.

Season Series

11/16/23 ARI 3 @ CBJ 2
03/26/24 CBJ @ ARI

Stats

Projected Lines

Columbus Blue Jackets

Arizona Coyotes