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Game Preview #54 – Put A Body On Gaudreau

Blue Jackets at Flames
9:00 PM –
Game Faceoff

First and foremost, we don’t know much about the lineup tonight, other than Calgary starting Karri Ramo in net. The Jackets, fresh off an OT/SO game, will again go back to back. Originally I would have predicted Anton Forsberg in net, but with the praise heaped onto Joonas Korpisalo by John Tortorella after the game last night, I won’t be surprised to see him in net.

This game has Severe Tank ImplicationsTM, given that the Flames are a mere two points ahead of the Jackets. After the Jackets really took the tank to a new level against Edmonton the other night, we’ll have to see what we get.

Last time we saw the Flames, their young speed and skill was destructive in the form of Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennet. I still don’t know how Gaudreau scored his goal from the low circle, it was that slick. Tired legs for the Jackets, which combined with their already suspect speed does not bode especially well, I would say.

Personally, I would be happy with three points from this three-game swing. As far as I can tell from memory and not actually looking at the schedule, this is the last game they will play this season later than 8:00 PM, which I am all for. After tonight, they have played the following teams on the road: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Arizona, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Colorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Minnesota, and Chicago. Who’s left that’s not in the EST time zone? Nashville? Is that it? Me likey.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(20-28-5, 45 Points; 8th division, 16th conference)

Boone Jenner Brandon Dubinsky Cam Atkinson
Brandon Saad Alexander Wennberg Nick Foligno
Scott Hartnell William Karlsson Matt Calvert
Kerby Rychel Gregory Campbell Rene Bourque

Ryan Murray Seth Jones
Jack Johnson Cody Goloubef
Fedor Tyutin Dalton Prout

Joonas Korpisalo
Anton Forsberg

Calgary Flames
(22-24-3, 47 Points; 6th Division, 12th Conference)

Johnny Gaudreau Sean Monahan Jiri Hudler
Sam Bennett Mikael Backlund Michael Frolik
Michael Ferland Matt Stajan David Jones
Lance Bouma Joe Colborne Josh Jooris

Mark Giordano TJ Brodie
Kris Russell Dougie Hamilton
Ladislav Smid Deryk Engelland

Karri Ramo
Jonas Hiller