Tuesday, March 10, 2026 – 7:00 PM ET
Benchmark International Arena – Tampa, Florida
TV: FDSNOH; Radio: 97.1 FM
Columbus Blue Jackets (32-21-10, 74 points, 4th Metro, 9th East)
at
Tampa Bay Lightning (39-19-4, 82 points, 2nd Atlantic, 3rd East)
Previously
The good news is that Conor Garland scored twice, and the Jackets earned a point. The bad news is that they apparently have forgotten how to play in overtime.
An alarming trend: despite recording three shutouts in the last seven games before the Olympic break, in the seven games after the break, the Jackets have allowed at least four goals in five of those games. There’s been some regression from both Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves, but the bigger issue is the defensive breakdowns in front of them. Rick Bowness needs to clean that up, and fast.
Notes
Erik Gudbranson is not traveling with the team, after suffering an upper body injury in yesterday’s game.
Tampa is on a bit of a skid themselves, having dropped five of seven since the break.
Stats
| Tampa Bay | Columbus | |
| 3.53 (4) | GPG | 3.16 (16) |
| 2.74 (3) | GAPG | 3.21 (23) |
| 22.2 (13) | PP% | 19.7 (18) |
| 82.0 (6) | PK% | 77.6 (23) |
| 53.0 (3) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 50.7 (12) |
| 52.8 (5) | 5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt % | 50.2 (14) |
| 11.1 (2) | 5v5 Shooting % | 9.5 (15) |
| 91.2 (10) | 5v5 Save % | 90.9 (14) |
| Nikita Kucherov (34) | G Leader | Kirill Marchenko (23) |
| Nikita Kucherov (69) | A Leader | Zach Werenski (46) |
| Nikita Kucherov (103) | P Leader | Zach Werenski (65) |
| Curtis Douglas (92) | PIM Leader | Mathieu Olivier (89) |
| 19-10-0 | Home/Road | 15-13-3 |
| 5-5-0 | Last 10 | 6-1-3 |
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Mason Marchment | Adam Fantilli | Kirill Marchenko |
| Kent Johnson | Sean Monahan | Conor Garland |
| Cole Sillinger | Charlie Coyle | Mathieu Olivier |
| Isac Lundestrom | Boone Jenner | Miles Wood |
| Zach Werenski | Damon Severson |
| Ivan Provorov | Denton Mateychuk |
| Egor Zamula | Dante Fabbro |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Jet Greaves |
Tampa Bay Lightning
| Jake Guentzel | Brayden Point | Oliver Bjorkstrand |
| Brandon Hagel | Anthony Cirelli | Nikita Kucherov |
| Pontus Holmberg | Yanni Gourde | Zemgus Girgensons |
| Scott Sabourin | Conor Geekie | Corey Perry |
| J.J. Moser | Darren Raddysh |
| Victor Hedman | Erik Cernak |
| Ryan McDonagh | Charle-Edouard D’Astous |
| Andrei Vasilevskiy |
| Jonas Johansson |