Game 77 Preview: Jackets try to salvage California trip in San Jose
The injuries are making me sad.
Columbus Blue Jackets at San Jose Sharks
Tuesday, April 19, 2022 - 10:30 PM ET
SAP Center, San Jose, California
TV: Bally Sports Ohio - Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Fear the Fin
Columbus Blue Jackets, 35-35-6, 76 points, 6th Metropolitan, 10th East
at
San Jose Sharks, 29-34-12, 70 points, 7th Pacific, 13th West
Season Series:
12/5/21 - SJ 4 at CBJ 6
4/19/22 - CBJ at SJ
After going 0-2 in SoCal, losing 2-1 to the Kings on Saturday and 6-4 to the Ducks on Sunday, the Jackets fly to NorCal to play the San Jose Sharks. The injury bug has officially bit the CBJ; Patrik Laine was a game-time scratch in Anaheim, while Zach Werenski left the game early in the first period and didn’t return. No updates as of writing on either’s status.
With injuries mean more opportunities for the youngsters! Only six games to go, time to trot out what you got and see what happens. I, for one, want to see Johnson and Sillinger on a line together, maybe with Oliver Bjorkstrand or Gus Nyquist?
As for the Sharks, they’re amidst an 0-6-4 slide, yet to win in April. Let’s hope they don’t change that tonight. Timo Meier is leading the way with 73 points, and Jeff Viel has almost double the penalty minutes (112) as the Blue Jackets’ leader (Sean Kuraly, 61)
Player to Watch - Nick Blankenburg
The surprise signing out of UofM has looked good out there in his first three games, and with fellow Wolverine Zach Werenski out of the lineup, will have a big opportunity to step up tonight. The pairs are honestly a crapshoot so I’ll just say he’s playing with Gavrikov and call it at that.
Stats:
| San Jose | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 2.57 (28) | GPG | 3.17 (13) |
| 3.17 (21) | GAPG | 3.68 (29) |
| 18.2% (23) | PP% | 17.1% (24) |
| 86.18% (3) | PK% | 79.0% (19) |
| 45.4% (31) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 47.5% (23) |
| 46.7% (25) | 5v5 Unblocked shot attempt % | 46.5% (26) |
| 7.7% (27) | 5v5 Shot % | 9.3% (6) |
| .914 (22) | 5v5 Save % | .908 (28) |
| Timo Meier, 33 | G Leader | Patrik Laine, 26 |
| Brent Burns, 41 | A Leader | Jakub Voracek, 50 |
| Timo Meier, 73 | P Leader | Patrik Laine, 56 |
| Jeffrey Viel, 112 | PIM Leader | Sean Kuraly, 61 |
| 16-16-5 | Home / Road | 16-20-2 |
| 0-6-4 | Last 10 | 3-6-1 |
Projected Lines:
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Gustav Nyquist | Cole Sillinger | Jakub Voracek |
| Kent Johnson | Jack Roslovic | Oliver BJORKSTRAND |
| Eric Robinson | Sean Kuraly | Justin Danforth |
| Emil Bemstrom | Brendan Gaunce | Carson Meyer |
| Vladislav Gavrikov | Nick Blankenburg |
| Jake Bean | Adam Boqvist |
| Dean Kukan? | Andrew Peeke |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| JF Berube |
San Jose Sharks
| Timo Meier | Tomas Hertl | Jonathan Dahlen |
| Nick Bonino | Logan Couture | Matt Nieto |
| Rudolfs Balcers | Thomas Bordeleau | Noah Gregor |
| Sasha Chmelevski | Jasper Weatherby | Scott Reedy |
| Mario Ferraro | Brent Burns |
| Marc-Edouard Vlassic | Ryan Merkley |
| Santeri Hatakka | Nicolas Meloche |
| James Reimer |
| Kaapo Kahkonen |