COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE

TV:  Bally 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)

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 6-3-0, 12 pts. (5^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.00 Goals-For/2.89 Goals-Against… Shots:  28.2 Shots-For/34.7 Shots-Against

Power Play:  25.0 percent (8^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  80.0 percent (19^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.7 PIM (9^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-0-0 (1-0)

COLORADO AVLANCHE

2021-22 Record: 4-4-1, 9 pts. (6^th, Central Division)

Goals:  3.00 Goals-For/3.56 Goals-Against… Shots:  31.7 Shots-For/31.8 Shots-Against

Power Play:  11.8 percent (29^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  81.8 percent (16^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  10.7 PIM (23^rd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 1-1-0 (1-0)

Players to Watch:  C Nathan MacKinnon, the three-time All-Star, has points in seven-straight games (1-9-10) and has posted 4-8-12 in 14 career games vs. CBJ … LW Gabriel Landeskog has collected multiple points in the last two contests (2-4-6) and has registered 8-6-14 in 19 career appearances against the Blue Jackets… G Darcy Kuemper owns a 110-86-32 record with 2.48 GAA and .916 SV% in 249 career games, including going 2-3-1 with a 2.17 GAA and .932 SV% vs. Columbus.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 21-35-6 in 51 all-time meetings vs. Colorado, including 10-16-4 at home… Of Note: The clubs did not meet in 2020-21… The Avs won both games in 2019-20 (4-2 at home on Nov. 9 and 2-1 at Columbus on Feb. 8)… The Blue Jackets have gone 20-16-4 vs. the Avalanche since Dec. 5, 2006 after posting a 1-19-2 mark in the first 22 meetings between the clubs… Columbus improved to 7-3-1 in the past 11 meetings following Wednesday’s 5-4 OT win at Colorado… CBJ have posted points in four of the last five games vs. the Avs at Nationwide Arena (3-1-1)… Colorado owns 11 of the 14 shutouts in the all-time series, including the three most recent occurrences (MR: Bernier, 34 saves in 2-0 win at COL on Jan. 4, 2018).

This Season (CBJ, 1-0-0)

Nov. 3, 2021 – CBJ 5, at COL 4 (OT)

Nov. 6, 2021 – vs. Colorado (7 p.m.)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets capped a three-game road trip (2-1-0) with their second consecutive victory following a 5-4 overtime win at Colorado on Wednesday… This week’s home-and-home set with the Avalanche are the club’s only games during the first 11 days of November… CBJ play 10 games (5H, 5 A) over the month’s final 19 days… The Blue Jackets are 4-0-0 in games decided after regulation this season (3-0-0 in OT, 1-0 in SO).  Last season, CBJ went 3-9 in OT and 3-3- in SO… CBJ open up a four-game homestand on Saturday.  The club has posted a franchise-best four wins and eight points in its first five home games this season… Columbus 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… CBJ 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 11 different players record goals this season, while 18-of-22 skaters have recorded at least one point… D Jake Bean notched his first career multi-goal game and first overtime winner in Wednesday’s victory at Colorado… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the club in scoring with 4-8-12 in nine games… C Boone Jenner scored his team-leading sixth goal, and second in as many games, in the third period on Wednesday.  He scored eight goals in 41 outings a season ago… G Joonas Korpisalo has won back-to-back games, while G Elvis Merzlikins is 4-1-0 on the campaign… C Cole Sillinger became the youngest player in Blue Jackets history (18-years, 172-days) to record a three-point game  with 2-1-3 on Wednesday… RW Jakub Voracek, who has posted back-to-back multi-assist outings (0-2-2 each game), is tied for fourth in the NHL in assists (9) and power play assists (5)… D Zach Werenski (2-4-6, 9 GP) ranks fourth in the NHL in time on ice (26:13 avg.) including a career-high 33:03 at New Jersey on Oct. 31.

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is 11 points from 200 in his NHL career (87-102-189, 311 GP).

•     C Alexandre Texier is four games from 100 in his NHL career (13-18-31, 96 GP).

•     D Zach Werenski is five points from 200 for his NHL career (67-128-195, 344 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

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

•     D Adam Boqvist (lower body) is day-to-day

•     D Dean Kukan (wrist fracture; Injured Reserve on Oct. 26) is expected to miss 8 weeks

•     C Max Domi (COVID Protocols on Nov. 1)

•     LW Patrik Laine (oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Nov. 5) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 21

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