Match-up - Columbus Blue Jackets (7-15-2) @ Florida Panthers (10-7-6) Road/Home records - 3-7-1 -------------- 5-4-1 TV - FS-F, FS-O Puck drop - 7:30 p.m. ET Season series - 1-0 Jackets Last 10 - Blue Jackets: 3-6-1 ------------ Panthers: 5-3-2 Projected starting goalies - Sergei Bobrovsky vs Roberto Luongo
Projected lines for the Panthers via DailyFaceoff.com:
Jonathan Huberdeau - Nick Bjugstad - Tomas Fleischmann Sean Bergenheim - Jussi Jokinen - Brad Boyes Brandon Pirri - Vincent Trocheck - Jimmy Hayes Tomas Kopecky - Derek MacKenzie - Shawn Thornton
Brian Campbell - Aaron Ekblad Willie Mitchell - Dmitry Kulikov Dylan Olsen - Erik Gudbranson
Injured: Dave Bolland, Aleksander Barkov, Scottie Upshall.
Projected lines for the Blue Jackets:
*questionable
Scott Hartnell - Ryan Johansen - Nick Foligno Kerby Rychel - Boone Jenner - Cam Atkinson Matt Calvert - Michael Chaput - Jack Skille Brian Gibbons - Adam Cracknell - Jared Boll
Jack Johnson - Dalton Prout Kevin Connauton - James Wisniewski Jordan Leopold - David Savard
Injured: Brandon Dubinsky*, Artem Anisimov, Nathan Horton, Mark Letestu, Ryan Murray, Fedor Tyutin, Cody Goloubef.
Game notes:
- Ryan Johansen is still averaging over a point per game and has a great season to date, but he's slowed down significantly of late and is a guy the Jackets will need to step up if they want to go anywhere. He has five points in his last eight games, and only has points in three of those eight contests. He needs to find that consistency he had earlier in the season.
- A quick start is once again key for the Jackets. They can't afford to spot Florida a goal or two, as they have struggled to erase even the smallest of deficits all season long. As a team haven't exactly been lighting the league on fire, and that probably won't change until they get some more bodies back.
- Kerby Rychel has played well in his first two games, but is only averaging 11 minutes of ice per game. If he continues to play as he has and can avoid any bad penalties I expect that number to increase.
- The Jackets will have to stay in the shooting lanes and make sure they cover their points tonight, because if they don't Aaron Ekblad will make them pay. He has a very hard, accurate shot and does a great job of getting pucks through traffic.
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