Columbus Blue Jackets at Pittsburgh Penguins
Thursday, December 2, 2017 – 7:00 EST
PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
TV: Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Pensburgh
Columbus Blue Jackets, 21-13-1, 43 points, 3rd Metro, 4th East
@
Pittsburgh Penguins, 17-15-3, 37 points, 6th Metro, 9th East
Season Series
12/21/17 CBJ @ PIT
12/27/17 CBJ @ PIT
2/18/18 PIT @ CBJ
4/5/18 PIT @ CBJ
Stats Preview
Probable Lineups
| Pittsburgh | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 2.89 (16) | GPG | 2.76 (22) |
| 3.17 (22) | GAPG | 2.63 (6) |
| 24.2% (4) | PP% | 10.20% (31) |
| 80.8% (17) | PK% | 82.4% (12) |
| 51.79% (9) | EV Corsi % | 51.97% (8) |
| 95.8 (31) | EV PDO | 99.8(18) |
| Phil Kessel, 15 | G Leader | Josh Anderson, 13 |
| Phil Kessel, 23 | A Leader | Artemi Panarin, 21 |
| Phil Kessel, 38 | P Leader | Artemi Panarin, 28 |
| Ryan Reaves, 75 | PIM Leader | Nick Foligno, 23 |
| 10-5-1 | Home / Road | 8-7-1 |
| 5-5-0 | Last 10 | 5-5-0 |
| Artemi Panarin | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Josh Anderson |
| Oliver Bjorkstrand | Alexander Wennberg | Cam Atkinson |
| Sonny Milano | Nick Foligno | Boone Jenner |
| Matt Calvert | Lukas Sedlak | Markus Hannikainen |
| Markus Nutivaara | Seth Jones |
| Jack Johnson | David Savard |
| Scott Harrington | Gabriel Carlsson |
| Sergei Bobrovsky |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Jake Guentzel | Sidney Crosby | Phil Kessel |
| Carl Hagelin | Evgeni Malkin | Patric Hornqvist |
| Conor Sheary | Riley Sheahan | Bryan Rust |
| Tom Kuhnhackl | Carter Rowney | Ryan Reaves |
| Brian Dumoulin | Kris Letang |
| Olli Maata | Chad Ruhwedel |
| Matt Hunwick | Jamie Oleksiak |
| Matt Murray |
| Tristan Jarry |
Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets needed a response after getting demolished by the Boston Bruins and last night they found one, taking down the number two team in the Atlantic Division when they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 4-2. Joonas Korpisalo played well, the defense stepped up in the absence of Zach Werenski, and Alexander Wennberg continued his four game (!) point streak by notching another goal.
Tonight, the Blue Jackets travel to Pittsburgh to take on the two time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. The Penguins might be having an uneven season, but they are still dangerous and, in case anyone forgot, knocked the Blue Jackets out last spring. This team needs no introduction.
The Blue Jackets can put some more distance between themselves and their divisional competitor with a win tonight. No matter how uneven the Blue Jackets have been, this is a game the team is consistently up for, especially in hostile territory. Without Brandon Dubinsky in the lineup, expect to see Nick Foligno draw a significant amount of time playing against Crosby, but it will take a team effort to shut down one of the best players in the world.
Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net. Go Jackets.