The Blue Jackets are in the beginning of their preseason series of games: having played last night against Pittsburgh (3-0 W); tonight against the Buffalo Sabres; and tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues.
Starting with last night, the Blue Jackets came out on top blanking the Pittsburgh Penguins in their building by the final score of 3-0. All four goalies played in last night’s contest, meaning Columbus scored once on Lindberg and once on Jarry, while scoring additionally on the empty net; JF Berube and Jet Graves stopped everything.
The Columbus goals came from rookie Yegor Chinakov, who was the player to watch for Columbus; defender Adam Boqvist in his first game as a Blue Jacket; and center Emil Bemstrom.
CBJ Three Stars of the Game
1. Yegor Chinakov — GWG (1) 2. Jean-Francois Berube — Shutout (1.00 SV%) 3. Adam Boqvist — goal (1)
V Buffalo Sabres
Game two begins at 7 o’clock at Nationwide Arena between the Union Blue and the Bluest of blue teams in the NHL in the Sabres. Things never seem to work out well for this ownership group.
Their top star, center man Jack Eichel, failed his physical due to a lingering neck injury, and Terry and Kim Pegula will not let their franchise player get the surgery he wants to better his status and career in the sport. They let their star goalie in Linus Ullmark walk, and deal other core prices in Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristalonen for future pieces. They also let other pieces go, and had to load up on their kids off entry level contracts just to make it to the minimum salary cap floor for the 2021-2022 regular season.
Here is the key additions and subtractions to the Buffalo Sabres this offseason
Additions:
- G Craig Anderson - G Aaron Dell - RD Mark Pysyk - RW Vinnie Hinistroza - C John Hayden - C Ryan MacInnis - LD Ethan Prow - LD Robert Hagg - G Devon Levi - LD Will Butcher
Subtractions
- C Sam Reinhart (Florida) - RD Rasmus Ristalonen (Philadelphia) - G Linus Ullmark (Boston) - G Carter Hutton (Arizona) - RD Will Borgen (Seattle) - LD Jake McCabe (Chicago) - LD Matt Irwin (Washington) - LW Tobias Reider (Anahiem) - C Riley Sheahan (Seattle) - RD Casey Nelson (retired)
Tryouts
- C Mason Jobst - LW Michael Mersch
Lineups for tonight’s game :
Buffalo Sabres: Per Sabres.com’s Jourdon LaBarberJJ Peterka - Dylan Cozens - Jack Quinn Anders Bjork - Zemgus Girgensons - Vinnie Hinostroza Brett Murray - Arttu Ruotsalainen - John Hayden Linus Weissbach - Ryan MacInnis - Michael Mersch
Jacob Bryson - Oskari Laaksonen Will Butcher - Ethan Prow Brandon Davidson - Casey Fitzgerald
Aaron Dell Dustin Tokarski
Projected Blue Jackets Roster: per NHL.comTyler Angle - Jack Roslovic - Oliver Bjorkstrand Eric Robinson - Sean Kuraly - Carson Meyer James Malatesta - Peter Reynolds - Kevin Stenlund Tyler Sikura - Cole Fonstad - Zach Jordan
Vladisalv Gavrikov - Jake Bean Gavin Bayreuther - Andrew Peeke Tim Berni - Cole Clayton
Elvis Merzlikins Jet Greaves
More regulars are playing tonight at home, and it will be a homecoming for center Sean Kuraly, who will play his first game in his hometown tonight — being the player to watch for tonight’s matchup. For Buffalo, watch for Dylan Cozens, as he has major upside and potential with the big club. Cozens can skate and use his size to his advantage. Being 19 turning 20 and having a season under his belt, expect more from the big kid.
Thoughts on tonight’s contest?
Puck drops soon..