Blue Jackets try to shake 0-2 start; visits Detroit today at 12 noon

JAN. 18, 2021 II at DETROIT RED WINGS II LITTLE CAESARS ARENA II 12 PM ET

CBJ BROADCAST INFORMATION

TV:  NBCSN                    Kenny Albert (play-by-play), Pierre McGuire (color analyst)             

Radio:  97.1 The Fan    Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (0-2-0, 0 pts.) 

2019-20 Record:  33-22-15, 81 pts. (5th, Metropolitan Division)

2020 Playoffs:  Beat Toronto, 3-2 (ECQR)… Lost to Tampa Bay, 4-1 (ECQF)

Goals:  2.57 Goals-For/2.61 Goals-Against… Shots:  32.5 Shots-For/29.9 Shots-Against

Power Play:  16.4 percent (27th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  81.7 percent (12th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.4 PIM (17th-T, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  8-11-4 (0-4)

DETROIT RED WINGS (1-1-0, 2 pts.)

2019-20 Record:  35-26-8, 78 pts. (8th, Atlantic Division)

2020 Playoffs:  Did Not Qualify

Goals:  2.00 Goals-For/3.73 Goals-Against… Shots:  27.1 Shots-For/32.8 Shots-Against

Power Play:  14.9 percent (29th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  74.3 percent (31st, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  9.0 PIM (22nd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-3-2 (3-2)

Players to Watch:  C Dylan Larkin (Club’s top scorer past three seasons); LW Tyler Bertuzzi (Has back-to-back 21-goal seasons)

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 39-43-1-12 in 95 regular season games vs. the Red Wings, including a 17-24-0-5 mark on the road… Of Note: The clubs competed as Central Division rivals over 12 seasons from 2000-13… Columbus has gone 21-4-2 since Mar. 17, 2011, including an 11-1-0 mark since the start of the 2016-17 season… The Blue Jackets have gone 8-0-1 in their last nine visits to Detroit (last regulation loss was 2-1 on Oct. 15, 2013)… Columbus has won four-straight in the series since a 5-3 Red Wings win in Columbus on Oct. 30, 2018… Goals:  CBJ – 226, DET – 285… CBJ PP:  55-of-408 (13.5 pct.)…CBJ PK:  314-of-388 (80.9 pct.).

This Season (CBJ, 0-0-0)

Jan. 18 – at Detroit… Jan. 19 – at Detroit

Mar. 2 – at COLUMBUS

Mar. 27 – at Detroit… Mar. 28 – at Detroit

Apr. 27 – at COLUMBUS

May 7 – at COLUMBUS… May 8 – at COLUMBUS

2019-20 Results (CBJ, 3-0-0)

Nov. 21, 2019 – at Columbus 5, Detroit 4

Dec. 17, 2019 – Columbus 5, at Detroit 3

Feb. 7, 2020 – at Columbus 2, Detroit 1

CBJ TEAM NOTES

  • The Blue Jackets are celebrating their 20th season as a member of the NHL in 2020-21.
  • The Blue Jackets opened the season with a pair of losses at Nashville, 3-1 on Jan. 14 and 5-2 on Jan. 16.
  • Tonight’s game is the third of four consecutive road games to open the season for Columbus (at Detroit on Tuesday).
  • This season marks the second time in club history the Jackets have opened a campaign with multiple road games (2008-09:  two games – 5-4 OT win at Dallas and a 3-1 loss at Phoenix).
  • The Blue Jackets outshot the Predators 74 to 68 during their two-game set with the Jackets’ 37.0 shots per game currently ranking second in the NHL.
  • Columbus went 0-of-4 on the power play vs. Nashville and stopped all six Predators man advantage chances in two games.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

  • C/LW Alexandre Texier tallied 1-1-2 at Nashville on Saturday, collecting his third career multi-point game
  • Michael Del Zotto, who signed a one-year contract with the club after attending training camp on a pro tryout, made his CBJ debut at Nashville on Thursday and collected his first multi-point game as a Jacket with 0-2-2 on Saturday.
  • LW Nick Foligno scored his 136th goal as a Blue Jacket at Nashville on Saturday, which ranks third all-time behind Rick Nash (289) and Cam Atkinson (198).
  • LW Boone Jenner scored the Blue Jackets’ first goal of the season on Thursday night and has collected 114-110-224 in 490 games as a Blue Jacket.  He took over sole position of fifth place on the club’s all-time goals list (was tied with David Vyborny) and is seventh on the all-time points list, one behind sixth place Brandon Dubinsky.
  • Pierre-Luc Dubois has played in 236 consecutive games, trailing only Jason Chimera (243 from Oct. 9, 2005-Apr. 5, 2008) and R.J. Umberger (288 from Oct. 10, 2008-Jan. 10, 2012) for the longest streak in CBJ history. 

UPCOMING MILESTONES

  • RW Cam Atkinson is two goals shy of 200 in his CBJ/NHL career.
  • Pierre-Luc Dubois is seven assists shy of 100 in his CBJ/NHL career.
  • LW Nick Foligno is three goals shy of 200 in his NHL career.
  • Seth Jones is two assists shy of 200 in his NHL career and five points shy of 200 as a Blue Jacket.

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT/ROSTER REPORT

  • LW Gus Nyquist (shoulder surgery on Nov. 3; Injured Reserve) is expected to miss five-to-six months.
  • Mikko Koivu (COVID-19 protocols) is unavailable.
    • TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST:  4.

GAME PREVIEW COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS