Game #82 Preview: Blue Jackets face must-lose finale as they host deflated Sabres
Here's what you need to know
Buffalo Sabres at Columbus Blue Jackets
Friday, April 14, 2023 - 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
TV: Bally's Sports Ohio - Radio: WBNS FM
Buffalo Sabres, 41-33-7, 89 points, 5th Atlantic, 10th East
@
Columbus Blue Jackets, 25-47-9, 59 points, 8th Metro, 16th East
Welp, so much for the top odds. The Blue Jackets decided to break their Penguins curse at the absolute worst possible time, guaranteeing the Anaheim Ducks a 25.2% chance at Connor Bedard.
The Jackets can finish anywhere from 31st to 29th depending on how this works out tonight. Here are the scenarios:
CBJ L: 31st place
— The CBJ Center (@CBJcenter) April 14, 2023
(1st: 13.5% [2ND BEST], 2nd: 14.4%, 3rd: 32.0%, 4th: 40.2%)
CBJ OTL: 30th place
(1st: 11.5% [3RD BEST], 2nd: 11.5%, 3rd: 7.4%, 4th: 40.7%, 5th: 28.8%)
CBJ W: 29th place
(1st: 9.5% [4TH BEST], 2nd: 9.8%, 4th: 15.4%, 5th: 44.9%, 6th: 20.5%)#CBJ pic.twitter.com/mWmC9F7Nub
Please, for once, do the right thing as an organization and lose in regulation.
Player to Watch
Owen Power
Owen Power, the 20 year old rookie out of the University of Michigan, has had a tremendous rookie campaign for a surprisingly strong Sabres squad. Power, despite the steep learning curve for NHL defenseman, has posted a 4-31-35 line in 77 games played as of this writing while going +10 with a 5.2 point share and blocking 84 shots on the year. Power has certainly earned a spot as a Calder finalist the season, and Buffalo fans should rightfully be excited for the future of their blue line.
Jackets Notes
Jackets who will not play tonight: Jenner, Olivier, Gudbranson, Robinson, Blankenburg, Merzlikins, Pederson, Jenner, Laine, Danforth, Bean ... Jenner, of significant concern for the future, is dealing with a flare up of a previously-occurring lower back injury
The Other Bench
The Sabres have the longest playoff drought in the NHL currently ... the Sabres have multiple losing streaks this year, including stretches of 0-8-0 in November, 1-4-1 in January, and 2-8-2 in February/March ... Tage Thompson exploded this year with 46-47-93 to establish himself not only as a top option for the Sabres, but as a Hart Trophy candidate
Season Series
12/07/2022 BUF 9 @ CBJ 4
02/28/2023 CBJ 5 @ BUF 3
04/14/2023 BUF @ CBJ
Stats
| Buffalo | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.55 (4) | GPG | 2.60 (30) |
| 3.65 (27) | GAPG | 4.03 (31) |
| 23.5% (8) | PP% | 18.3% (26) |
| 73.0% (28) | PK% | 75.6% (23) |
| 51.27% (14) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 44.85% (30) |
| 50.22% (17) | 5v5 Unblocked shot attempt % | 44.85% (30) |
| 9.37 (4) | 5v5 Shooting % | 7.75 (28) |
| .903 (29) | 5v5 Save % | .900 (31) |
| Tage Thompson, 46 | G Leader | Boone Jenner, 26 |
| Rasmus Dahlin, 57 | A Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 53 |
| Tage Thompson, 93 | P Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 72 |
| Rasmus Dahlin, 92 | PIM Leader | Mathieu Olivier, 81 |
| 24-13-3 | Home / Road | 15-22-2 |
| 7-2-1 | Last 10 | 2-6-2 |
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Johnny Gaudreau | Sean Kuraly | Kirill Marchenko |
| Kent Johnson | Jack Roslovic | Liam Foudy |
| Joona Luoto | Hunter McKown | Emil Bemstrom |
| Tyler Angle | Mikael Pyythia | Samuel Knazko |
| Gavin Bayreuther | Andrew Peeke |
| Stanislav Svozil | Adam Boqvist |
| Billy Sweezey | Tim Berni |
| Michael Hutchinson |
| Jon Gillies |
Buffalo Sabres
| Jeff Skinner | Casey Mittelstadt | Alex Tuch |
| Jordan Greenway | Dylan Cozens | Tage Thompson |
| John Jason Peterka | Tyson Jost | Jack Quinn |
| Zemgus Girgensons | Peyton Krebs | Kyle Okposo |
| Rasmus Dahlin | Mattias Samuelsson |
| Owen Power | Henri Jokiharju |
| Riley Stillman | Ilya Lyubushkin |
| Devon Levi |
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen |