Game Preview #32 - WELP
The Blue Jackets had their seven game winning streak snapped. They lost Brian Gibbons to injury. Then Boone Jenner. And now, the friggin' Blackhawks and their annoying-ass fans come to town.
Chicago Blackhawks at Columbus Blue Jackets
December 20, 2014 - 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Second City Hockey
OK, this is officially ridiculous beyond all belief. Hockey Gods, our nuts have been thoroughly kicked in at this point. Can you please, please stop it?
I don't even know how to lead into this game. It feels like a loss already, simply because the Jackets announced this morning that Boone Jenner is out "one to two months" with a stress fracture in his back. I mean, come the f**k on. This injury bulls!t is enough already. Not to mention that forward Brian Gibbons is on IR now, as well, and it just feels like a complete punking from the Hockey Gods. At least they haven't poured sugar in the gas tank of the team bus. Yet.
So, yeah. This lineup. Chicago's lineup. The fact that we get our-Corsi'd by an insane margin nightly when we're a healthier team. I'm not, how you say, optimistic. Now please allow me to gather some papers together so that I may throw them into the air while screaming "F**K THIS SH!T" repeatedly.
Columbus has literally one strength as a team: their Power Play. Chicago has the best PK in the league. Welp.
We're back to icing largely an AHL-caliber bottom six. Welp.
The Blackhawks are even hotter than the Jackets, going 9-1-0 in their last 10. Welp.
Their fans suck, and always seem to show up here, especially on weekends. Welp.
Ugh. Just, ugh.
Oh, yeah. Erixon and Morin. I just don't even care at this point. Erixon's probably thankful he got out before rupturing a femur, or whatever dick-kicking injury is next for Columbus.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
(13-15-3, 29 Points; 6th division, 13th conference)
| Nick Foligno | Ryan Johansen | Jeremy Morin |
| Matt Calvert | Brandon Dubinsky | Cam Atkinson |
| Corey Tropp | Alexander Wennberg | Jack Skille |
| Adam Cracknell | Michael Chaput | Jared Boll |
| Fedor Tyutin | Dalton Prout |
| Jack Johnson | David Savard |
| Kevin Connauton | James Wisniewski |
| Sergei Bobrovsky |
| Curtis McElhinney |
Chicago Blackhawks
(22-9-1, 45 Points; 1st Division, 2nd Conference)
| Brandon Saad | Jonathan Toews | Marian Hossa |
| Kris Versteeg | Brad Richards | Patrick Kane |
| Bryan Bickell | Andrew Shaw | Patrick Sharp |
| Daniel Carcillo | Marcus Kruger | Ben Smith |
| Duncan Keith | Brent Seabrook |
| Niklas Hjalmarsson | Michal Rozsival |
| Tim Erixon | Johnny Oduya |
| Corey Crawford |
| Antti Raanta |
Season Series
12/20/14 - Chicago at Columbus
03/27/15 - Columbus at Chicago
Head to Head Stats
| Chicago | Columbus | |
| 3.00 (5) | GPG | 2.36 (24) |
| 2.00 (2) | GAPG | 3.19 (28) |
| 18.0% (16) | PP% | 23.5% (6) |
| 91.2% (1) | PK% | 78.4% (24) |
| Patrick Kane, 15 | G leader | Nick Foligno, 16 |
| Patrick Kane, 17 | A leader | Ryan Johansen, 19 |
| Patrick Kane, 32 | Pts leader | Nick Foligno, 30 |
| Andrew Shaw, 28 | PIM leader | Jared Boll, 49 |
| 11-6-0 | Road/Home | 6-8-2 |
| 9-1-0 | Last 10 | 7-2-1 |
| 12/16 vs. Minnesota, W 5-3 | Last Game | 12/18 vs. Washington, L 5-4 (OT) |