The Anaheim Ducks pay a visit to the Metropolitan leading Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. It's the first game of a grueling back-to-back situation with Anaheim heading to Nashville for a tilt on Saturday.
Hopefully the additions of Adam Henrique and Joseph Blandisi can provide a bit of a spark heading towards puck drop. On Thursday, Anaheim pulled off a blockbuster deal, sending Sami Vatanen to the Garden State in exchange for popular vet Henrique and the speedy youngster Blandisi.
Henrique will instantly help stabilize Anaheim up the middle. He's not the fastest guy on the ice but he's a smart hockey player, that can play both ends of the ice. Making his debut against Columbus won't hurt either. In 18 game vs. the Jackets, Henrique has 7 goals and 5 assists.
New blood or not, Anaheim has their work cut out for them. They managed to take out the big bad Blues a couple nights ago. The Ducks cannot afford to take a shift off tonight. The schedule doesn't get any easier from here either and the Jackets will test Anaheim's mettle.
Columbus is currently in first place in the Metro with 33 points and they are white hot right now. John Tortorella's team is riding a season-high six-game win streak and have won seven of their past eight games.
Anaheim is just trying to survive. Despite the additions on Henrique and Blandisi, they are still without much of their productive core, including Rickard Rackell, Ryan Kesler and captain Ryan Getzlaf. The good news is that both Kesler and Getzlaf and expected back soon. That won't help tonight though.
This game is another opportunity for the Ducks to prove all the doubters wrong. Anaheim proved they can beat anybody if they play their game - physical, punishing and opportunistic. Do they have another A+ effort in the, again?
What to watch for tonight:
- This is the first of two games this season. The Blue Jackets visit Anaheim in early March. Columbus won both games last season (1-0-1).
- Is anybody healthy? Brandon Montour is dealing with a sore elbow and Jacob Silvferberg is a game time decision for Anaheim. It's a never ending revolving door.
- Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start against the Ducks. HE won eight games of 12 games in November and hasn't allowed more than two goals in eight consecutive games.
- John Gibson was brilliant against St. Louis will get the nod again tonight.
- Henrique is expected the center the top line between Nick Ritchie and Corey Perry. Blandisi will see time of the fourth line.
- Chris Wagner and Antoine Vermette have been hot lately. Vermette scored two goals vs. the Blues and Wagner has four points (2g 2a) in two games.
- The Ducks have a 41% win probability (per Hockey-Reference) for this game. Let's prove them wrong again.
- The Ducks need to keep winning to keep pace in the Pacific. They trail Calgary by three points for third in the division. Both teams have played 25 games thus far. San Jose leads Anaheim by two points, but have two games in hand.
Thanks for readings, Steve