Game Day #71: Canucks and Columbus Clash in Pursuit of Wild Card Spots

Friday, March 28th, 2025 – 7:00 PM ET
Nationwide Arena, Columbus
TV: FDSNOH – Radio: 97.1FM

Vancouver Canucks (34-26-12, 80 points, 4th Pacific, 9th West)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (32-29-9, 73 points, 6th Metropolitan, 11th East)

Vancouver and Columbus are both sitting outside wildcard spots heading into this contest and are desperate for wins. Vancouver has been jumped by a surging Blues team under the helm of Jim Montgomery and they are in need of wins to catch a depleted Minnesota Wild. The Blue Jackets are right in the thick of the Eastern Wild Card race that no team wants to win.

Player to Watch

Elvis Merzlikins

The last time these two teams met may have been Elvis’ worst game of the season. Columbus went up by two in the first period and was leading on the shot clock 26-6 late in the second period when Elvis made the ill-fated decision to race for a loose puck. His clearing attempt failed and the Canucks pounced on an easy goal to tie it up. The third period did not go better for Elvis as the Canucks scored 4 goals on 16 shots against him (plus an empty netter) to win the contest 5-2.

Jackets Notes

Also looking back at the first Vancouver contest, the CBJ power play went 0-5. Monahan was a large part of the man advantage’s success early in the year, can they crack the Canucks PK tonight? Cole Sillinger also is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight.

The front office was busy this week signing NCAA free agents Jack Williams of Northeastern and Caleb MacDonald of North Dakota as well as signing drafted prospect Charlie Elick to his ELC. Jack Williams was a productive forward who is not eligible to go Cleveland this season, he may crack the bottom 6 this year. Caleb MacDonald is a big defenseman who was injured at the end of the season.

Former CBJ assistant coach Brad Shaw won his head coaching debut last night in replacement of the recently let go John Tortorella. Brad Shaw has always been a favorite and he did his former club a favor by leading the Flyers past the Montreal Canadiens.

The Other Bench

What a season in Vancouver. The roster drama from earlier in the season has passed, but the injury concerns have started to pile up and you get the sense the fan base may not be in love with Rick Tocchet’s offensive approach. Elias Pettersson (F) and Nils Hoglander are two important offensive contributors and will miss tonight’s contest, but Quinn Hughes recently returned form injury and is by far the single most valuable player on their roster. It should be fun to watch Hughes and Werenski pilot their teams for the majority of this game.

Season Series

12/06/2024 – CBJ 2 at VAN 5
3/28/2025 – VAN at CBJ

Stats

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets

Vancouver Canucks