As we travel to the desert, let’s hope our goal scoring doesn’t dry up
Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 8:00 PM EST Gila River Arena, Glendale, AZ TV: Fox Sports Ohio and NHL.TV’s Free Game of the Week; Radio: 97.1 FM Opponent’s Blog: Five for Howling
Your above-average Columbus Blue Jackets, 13-5-4, 30 points, 3rd Metro, 4th East
vs.
Arizona Coyotes, 8-11-3, 19 points, 7th Pacific, 14th West
Keys to the Game:
Arizona is...not good this season. Columbus is...maybe actually good?? After facing the toughest schedule in the league over the first two months, the Jackets face an easier stretch. That includes tonight’s game. Beating Colorado proved tricky but hopefully they have an easier time tonight.
Secondary scoring: can we end some droughts tonight? I’d like to see Lukas Sedlak get that elusive first NHL goal. Wouldn’t mind seeing Boone Jenner gain some momentum after that game winning goal on Thursday. And how about the blue line? Werenski and Jones account for 80% of the Columbus defenseman goals this season. How about Johnson or Murray getting their first?
Roster news: Matty Hustle is back! Matt Calvert has been activated off the IR after missing the last 5 games with an upper body injury. Hopefully he’s good to go tonight. /
STATS
Arizona
Columbus
2.36 (22)
GPG
3.18 (2)
3.14 (28)
GAPG
2.23 (5)
13.6% (27)
PP%
25.9% (1)
80.6% (22)
PK%
82.8% (17)
45.10% (30)
EV CF%
50.03% (14)
99.6 (17)
EV PDO
101.9 (5)
Radim Vrbata, 7
G Leader
Nick Foligno, 9
Max Domi, 11
A Leader
Alexander Wennberg, 15
Radim Vrbata, 16
P Leader
Cam Atkinson, 21
Ryan White, 37
PIM Leader
Nick Foligno, 29
5-5-0
Home / Road
5-2-3
3-4-3
Last 10
7-1-2
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Brandon Saad
Alexander Wennberg
Nick Foligno
Boone Jenner
Brandon Dubinsky
Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell
William Karlsson
Josh Anderson
Matt Calvert
Lukas Sedlak
Sam Gagner
Zach Werenski
Seth Jones
Jack Johnson
David Savard
Ryan Murray
Markus Nutivaara
Sergei Bobrovsky
Curtis McElhinney
Max Domi
Martin Hanzal
Radim Vrbata
Tobias Reider
Jordan Martinook
Methuseleh...I mean Shane Doan
Anthony Duclair
Christian Dvorak
Jamie McGinn
Lawson Crouse
Laurent Dauphin
Ryan White
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Columbus native Connor Murphy
Alex Goligoski
Michael Stone
Jakob Chychrun
Luke Schenn
Mike Smith
Louis Domingue
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