x

Already member? Login first!

Comments / New

Game Day #54: Jackets limp into Buffalo

Dec 30, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) skates up ice with the puck during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 – 7:00 PM EST
KeyBank Center – Buffalo, New York
TV: FDSNOH; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Site: Die By The Blade

Columbus Blue Jackets (26-20-7, 59 points, 4th Metro, 8th East)

at

Buffalo Sabres (21-26-5, 47 points, 8th Atlantic, 16th East)

I won’t say this is a “must-win” game because it’s clearly not. However, with the injuries piling up, playing the worst team in the East comes at an ideal time. These next three games before the break have become very important, and losing four in a row would likely mean chasing a playoff spot when games resume. So, the message is simple: go out and win this game.

Player to Watch

Tage Thompson

The former 47-goal scorer has been on a burner. He has 5-4-9 in his last five games, including a hat trick against Boston. He already has 26 goals on the season.

Jackets Notes

Marchenko will be out for roughly 4-8 weeks (unofficially) with a broken jaw … Fabbro is out for an undisclosed amount of time with an undisclosed upper-body injury … Chinakhov currently has no timetable for return … Dylan Gambrell has been called up from Cleveland.

Ouch.

The lineup below is a complete guess.

The Other Bench

The Sabres are winners of three in a row against the Devils, Predators, and Bruins.

Season Series

10/17/2024 BUF 4 @ CBJ 6
02/04/2025 CBJ @ BUF
04/10/2025 BUF @ CBJ

Stats

BuffaloColumbus
3.12 (11)GPG3.26 (8)
3.38 (29)GAPG3.30 (26)
16.3 (27)PP%21.5 (16)
78.5 (19)PK%74.7 (26)
50.3 (15)5v5 Shot Attempt %47.4 (28)
49.8 (20)5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt %48.0 (25)
9.2 (9)5v5 Shooting %10.0 (3)
90.42 (25)5v5 Save %90.73 (21)
Tage Thompson, 26G LeaderKirill Marchenko, 21 🙁
Rasmus Dahlin, 33A LeaderZach Werenski, 40
Tage Thompson, 48P LeaderZach Werenski, 57
Jason Zucker, 53PIM LeaderMathieu Olivier, 92
12-12-3Home/Road9-15-4
5-5-0Last 106-3-1

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets

Dmitri VoronkovAdam FantilliKent Johnson
James van RiemsdykCole SillingerMathieu Olivier
Zach Aston-ReeseLuca Del Bel BelluzMikael Pyyhtia
Dylan GambrellSean KuralyJustin Danforth
Zach WerenskiIvan Provorov
Denton MateychukDamon Severson
Jake ChristiansenJack Johnson
Elvis Merzlikins
Daniil Tarasov

Dallas Stars

JJ PeterkaJiri KulichTage Thompson
Jason ZuckerDylan CozensAlex Tuch
Zach BensonRyan McLeodJack Quinn
Beck MalenstynPeyton KrebsDennis Gilbert
Bowen ByramRasmus Dahlin
Mattias SamuelssonOwen Power
Jacob BrysonHenri Jokiharju
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
James Reimer

Talking Points