Game Four Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets look to make franchise history in Nationwide Arena

Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue Jackets
Tuesdat, April 16, 2019 – 7:00 EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: CNBC, Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Raw Charge

Columbus Blue Jackets (47-31-4, 98 points, 5th Metro, 8th East)
vs
Tampa Bay Lightning (62-16-4, 128 points, 1st Atlantic, 1st East)

Columbus leads series 3-0

History awaits in Nationwide Arena, if the Columbus Blue Jackets can find a way to win this game.

The Columbus Blue Jackets, following their game three victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, own a stanglehold on this series. They have frustrated and flustered the Lightning into taking bad penalties, getting suspended, and chasing hits instead of peppering Sergei Bobrovsky. All of that adds up to the upstart Jackets having a chance at a series sweep of the President’s Trophy winning Bolts.

Sergei Bobrovsky has a .972 SV% since the first period of game one. Matt Duchene, finally fresh off of scoring his first career goal in the playoffs, is the team’s leading scorer. Josh Anderson has been a force on every shift. The fourth line has played well. Brandon Dubinsky won 12 of 14 faceoffs on Sunday night.

Tonight, they will face a desperate Bolts team looking to save their historic season from flaming out. History is there for the taking – now go out and do it.

Player to Watch

Steven Stamkos

Stamkos has disappeared in this series. With no points to his name, the Lightning captain must play as if game four is a game seven. Unfortunately, Stamkos has zero points in any game seven he has played (five total). The Lightning season is on the line – can the captain show up to save it?

Jackets Notes

Brandon Dubinsky, after not playing in the final moments of game three due to an injury after he lost an edge, practiced with the team yesterday … Dubinsky cleared concussion protocol … Zac Dalpe was recalled from the Cleveland Monsters yesterday … Adam McQuaid and Ryan Murray skated with the scratches in advance of game three, a sign that both may be getting close to a return

Powerful words from #CBJ center Matt Duchene: https://t.co/xJHcdoTxEx pic.twitter.com/R4NlFnf5JK

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) April 15, 2019

The Other Bench

Victor Hedman is “doubtful” for game four, per Lightning head coach Jon Cooper … The Lightning are 31-2-1 when Nikita Kucherov scores this season, and 38-0 when he records two points … Braydon Coburn, Lightning defenseman, was on the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers that overcame an 0-3 deficit in the playoffs … Alex Killorn may not play … Anton Stralman skated Monday, but his availability is in question

Series

Season Series

10/13/2018 CBJ 2 @ TBL 8
01/08/2019 CBJ 0 @ TBL 4
02/18/2019 TBL 5 @ CBJ 1

Playoff Series

04/10/2019 CBJ 4 @ TBL 3
04/12/2019 CBJ 5 @ TBL 1
04/14/2019 TBL 1 @ CBJ 3
04/16/2019 TBL @ CBJ
04/19/2019 CBJ @ TBL (if necessary)
04/21/2019 TBL @ CBJ (if necessary)
04/23/2019 CBJ @ TBL (if necessary)

Stats

Projected Lineups