Game #82 Preview: Playoff berth secured, Blue Jackets have chance for more

Saturday, April 6, 2019 – 7:00 EST
Canadien Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
TV: Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Silver Seven

x – Columbus Blue Jackets, 46-31-4, 96 points, 5th Metro, 8th East

@

Ottawa Senators, 29-46-6, 64 points, 8th Atlantic, 16th East

It’s game No. 82 of the regular season for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they finish up in Ottawa. Last night, they took care of business, securing a 3-2 shootout win at Madison Square Garden to defeat the Rangers, ergo, locking up a third-consecutive trip to the playoffs. One point behind the Hurricanes, they still hold a chance at earning the first wild card spot. As the ‘Canes tangle with the Flyers later tonight, the Jackets do hold a tie-breaker in the scenario both are tied with 98 points after tonight’s outcomes. More on possible playoff scenarios for the Blue Jackets ahead.

Player to Watch

Alexandre Texier, a 19-year-old forward out of France, was called up to the Blue Jackets on Thursday to make his NHL debut Friday night against the Rangers. Playing for KalPa of the Liiga League this season, Texier put up 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) and seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games for the Monsters. He made his NHL debut last night, playing 11:49, three shots, four attempts, two hits.

Jackets Notes

In case you somehow missed it, the Jackets are headed back to the playoffs for the third-consecutive year. … Possible playoff scenarios include:

All the possible scenarios of who the Blue Jackets will play in the first round. Root accordingly in tomorrow’s Blue Jackets vs. Senators game and Hurricanes vs. Flyers game. pic.twitter.com/uIGfK8X5eG

— CBJ Front Line (@CBJFrontLine) April 6, 2019

It seems quite plausible that Joonas Korpisalo earns the time in net tonight to give Sergei Bobrovsky rest after the first of the back-to-back, though “Bob” will have days off after the conclusion of the regular season finale. … Cam Atkinson (41 goals) needs one goal tonight to overtake Rick Nash as the single-season franchise leader. … Artemi Panarin has set a career-high with 85 points, surpassing both his previous career-high of 82 last season, as well as reestablishing the franchise-record for most points in an individual season in Blue Jackets history. … Panarin’s 57 assists this season is also a career-high. … Boone Jenner’s next point will be his 200th. … Columbus’ 46 wins are the second-most in franchise history. … The Blue Jackets set a franchise mark with their 24th road victory last night. … There is no new status for Adam McQuaid (head) or Ryan Murray (upper body).

The Other Bench

A miserable season on, and off the ice, for the Senators nears a close. From the uber fiasco in November, centering around players including then-Senator and current Blue Jackets star Matt Duchene in which leaked audio got out regarding criticisms of the teams’ coaching staff, to diarrhea of the mouth remarks from owner Eugene Melnyk time and again, to the worst record in the entire NHL, the Senators can officially start their off-season after tonight’s game.

They traded star defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Sharks before the season, and after making in-season trades including Duchene and Ryan Dzingel to the Blue Jackets for Anthony Duclair, and Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Senators lost three of their top four goal producers. Brady Tkachuk leads the club with 22. The Senators went through a coaching change, after they traded everyone, leading to Guy Boucher’s dismissal and naming Marc Crawford as the interim. The Senators allow the most shots per game (35.9) and goals per game (3.64).

Among the few bright spots for Ottawa include All-Star defenseman Thomas Chabot who has set career-highs with 54 points, 13 goals, and 41 assists.

Mark Borowiecki has missed the last thee games (upper body), Ben Harpur the last two (illness), and Bobby Ryan missed the last game (unspecified).

Season Series

12/31/2018 OTT 3 @ CBJ 6
02/22/2019 CBJ 3 @ OTT 0
04/04/2019 CBJ @ OTT

Stats

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets

Ottawa Senators