The Jackets get another piece back, as Nikita Nikitin is off the IR list and should be in tonight’s game. It looks like they’ll still be without James Wisniewski, and Curtis Sanford and Jared Boll are on IR at the moment. But still… another solid piece to the blue line is coming back.
The Sharks are scuffling a bit, losers of four of five on this nine-game road trip (1-3-1); tonight is game #6 for them. They have a smoking hot Phoenix club nipping at their heels, so expect them to come out revved up tonight looking for a slump-buster, which, sadly, the Jackets kinda are.
If the Jackets can channel more of Sunday night’s–and last week’s–magic, as opposed to Saturday’s anti-magic, they’ve got a puncher’s chance. If they play like they did the last time these clubs met–a 6-0 spanking coming out of the All-Star Break–well, then I’d say it’s early to bed for us in Blue Jackets Nation.
Enjoy the game!