MAR. 30, 2021 II at TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING II AMALIE ARENA II 7 PM ET

CBJ BROADCAST INFORMATION

TV:  FOX Sports Ohio             Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)              
Radio:  97.1 The Fan              Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Record: 13-15-8, 34 pts. (6^th, Discover Central Division) 

Goals:  2.47 Goals-For/3.17 Goals-Against… Shots:  28.4 Shots-For/31.3 Shots-Against

Power Play:  14.9 percent (26^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  75.9 percent (24^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  6.6 PIM (2^nd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-5-3 (2-3)

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Record: 24-8-2, 50 pts. (1st, Discover Central Division)

Goals:  3.59 Goals-For/2.38 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.1 Shots-For/28.2 Shots-Against

Power Play:  27.7 percent (2^nd, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  81.8 percent (9^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  10.4 PIM (31^st, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-1-1 (1-1)

Players to Watch:  D Victor Hedman (Finalist for Norris Trophy last four seasons, winning award in 2017-18; Leads NHL blueliners in assists and points with 6-27-33 in 2020-21); C Steven Stamkos (Lightning captain has won Rocket Richard twice and has 16-15-31 in 32 GP in 2020-21).

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 11-17-6 in 34 regular season games vs. the Lightning, including 4-9-3 on the road… Of Note: The two teams have met in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past two years.  Columbus swept the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning in 2019 before Tampa Bay earned a 4-1 series victory in 2020 on its way to the second Stanley Cup in franchise history… Columbus snapped an eight-game regular season winless streak (0-5-3) to Tampa Bay in the teams most recent meeting… The winning team has scored three or more goals in 12 of the last 14 regular season meetings… Goals:  CBJ – 70, TBL – 96… CBJ PP:  16-of-122 (13.1%)…CBJ PK:  93-of-117 (79.5%).

This Season (CBJ, 1-0-1)

Jan. 21 – Tampa Bay 3, at Columbus 2 (OT)

Jan. 23 – at COLUMBUS 5, Tampa Bay 2

Mar. 30 – at Tampa Bay… Apr. 1 – at Tampa Bay

Apr. 6 – at COLUMBUS… Apr. 6 – at COLUMBUS

Apr. 22 – at Tampa Bay… Apr. 25 – at Tampa Bay

2019-20 Results (CBJ, 0-0-1)

Feb. 10, 2020 – Tampa Bay 2, at Columbus 1 (OT)

Mar. 27, 2020 – at Tampa Bay (Cancelled)

Apr. 2, 2020 – at Columbus (Cancelled)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets continue their six-game road trip in Florida after falling 3-1 (Saturday) and 4-1 (Sunday) on back-to-back days at Detroit… The Jackets and Lightning play four times in the next six games… Columbus is in a stretch of 10 of 12 games against the top three teams in the Central Division (Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina) from Mar. 18-Apr. 8… The Blue Jackets are in a stretch of six games in nine days, including a second back-to-back set to close the road trip (Apr. 3-4 at Florida)… The Jackets are 12-6-4 in their last 22 games played in the month of March dating back to Mar. 24, 2019… CBJ have killed off all 10 opponent power play attempts in the past five games and 13-of-14 over the last eight (92.9 pct.)… CBJ rank third in the NHL in blocked shots per 60 minutes (14.53), trailing only Vegas (15.03) and Minnesota (15.00)… The Blue Jackets have played in 20 one-goal games this season, tied for second-most in the NHL (Anaheim, 23).

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Oliver Bjorkstrand has posted 6-7-13 in 13 March games.  He leads the club in goals (tied), assists, points and multi-point efforts with 12-17-29 and seven multi-point outings in 36 games… C Boone Jenner has registered assists in two of the last three games (0-2-2).  He leads the club in faceoff percentage (55.3) and has won 50 pct. or more of his draws in 14 of the last 17 contests… D Seth Jones has collected 3-3-6 in the past seven contests.  He has recorded .69 points a game since February 1 (4-14-18 in 26 GP)… G Joonas Korpisalo has posted a 2.39 GAA and .916 SV% in his past 11 games since February 25 while G Elvis Merzlikins has registered a 2.45 GAA and .945 SV% in his last four outings since March 13… LW Patrik Laine has tallied 2-5-7 in eight career games vs. Tampa Bay… D Zach Werenski has recorded 3-4-7 in the last 10 games.

MILESTONES

•     D Scott Harrington is three games from 200 in his NHL career (7-30-37, 197 GP).

•     D Dean Kukan is one game from 100 for his NHL career (2-16-18, 99 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

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

•       RW Emil Bemstrom (lower body injury on Mar. 17) is expected to miss a week.

•       G Joonas Korpisalo (lower body injury) is day-to-day.

                              o TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST:  85.

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