Match-up - Columbus Blue Jackets (4-8-0) @ Carolina Hurricanes (3-6-2) Road/Home records - 2-4-0 -------------- 2-1-1 TV - FS-CR, FSO Puck drop - 7:00 p.m. ET Season series - 1-0 Hurricanes Last 10 - Blue Jackets: 2-8-0 ------------ Hurricanes: 3-5-2 Projected starting goalies - Curtis McElhinney vs Cam Ward
Projected lines for the Hurricanes via DailyFaceoff.com:
Jiri Tlusty - Eric Staal - Alex Semin Nathan Gerbe - Riley Nash - Elias Lindholm Jeff Skinner - Jay McClemment - Pat Dwyer Chris Terry - Victor Rask - Zach Boychuk
Andrej Sekera - Justin Faulk Tim Gleason - Jay Harrison Ron Hainsey - Brett Bellemore
Injured: Jordan Staal.
Projected lines for the Blue Jackets:
Scott Hartnell - Ryan Johansen - Cam Atkinson Brian Gibbons - Nick Foligno - Jack Skille Matt Calvert - Alex Wennberg - Boone Jenner Marko Dano - Michael Chaput - Jared Boll
Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prout Tim Erixon - James Wisniewski David Savard - Frederic St. Denis
Game notes:
- Despite all the injuries the Blue Jackets are still averaging a respectable 2.5 goals per game, in large part due to Ryan Johansen. After missing all of training camp, he's taken the league by storm this year recording points in 11 of 12 games to open the season. Columbus needs to start winning games and they're still missing a ton of bodies so he'll need to continue to produce.
- James Wisniewski has been the best possession player on the team at even-strength this season, and for my money he and Erixon have been the team's best pairing. With no Jack Johnson, Ryan Murray and, to a much lesser extent, Cody Goloubef, they figure to play a lot tonight.
- In four appearances this year Curtis McElhinney has a 4.07 goals against average and .877SV%. He needs to be much better if the Jackets want to stay afloat while they wait for Sergei Bobrovsky's return.
- After a hot start to the year Cam Atkinson has really cooled off of late. He has just two points in his last seven games, though he has been shooting a lot so this slump probably won't last too long.
- Cam Ward has an .886SV% through seven starts with the Hurricanes this season. It's not exactly an all-star team playing in front of him, but he's nowhere near the goalie he once was. The Jackets need to put as many pucks as they can on net. Their lineup may be depleted of skill, but if they stick to the fundamentals and get bodies to the net they should be able to pot a few.
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