Well, folks, only a few more of these games that we can’t watch on TV (this one’s on CD 102.5, though), and this one is going to be interesting. On paper, the lineups appear pretty lopsided (hey, it’s pre-season, who wants to travel from Minnesota?). The Jackets have several regulars in the lineup tonight, including six guys on defense that could be playing opening night playing in front of Sergei Bobrovsky.
Up front, the Jackets have several regulars out there as well, and we’ll again see Boone Jenner. I presume he’ll be on a line again with Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik (let’s see what the can keep doing). The only glaring omissions from the forward corps are Ryan Johansen, R.J. Umberger, Ryan Johansen, and the ailing Matt Calvert. Otherwise, there’s going to be a lot to like tonight.
The Wild are icing a pretty weak lineup, with their main stars ALL absent from this one. To me, the way the Jackets have been playing, if they don’t completely dominate this game I’ll be a tiny bit disappointed.