COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

TV:  Bally Sports Ohio           Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)              
Radio:  105.7 FM                    Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

7 pm ET                   Game vs. Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 3-1-0, 6 pts. (4^th-T, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.50 Goals-For/2.50 Goals-Against… Shots:  26.5 Shots-For/34.8 Shots-Against

Power Play:  36.4 percent (5^th-T, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  91.7 percent (5^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  9.5 PIM (17^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  2-0-0 (0-0)

CAROLINA HURRICANES

2021-22 Record: 3-0-0, 6 pts. (3^rd, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  4.33 Goals-For/2.00 Goals-Against… Shots:  35.3 Shots-For/32.0 Shots-Against

Power Play:  30.0 percent (10^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  92.3 percent (4^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.7 PIM (10^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  0-0-0 (0-0)

Players to Watch:  C Sebastian Aho is tied for the team lead in scoring with 2-3-5 in three games this season and has posted 147-178-325 in 369 career NHL games since making his debut in 2016-17… RW Andrei Svechnikov, the second overall pick at the 2018 NHL Draft, leads the club in goals and points (tied) with 4-1-5 in three contests in 2021-22… G Frederik Andersen was signed as a free agent after spending five seasons in Toronto and has posted a 3-0-0 record with a 2.00 GAA and .938 SV% in 2021-22.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 24-20-5 in 49 all-time meetings, including 12-10-2 at home and 12-10-3 on the road… Of Note: CBJ went 3-2-2 vs. the Hurricanes in 2020-21 (1-2-1 at home)… Carolina has won the last three meetings in the series overall (CBJ; 0-1-2) and the past two at Nationwide Arena (CBJ; 0-1-1)… The Blue Jackets have picked up points in eight of their past 12 home games vs. the Hurricanes since Jan. 17, 2017 (7-4-1)… 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, 0-0-0)

Oct. 23, 2021 – at COLUMBUS (7 p.m.)

Jan. 1, 2022 – at COLUMBUS (1 p.m.)

Jan. 13, 2022 – at Carolina (7 p.m.)

Feb. 25, 2022 – at Carolina (7 p.m.)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets won their third consecutive home game with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Islanders on Thursday… CBJ have earned victories in their first three home games of a season for the third time in franchise history (2003-04, 2009-10).  Columbus has never started a season 4-0-0 at home in club history… Columbus continues a stretch against the Metropolitan Division on Saturday as the club plays four of five contests against division foes from Oct. 21-31… CBJ are one of five teams to rank in the top-10 in both power play and penalty kill percentage (Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton, San Jose)… The Blue Jackets had the youngest season-opening roster in average age at 25.71.  New Jersey (25.74) was the only other team to have an average age of its roster younger than 26-years-old… Columbus also had the most diverse roster to open the season with 10 countries represented (Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA).

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

The Blue Jackets have had 10 different players record goals this season, while 16-of-20 skaters have recorded at least one point… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand picked up his second multi-point effort of the season and tied his career high while assisting on all three Blue Jackets goals on Thursday.  He leads the club in assists and points with 2-5-7 in four games this season… LW Patrik Laine has recorded the OT winner in each of the Blue Jackets’ last two home games and has collected points in all four outings in 2021-22 (2-3-5)… G Elvis Merzlikins improved to 3-0-0 with a 1.63 GAA and .947 SV% in three games to open the season after stopping 34-of-36 shots in the overtime win over the Islanders on Thursday… RW Jakub Voracek has collected 0-4-4 in four games in his return to Columbus… D Zach Werenski has recorded points in three of the four games this season (1-3-4).

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is one assist from 100 for his NHL career (85-99-184, 306 GP).

•     RW Jakub Voracek is one assist from 100 for his CBJ career (39-99-138, 245 GP).

•     D Zach Werenski is seven points from 200 for his NHL career (66-127-193, 339 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     RW Emil Bemstrom (left oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Oct. 14) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

•     C Max Domi (fractured rib; Injured Reserve on Oct. 18) is expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks

                              o TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST:  6.

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