x

Already member? Login first!

Comments / New

Preview: Welcome Home

Tuesday, March 6, 2018 – 7:00 EST
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox Sports Ohio; Radio: 97.1 WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Knights on Ice

It’s homecoming time for the Columbus Blue Jackets. After salvaging two points in the final game of their three-game California road trip, they now get four straight games in the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena. The toughest of those opponents come first, with the visiting Vegas Golden Knights.

You may remember the Knights from such games as running over the Jackets 6-3 back in January. They remain the feel-good story of the NHL season, but they did recently suffer a three-game losing skid, including a home-and-home sweep to the Kings and a loss to the Senators. They bounced back, however, with a win at New Jersey on Sunday. Newly acquired Tomas Tatar scored the game-winner.

Side note: be sure to check out the first comment in that game recap, from a salty Devils fan. HE MAD.

The keys for Columbus will be continuing to ride their hot hands, namely the wing duos of Artemi Panarin/Cam Atkinson and Sonny Milano/BJORKSTRAND. They’ll have to keep pace if this game becomes a shootout.

Making things more difficult is the absence of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who is sick. Joonas Korpisalo will start in net, and Jeff Zatkoff has been recalled on an emergency basis to back him up.

Projected Lineups

Artemi Panarin Pierre-Luc Dubois Cam Atkinson
Sonny Milano Nick Foligno Oliver BJORKSTRAND
Boone Jenner Alexander Wennberg Thomas Vanek
Matt Calvert Brandon Dubinsky Mark Letestu
Zach Werenski Seth Jones
Jack Johnson Ryan Murray
Ian Cole David Savard
Joonas Korpisalo
Jeff Zatkoff
Reilly Smith William Karlsson Jonathan Marchessault
Tomas Hyka Erik Haula David Perron
Tomas Tatar Cody Eakin Alex Tuch
Tomas Nosek Ryan Carpenter Ryan Reaves
Brayden McNabb Colin Miller
Shea Theodore Deryk Engelland
Brad Hunt Jon Merrill
Marc-Andre Fleury
Maxim Lagace