COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

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: 23-23-1, 47 pts. (5^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.11 Goals-For/3.66 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.6 Shots-For/35.2 Shots-Against

Power Play:  17.1 percent (24^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  80.5 percent (15^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.0 PIM (2^nd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  8-0-1 (3-1)

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

2021-22 Record: 18-24-7, 43 pts. (7^th, Central Division)

Goals:  2.39 Goals-For/3.31 Goals-Against… Shots:  28.5 Shots-For/32.1 Shots-Against

Power Play:  20.0 percent (16^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  74.7 percent (28^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.2 PIM (13^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 7-6-1 (3-1)

Players to Watch:  RW Patrick Kane leads the team with 12-34-46 in 45 contests this season and has notched 23-49-72 in 55 career games vs. CBJ… D Seth Jones, who leads Chicago blueliners with 3-27-30 in 45 outings in his first season with the club in 2021-22, owns CBJ record for most assists and points by a blueliner with 50-173-223 in 381 outings over six seasons from 2015-21… G Marc-Andre Fleury ranks third all-time in wins with 508-293-85 in 919 contests and captured the 2020-21 Vezina Trophy while with the Golden Knights.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 36-45-15 in 96 all-time meetings, including 17-24-6 on the road… Of Note: CBJ went 2-3-3 vs. Chicago in 2020-21, including 2-1-1 on the road… CBJ have collected points in five of their last six games at Chicago (3-1-2) with five of the six outings decided by a single goal…The road team has collected points in 12 of the last 13 meetings of the series since Mar. 31, 2017 (10-1-2)… Five of the last 11 games have been decided after regulation (three in OT, two in SO)… The winning team has recorded three-plus goals in seven of the past eight games… Chicago owns eight of the 10 shutouts, while Columbus has recorded six of the eight penalty shots.

This Season (CBJ, 0-1-0)

Jan. 11, 2022 – CHI 4, at CBJ 2

Feb. 17, 2022 – at Chicago (8:30 p.m. ET)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets had their three-game win streak and five-game road win streak snapped with a 6-2 loss at Calgary on Tuesday… The club fell to 5-2-0 in its last seven games with the defeat… The Jackets, who have won six of their last eight road games (6-2-0), conclude a post All-Star five-game road trip at Chicago on Thursday… The club is in a stretch of the schedule heavy in road games with seven of nine games played away from Nationwide Arena from Feb. 8-25… The club ranks third-T in the NHL in scoring in the last seven games since Jan. 27 (28 goals, 4.00 avg).  CBJ have scored three or more goals in 27 of their 47 games this season (20-7-0)… The club in 18-3-0 when scoring four-plus goals in a game in 2021-22… The Blue Jackets had scored a power play goal in three-straight games (4-of-8; 50.0 pct.) prior to Tuesday’s loss at Calgary (0-of-1)… Columbus killed off both of Calgary’s power play opportunities on Tuesday and has killed off 40-of-45 opponent chances over the last 15 games (88.9 pct.).  The club leads the NHL in penalty kill pct. since January 8… CBJ lead the NHL in win percentage in OT/SO and are one off the League lead in wins with a 8-0-1 record (.889)… The Blue Jackets have trailed in 14 of their 23 victories this season, trailing in four-straight wins prior to Saturday’s victory at Montreal.  The club has trailed by multiple goals in five of its contests… The team’s six wins when trailing heading into the third period are tied with Florida for the League lead… Defensemen scored both of the Blue Jackets goals on Tuesday at Calgary.  The club ranks sixth-T in the NHL in goals by defensemen this season with 25.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied points in three-straight games (2-1-3) prior to Tuesday’s game at Calgary… D Adam Boqvist ranks fifth-T among NHL blueliners in goals after notching his ninth tally of the season (9-8-17 in 34 GP). The 21-year-old was selected by Chicago eight overall at the 2018 NHL Draft and recorded 6-23-29 in 76 games over two seasons from 2019-21… C Boone Jenner has recorded 7-7-14 with three multi-point efforts in the last 15 contests after picking up an assist on Tuesday.  He leads the club in goals, points and power play goals with 19-15-34 and six PPG in 46 appearances and is on pace to set single-season career highs in both goals and points (30-19-49 in 82 GP in 2015-16)… LW Patrik Laine was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on Monday after posting 3-3-6 with two multi-point efforts in three Blue Jackets wins last week.  He has posted points in seven-straight games (7-6-13) and is tied for the NHL lead in goals and ranks third-T in points since Jan. 27… LW Gus Nyquist has collected 8-10-18 with six multi-point outings in the last 20 games since Dec. 16… D Andrew Peeke has played 21-plus minutes in each of the last 13 games (avg. 24:12)… C Jack Roslovic had recorded points in four-straight contests (2-2-4) prior to Saturday’s contest… RW Jakub Voracek ranks fifth-T in the NHL in primary assists (23) and leads the club in assists overall (30)… D Zach Werenski, who has 1-6-7 in his last nine games after scoring his seventh goal of the campaign on Tuesday (7-21-28, 45 GP), ranks fifth in the NHL in TOI/GP (26:04).

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is three goals from 100 for his NHL career (97-111-208, 347 GP).

•     C Max Domi is two goals from 100, two assists from 200 and four points from 300 for his NHL career (98-198-296, 466 GP).

•     LW Parik Laine is one point from 300 in his NHL career (163-136-299, 379 GP).

•     C Jack Roslovic is six games from 100 for his CBJ career (20-34-54, 94 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     LW 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

•     C Alexandre Texier (fractured finger; Injured Reserve on Jan. 26) is expected to miss 4 weeks

•     D Jake Bean (groin; Injured Reserve on Jan. 30) is expected to miss 4 weeks

•     LW Eric Robinson (knee; Injured Reserve on Jan. 31) is expected to miss 6 weeks

•     RW Emil Bemstrom (COVID-19 protocol on Feb. 7)

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 170

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