The Columbus Blue Jackets get their first game of the calendar year tonight with a home battle against the Boston Bruins. Puckdrop is at 7pm EST inside the Nationwide Arena and on NESN and Bally Sports.
Tonight will decide who wins the tiebreaker in the season series as this is the third and final matchup of the season schedule. Columbus won at home in November; Boston won at home in December.
Columbus is up 6-5 in the current goal scoring of the games played.
Boston will be without rookie center Matthew Poitras as he is in Sweden (now was at the time of writing) supporting Team Canada in the World Juniors. Milan Lucic and Derek Forbort remain out. Linus Ullmark is expected to get the start.
With the knee injury to the top defender Zach Werenski, Jake Christiansen has been recalled to help the left side. Jack Roslovic and Damon Severson also returned before the New Year. Spencer Martin is the starter per coach Paz.
Projected Lineups
Boston Bruins
Pavel Zacha—Morgan Geekie—David Pasternak Brad Marchand—Charlie Coyle—Jake DeBrusk Danton Heinen—Georgii Merkulov—Trent Frederic Jakub Lauko—John Beecher—Oskar Steen
Mason Loheri—Charlie McAvoy Hampus Lindholm—Brandon Carlo Parker Wotherspoon—Kevin Shattenkirk
Linus Ullmark Jeremy Swayman
Scratched - James van Riemsdyk Injured - Milan Lucic, Derek Forbort,
Columbus Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau—Adam Fantilli—Justin Danforth Yegor Chinakov—Dmitry Voronkov—Kirill Marchenko Kent Johnson—Cole Sillinger—Emil Bemstrom Alexandre Texier—Brendan Gaunce—Jack Roslovic
Ivan Provorov—Damon Severson Jake Bean—Erik Gudbranson Jake Christiansen—David Jiricek
Spencer Martin Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched — Mathieu Olivier, Andrew Peeke, Daniil Tarasov
Players to Watch
Boston — Pavel Zacha — really found himself in Boston after the previous offseason deal from New Jersey.
Columbus — Jack Roslovic — needs to show his worth and get his playing minutes back. Pending free agent
Predicted Final Score
BOS - 2
CBJ - 1
OT