Game #78 Preview: Blue Jackets look to earn zero points as they visit Devils
Jackets head to New Jersey
Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey Devils
Thursday, April 6, 2023 - 7:00 PM EST
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
TV: Bally's Sports Ohio - Radio: WBNS FM
Columbus Blue Jackets, 24-45-8, 56 points, 8th Metro, 16th East
@
New Jersey Devils, 49-21-8, 106 points, 2nd Metro, 3rd East
The Columbus Blue Jackets head off on one of their final two road trips of the season tonight as the team takes on the New Jersey Devils. The Jackets, who have risen up the standings lately, desperately need to take no points from this game to keep the dream of an elite player alive.
Player to Watch
Jack Hughes
The former number one overall pick has truly broken out this season, posting a 40-51-91 line for a surprising New Jersey squad. Hughes has 5 points in his last 5 games and is 13th in the league in points for the season. After his 2021-22 season was derailed by injuries, Hughes has regained his form and taken off in the way many expected him to when he was drafted first overall.
Jackets Notes
Kirill Marchenko is now the Jackets rookie goal scoring leader, with 21 ... Johnny Gaudreau has 4-12-16 in his last 13 games and has 20 multi-point games this season ... Eric Robinson has set a career high in goals this season with 12 ... Jack Roslovic is on a six game point streak with 4-4-8
The Other Bench
This is the second to last home game for the Devils this season ... since acquiring Timo Meier, Meier has 7-3-10 in 17 games ... Hughes, Nico Hischer, Dougie Hamilton, and Dawson Mercer have all set career best scoring marks this season ... The Devils, with a win tonight, would clinch the second 50 win season in franchise history
Season Series
10/30/2023 CBJ 1 @ NJD 7
02/14/2023 NJD 3 @ CBJ 2
04/06/2023 CBJ @ NJD
Stats
| New Jersey | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.45 (6) | GPG | 2.65 (30) |
| 2.73 (8) | GAPG | 3.97 (31) |
| 21.5% (14) | PP% | 18.7% (25) |
| 82.4% (7) | PK% | 76.1% (23) |
| 54.23% (4) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 44.99% (29) |
| 55.50% (3) | 5v5 Unblocked shot attempt % | 44.65% (29) |
| 8.49 (18) | 5v5 Shooting % | 7.81 (27) |
| .916 (13) | 5v5 Save % | .902 (29) |
| Jack Hughes, 40 | G Leader | Boone Jenner, 26 |
| Dougie Hamilton, 52 | A Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 52 |
| Jack Hughes, 91 | P Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 71 |
| Miles Wood, 74 | PIM Leader | Mathieu Olivier, 81 |
| 22-13-4 | Home / Road | 9-24-6 |
| 5-4-1 | Last 10 | 3-6-1 |
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Johnny Gaudreau | Boone Jenner | Kirill Marchenko |
| Eric Robinson | Sean Kuraly | Emil Bemstrom |
| Liam Foudy | Kent Johnson | Jack Roslovic |
| Joona Luoto | Josh Dunne | Hunter McKown |
| Gavin Bayreuther | Andrew Peeke |
| Tim Berni | Adam Boqvist |
| Billy Sweezey | Marcus Bjork |
| Michael Hutchinson |
| Jon Gillies |
New Jersey Devils
| Tomas Tatar | Nico Hischer | Dawson Mercer |
| Ondrej Palat | Jack Hughes | Jesper Bratt |
| Timo Meier | Erik Haula | Jesper Boqvist |
| Miles Wood | Michael McLeod | Nathan Bastian |
| Kevin Bahl | Dougie Hamilton |
| Ryan Graves | John Marino |
| Jonas Sigenthaler | Damon Severson |
| Vitek Vanacek |
| Mackenzie Blackwood |