Game Preview #57 - Can We Finally Beat These Guys?
I mean, for real.
Blue Jackets vs. Senators
7:00 PM - Game Faceoff
So, here we are. The CBJ now have points in seven of eight games (5-1-2), and have climbed out of the cellar. Furthermore, if you remember my comment from yesterday morning, we are now sitting at 9-5-3 post-coffee-cup (I drank out of it again this morning, FWIW).
The Senators have put two beat-downs (at least on the scoreboard) on Columbus this year, to the tune of 10-3 aggregate. Not good times. They're not really close to a playoff spot, but they're not really *not* close, either. Draft pick be damned (I don't think we're catching Toronto, folks; their tank is on another level), I'd like to lay a beating on the Sens tonight.
There, I finally said it.
Speaking of "I said its", back in the last Sens' preview I traced back to that first Sens game as the official "alarm bells are ringing loudly" moment of the season for me. That was when we officially knew that this team was basically curled up in a fetal position that first few weeks of the season. A lot has happened since then, and hopefully the Jackets can do right by the fans tonight.
David Savard returns, at the expense of Cody Goloubef. For his part, Tortorella said that it wasn't anything to do with Goloubef's play, but that he wanted Savard back in there and he liked what Fedor Tyutin and Dalton Prout did the past couple of games. So, take from that what you will.
Joonas Korpisalo continues his run in net. Hard to argue with what he's done with his first NHL chance.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
(22-28-6, 50 Points; 8th division, 15th conference)
| Boone Jenner | Brandon Dubinsky | Cam Atkinson |
| Scott Hartnell | Alexander Wennberg | Brandon Saad |
| Matt Calvert | William Karlsson | Nick Foligno |
| Rene Bourque | Gregory Campbell | Kerby Rychel |
| Ryan Murray | Seth Jones |
| Jack Johnson | David Savard |
| Fedor Tyutin | Dalton Prout |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Anton Forsberg |
Ottawa Senators
(25-25-6, 56 Points; 6th Division, 13th Conference)
| Zack Smith | Jean-Gabriel Pageau | Mark Stone |
| Mike Hoffman | Kyle Turris | Alex Chiasson |
| Shane Prince | Mika Zibanejad | Bobby Ryan |
| Ryan Dzingel | Curtis Lazar | Chris Neil |
| Marc Methot | Erik Karlsson |
| Dion Phaneuf | Cody Ceci |
| Mark Borowiecki | Chris Wideman |
| Craig Anderson |
| Andrew Hammond |