COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. BUFFALO SABRES

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: 24-23-1, 49 pts. (5^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.19 Goals-For/3.67 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.7 Shots-For/35.1 Shots-Against

Power Play:  17.5 percent (23^rd, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  80.3 percent (14^th, NHL)

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

BUFFALO SABRES

2021-22 Record: 16-26-8, 40 pts. (7^th, Atlantic Division)

Goals:  2.66 Goals-For/3.48 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.2 Shots-For/34.6 Shots-Against

Power Play:  19.7 percent (17^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  76.5 percent (23^rd, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.4 PIM (13^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  3-7-1 (2-1)

Players to Watch:  LW Jeff Skinner, who leads the club in goals, has posted his eighth career 20-goal campaign with 20-16-36 in 48 appearances this season… D Rasmus Dahlin, who represented the Sabres at the All-Star Game in Las Vegas, leads the team in assists with 8-25-33 in 49 contests… G Craig Anderson is 6-4-0 with a 2.60 GAA and .917 SV% in 10 contests this season and owns a career 2.83 GAA and .913 SV% in 662 career games.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 22-12-3 in 37 regular season games vs. the Sabres, including 10-5-1 at home… Of Note: The teams did not meet during the 2020-21 season… The Blue Jackets have picked up points in the last six meetings (4-0-2) and 12 of the past 15 games of the series since Apr. 8, 2016 (10-3-2) following their 4-3 OT win on Feb. 8… The winner has recorded three-plus goals in 35 of the 37 victories of the series, including the last three-straight… CBJ have also recorded victories in five of the last six contests at Nationwide Arena (5-1-0) with each of the last three games have decided by a single goal (two in OT)… Each team has recorded three hat tricks (MR: Bobrovsky in 4-0 win at BUF on Mar. 31, 2019) and a penalty shot (MR: Nash unsuccessful vs. Miller on Oct. 19, 2007) in the series.

This Season (CBJ, 2-0-0)

Nov. 22, 2021 – CBJ 7, at BUF 4

Feb. 8, 2022 – CBJ 4, at BUF 3 (OT)

Feb. 20, 2022 – at Columbus (6 p.m.)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets closed out a season-long five-game road trip with a 7-4 victory at Chicago on Thursday.  The club went 4-1-0 on the trip, earning more than six points on a five-game trip for the first time in franchise history… The club improved to 6-2-0 in its last eight games with the victory… 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 only two contests played at home are Sunday vs. Buffalo and Tuesday vs. Toronto… The club ranks third in the NHL in scoring since Jan. 27 (35 goals, 4.38 avg) with the 35 goals tied for the second-most over an eight-game stretch in franchise history (36, Mar. 19-Apr. 3, 2018)… CBJ have scored three or more goals in 28 of their 48 games this season (21-7-0)… The club in 19-3-0 when scoring four-plus goals in a game in 2021-22… The Blue Jackets have scored a power play goal in four of the last five games (5-of-12; 41.7 pct., 3^rd in NHL)… Columbus has killed off 43-of-49 opponent chances over the last 16 games (87.8 pct.).  The club ranks fifth in the NHL in penalty kill pct. since January 8… CBJ lead the NHL in win percentage in OT/SO and are two off the League lead in wins (Detroit) with a 8-0-1 record (.889)… The Blue Jackets have trailed in 14 of their 24 victories this season with the club trailing 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… The Jackets rank eighth-T in the NHL in goals by defensemen this season with 25.

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CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Oliver Bjorkstrand has recorded points in four of the last five games (3-1-4)… D Adam Boqvist ranks sixth-T among NHL blueliners in goals with 9-8-17 in 35 contests… C Max Domi recorded his fifth multi-point outing of the campaign with 1-1-2 on Thursday… C Boone Jenner tallied his eighth multi-point effort with 1-2-3 on Thursday and has 8-9-17 with four multi-point efforts in the last 16 contests.  He leads the club in goals, points and power play goals with 20-17-37 and six PPG in 47 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 notched his ninth career hat trick, and first with the Blue Jackets, with three goals on Thursday.  He has posted points in eight-straight games (10-6-16) and leads the NHL in goals and ranks second in points since Jan. 27… LW Gus Nyquist has collected 8-12-20 with seven multi-point outings in the last 21 games since Dec. 16 after collecting two assists on Thursday… D Andrew Peeke has played 21-plus minutes in each of the last 14 games since Jan. 13 (avg. 24:21)… RW Jakub Voracek ranks sixth-T in the NHL in primary assists (24) and leads the club in assists overall (31)… D Zach Werenski, who has 1-8-9 in his last 10 games after scoring his seventh goal of the campaign on Tuesday (7-23-30, 46 GP), ranks fifth in the NHL in TOI/GP (26:05).

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is two goals from 100 for his NHL career (98-111-209, 348 GP).

•     C Max Domi is one goal from 100, one assista from 200 and two points from 300 for his NHL career (99-199-298, 467 GP).

•     C Jack Roslovic is five games from 100 for his CBJ career (20-34-54, 95 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     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)

•     G  Joonas Korpisalo (lower body; miss first game on Feb. 17)

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 177

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