Columbus Blue Jackets (22-41-7, 51 pts) at
Vancouver Canucks (42-20-8, 92 pts)
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
Saturday, March 17, 2012 – 10:00 PM EDT
Flip over from the NCAA tournament for a bit, won’t you? The Jackets finish their slate of 10:00 PM start times for the season (mercifully) in Vancouver tonight, taking on a powerhouse Canucks team badly in need of a win. For Columbus, Derek Dorsett will be back in the lineup, as will Steve Mason. Also of note, the Jackets get to face former teammate Samuel Pahlsson, who will be centering the third line for the Canucks.
I find it interesting that it appears that Ryan Johansen will be center the Jackets’ third line tonight. Does this mean that he’s going to face the Sedins? That’s a tough matchup for a guy who hasn’t gotten to play a ton, and who hasn’t played hardly ANY of his natural center all season. It will be interesting to see how Todd Richards juggles the lineup, and/or how often that line (should be Colton Gillies and Dorsett on his wings) sees the ice overall.
All I can say is, enjoy a nice Guinness as you watch the Jackets play some late-night St. Patty’s hockey!