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Tuesday, September 23, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT
Nationwide Arena – Columbus, Ohio
TV: BlueJackets.com; Radio: 97.1 FM
Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0-1)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (1-2-0)
Previously
The Jackets put up a good fight in Buffalo despite being severely outmatched. They lost 2-1, with a goal from Miles Wood.
Players that stood out:
Stanislav Svozil: He led the team in both CF% and xGF% at 5v5. He was often seen “roving”, or joining the rush up ice.
Miles Wood: First (unofficial) goal as a Blue Jacket. Here’s hoping he can find his old form in Columbus.
Luca Del Bel Belluz: He led the team in shot attempts and trailed only Miles Wood in scoring chances. He was 43% at the dot against a mostly NHL Buffalo roster.
Ivan Fedotov: The 6’7″ goalie saved 24 of 25 shots in two periods of play. That is especially notable considering Buffalo dominated possession and had 51 shot attempts during the same time.
Rosters
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Unsurprisingly, the Penguins are bringing a mostly AHL/prospect roster to Columbus. Given that the Pittsburgh organization is not known for its vast pool of young players, it could be a rough night for them.
Players to Watch
The story tonight is that prospects Luca Pinelli, James Malatesta, Mikael Pyyhtia, Hunter McKown, and Daemon Hunt are getting a chance to play with what’s nearly the full NHL squad. While not all of them are on an even playing field in terms of what it’ll take for them to force their way onto the roster, they are all firmly in the “have a shot at an NHL career” category.
Luca Pinelli: The prospect in this game with the highest ceiling.
Charlie Coyle: Columbus’s newest center will play his first unofficial game in a Blue Jackets sweater.