FEB. 7, 2021 II vs. CAROLINA HURRICANES II NATIONWIDE ARENA II 3 PM ET

BROADCAST INFORMATION

TV:  FOX Sports Ohio             Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst)

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

TODAY’S MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 

Record:  5-4-3, 13 pts. (3rd, Discover Central Division)

Goals:  2.50 Goals-For/3.00 Goals-Against… Shots:  28.7 Shots-For/33.0 Shots-Against

Power Play:  12.5 percent (26th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  78.6 percent (20th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.3 PIM (4th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  1-2-1 (1-1)

CAROLINA HURRICANES

Record:  6-2-0, 12 pts. (4th, Discover Central Division)

Goals:  3.00 Goals-For/2.38 Goals-Against… Shots:  34.3 Shots-For/26.0 Shots-Against

Power Play:  22.6 percent (13th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  80.0 percent (15th-T, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.1 PIM (10th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  3-0-0 (2-0)

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 21-17-3 in 41 regular season games vs. Carolina, including 11-8-1 at home… Of Note: The Blue Jackets have won four-straight games in the series since Mar. 15, 2019, including three consecutive contests at Nationwide Arena over that span… The club is 9-4-1 in the last 14 meetings against the Hurricanes dating back to Jan. 17, 2017… CBJ have won six of the last eight games in Ohio in the series (6-2-0)… All three contests in 2019-20 were decided by a single goal… Columbus has killed off all 24 Carolina power play chances in the last 12 meetings since Mar. 30, 2017… The Blue Jackets own all three shutouts and hat tricks in the all-time series while neither team has been awarded a penalty shot… Goals:  CBJ – 108, CAR – 100… CBJ PP:  21-of-135 (15.6%)… CBJ PK:  131-of-149 (87.9%).

This Season (CBJ, 0-0-0)

Feb. 7 – at COLUMBUS… Feb. 8 – at COLUMBUS

Feb. 16 – at Carolina

Mar. 18 – at Carolina… Mar. 20 – at Carolina

Mar. 22 – at COLUMBUS… Mar. 25 – at COLUMBUS

May 1 – at Carolina

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

Oct. 12, 2019 – Columbus 3, at Carolina 2

Oct. 24, 2019 – at Columbus 4, Carolina 3 (OT)

Jan. 16, 2020 – at Columbus 3, Carolina 2

Apr. 3, 2020 – at Carolina (Cancelled)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

Columbus snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Dallas at Nationwide Arena on Thursday… The club has recorded points in five of six home games in 2020-21 (3-1-2)… CBJ’s back-to-back set against Carolina (Feb. 7-8) concludes a stretch of eight-of-10 games played at Nationwide Arena from Jan. 21-Feb. 8… The Blue Jackets have scored the game’s first goal in eight of their 12 games (3-2-3) and outscored the opposition 13-7 in first period play… The club trails only Montreal (10) and Colorado (9) in games it has scored first this season… Columbus is 4-0-3 in one-goal games… The Blue Jackets have picked up points in all four of their back-to-back situations in 2020-21 (3-0-1; 2-0-0 in first game)… Sunday’s game is the third of seven matinee games for the Blue Jackets this season (2-0-0).  The club has gone 10-3-3 in its past 16 matinees since Nov. 20, 2016 where puck drop has been before 3pm local time.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Cam Atkinson, who notched the game-winner with his 200th career tally on Thursday, has points in three-straight home games against the Hurricanes (2-2-4)… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the club in scoring with 4-6-10 in 12 games after notching his team-leading fourth multi-point outing of the campaign on Thursday vs. Dallas (1-1-2)… LW Mikhail Grigorenko has recorded 1-2-3 in the last two games, including his first multi-point effort with the club with 1-1-2 on Tuesday vs. Dallas… W Patrik Laine, who made his CBJ debut on Tuesday vs. Dallas, recorded his first goal with the club on Thursday…  LW Eric Robinson collected an assist on Thursday and has points in six of the last seven games (2-4-6)… C Jack Roslovic, picked up his first goal and multi-point outing with the Blue Jackets on Thursday and has tied his career high with points in three-straight contests (1-3-4).

MILESTONES

•     LW Nick Foligno is one goal from 200 in his NHL career (199-272-469, 920 GP).

•     D Seth Jones is two points from 200 in his CBJ career (46-152-198, 337 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•       LW Gus Nyquist (shoulder surgery on Nov. 3; Injured Reserve) is expected to miss five-to-six months.

•       G Elvis Merzlikins (upper body; Injured Reserve) is day-to-day.

o                 TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST:  27.

GAME PREVIEW COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS