Blue Jackets hit road to Carolina for division matchup Thursday Night

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

TV:  ESPN+/Hulu                    John Buccigross (play-by-play), Kevin Weekes (color analyst), Ryan Callahan (between the benches)                                                                                           
Radio:  105.7 FM                    Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dylan Tyrer (host)

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 16-17-1, 33 pts. (5th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.09 Goals-For/3.56 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.3 Shots-For/34.4 Shots-Against

Power Play:  15.9 percent (27th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  77.9 percent (24th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.0 PIM (3rd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  7-0-1 (3-1)

CAROLINA HURRICANES

2021-22 Record: 24-7-2, 50 pts. (1st, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.48 Goals-For/2.21 Goals-Against… Shots:  33.5 Shots-For/27.5 Shots-Against

Power Play:  24.0 percent (8th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  90.0 percent (2nd, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  9.2 PIM (18th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  2-2-0 (0-0)

Players to Watch:  Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes in goals, assists and points with 15-22-37 in 30 games this season… D Tony DeAngelo leads club blueliners in goals, assists and points with 6-19-14 while playing 19:01 of ice time in 26 appearances… G Frederik Andersen ranks second in the NHL GAA (min. 7 GP) and third-T in wins with a 18-5-1 record, 1.97 GAA and .929 SV% in 23 games in his first season with the team.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 24-22-5 in 51 all-time meetings, including 12-10-3 on the road… Of Note: CBJ went 3-2-2 vs. the Hurricanes in 2020-21 (2-1-1 at home)… Carolina has won the last five meetings in the series overall (CBJ; 0-3-2)… The road team has recorded points in seven-straight meetings (6-0-1)… The Blue Jackets have picked up points in four of their last five games at PNC Arena since Oct. 12, 2019 (3-1-1)… Columbus has recorded three of the four shutouts in the series but Carolina notched the most recent one on Mar. 22, 2021 (Nedeljkovic; 19 saves in 3-0 win at CBJ).

This Season (CBJ, 0-2-0)

Oct. 23, 2021 – Carolina 5, at Columbus 1

Jan. 1, 2022 – Carolina 7, at Columbus 4

Jan. 13, 2022 – at Carolina (7 p.m.)

Feb. 25, 2022 – at Carolina (7 p.m.)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets fell for the fourth time in five games with a 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks on Tuesday… CBJ have scored three or more goals in 21 of their 34 games this season (15-6-0)… The club is also 13-2-0 when scoring four-plus goals in a game in 2021-22… Columbus are tied for the NHL lead in win percentage in OT/SO (San Jose) and ranks second-T in wins with a 7-0-1 record (.875)… The club’s three shootout victories are also tied for the second-most in the League… The Blue Jackets closed out a stretch of five-of-six games at home on Tuesday and now play the next three on the road… CBJ have trailed in 10 of their 16 victories this season and the club’s five wins when trailing heading into the third period are the most in the NHL… The Blue Jackets rank fourth in goals (22) and ninth in the NHL in points (82) by defensemen this season… Columbus has killed off all seven opponent power play chances over the past two games… The club has scored first in each of the last two contests.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

Adam Boqvist, who skated in his 100th career NHL game on Tuesday, has recorded 1-4-5 in the last six games.  He is tied for second for most goals by a NHL blueliner since Nov. 24 (Makar, 9) with 6-7-13 in his last 15 games… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied his team-leading third multi-goal outing and eighth multi-point game of the campaign with two goals on Saturday and has 11-14-25 in 32 contests in 2021-22… D Vladislav Gavrikov has posted assists in three of the last six contests and has set a new single-season career high with 14 helpers (13, 2019-20)… C Boone Jenner has notched goals in two-straight games and has 10-7-17 in the past 28 games.  He leads the team in goals (14) and power play goals (5)… LW Patrik Laine has points in nine of his 15 appearances this season (4-8-12)… LW Gus Nyquist has recorded 4-4-8 with three multi-point outings in the last seven games after collecting points on both CBJ goals on Tuesday (1-1-2)… LW Eric Robinson has 3-5-8 in his last 12 games… F Alexandre Texier, who missed the last four contests, has 4-5-9 with three multi-point efforts in eight games since Dec. 5… He leads the Blue Jackets in goals and points since Nov. 6 with 9-8-17 and is +6 in 21 games… D Zach Werenski, who has tallied 1-3-4 in his last six outings, ranks second-T in the NHL in TOI/GP (26:34).

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is six goals from 100 for his NHL career (94-108-202, 334 GP).

•     C Max Domi is two goals from 100 and seven assists from 200 for his NHL career (98-193-291, 453 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     F Justin Danforth (knee; Injured Reserve on Dec. 31) is expected to miss 6 weeks

•     G Daniil Tarasov (lower body; Injured Reserve on Jan. 4) is out indefinitely

•     F Alexandre Texier (COVID-19 protocol on Jan. 7)

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 112

COURTESY CBJ COMMUNICATIONS

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