Game Preview #79 – One More For the Road

Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Rangers

April 6, 2015 – 7:00 pm EDT
Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
Radio – WBNS 97.1 FM – TV – Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent’s Blog: Blueshirt Banter

The bittersweet run to glory continues, as the Blue Jackets assured themselves of an “NHL .500” record with Saturday’s win (i.e., at least one point per game for the season). In addition, Rick Nash would NOT be the leading scorer on the Jackets right now. Let that sink in for a minute.

In roster news, looks like the same forwards from the “no Boll” suspension times is back again, and this makes me happy. However, Fedor Tyutin is a game-time decision, as he missed the morning skate. If he can’t go, Justin Falk will draw in with Dalton Prout, which… gulp.

These Rangers have really taken off since early December. After a loss to Detroit to go 11-10-4, they’ve gone 39-11-7 since. That’s just insane. They geared up at the trading deadline, and are on track to claim the top spot in the East. They’re clearly going for it now, as they have mortgaged their future to try to win right now.

Columbus seems to match up well with them regardless, as all three games have been mostly close. Suffice it to say that they haven’t played with both teams at the top of their game, and that should be tonight. It will be a nice measuring stick to see how this Columbus squad finally firing on all cylinders matches up with the class of the East.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(39-35-4, 82 Points; 5th division, 11th conference)

New York Rangers
(50-21-7, 107 Points; 1st Division, 1st Conference)

Season Series

NYR – 2-1-0
CBJ – 1-1-1

10/11/14 – New York 2 at Columbus 5
01/16/15 – New York 2 at Columbus 1
02/22/15 – Columbus 3 at New York 4 (SO)
04/06/15 – Columbus at New York

Head to Head Stats