Game Preview #51 - Encore, Encore!
As both teams head into the All Star Break, can the Jackets deliver a repeat performance against the Habs?
Blue Jackets at Canadiens - 7:30 PM
Game Faceoff
The Jackets can enter the All Star Break on a high note, despite still being in 30th place in a league of 30 teams. Winning two straight in two nights against a Montreal team that has had their number of late--and that is fighting for its playoff life--would certainly be a nice boost ahead of six days off. It would also put them back at hockey .500 since their 0-8-0 start (19-19-5).
Sometimes I look at a team like Montreal and I think: they should give Carey Price the MVP simply because of how completely disappointing his team has been without him. In 12 games this season? 10-2-0 for the Habs. Without him? 14-19-4.
There's no reason to think the Jackets will make sweeping changes to their lineup, considering they scored five last night and only gave up two: a bounce off a skate on a 5-on-3 PK, and a shot from center ice that caught goaltender Joonas Korpisalo admittedly napping. We don't have word on who will start in net, but one wonders if it might again be Korpisalo given his play last night and the pending long layoff. I feel like he's earned it.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
(18-27-5, 41 Points; 8th division, 16th conference)
| Scott Hartnell | Alexander Wennberg | Brandon Saad |
| Boone Jenner | Brandon Dubinsky | Cam Atkinson |
| Kerby Rychel | William Karlsson | Nick Foligno |
| Matt Calvert | Gregory Campbell | Rene Bourque |
| Ryan Murray | Seth Jones |
| Jack Johnson | Justin Falk |
| Fedor Tyutin | Dalton Prout |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Anton Forsberg |
Montreal Canadiens
(24-21-4, 52 Points; 5th Division, 10th Conference)
| Max Pacioretty | Tomas Plekanec | Brendan Gallagher |
| Alex Galchenyuk | David Desharnais | Dale Weise |
| Tomas Fleischmann | Lars Eller | Jacob de la Rose |
| Brian Flynn | Torrey Mitchell | Devante Smith-Pelly |
| Andrei Markov | P.K. Subban |
| Alexei Emelin | Jeff Petry |
| Nathan Beaulieu | Mark Barberio |
| Ben Scrivens |
| Mike Condon |