COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
TV: ESPN+, Hulu Leah Hextall (play-by-play), A.J. Mleczko (color analyst)
Radio: 105.7 FM Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dylan Tyrer (host)
THE MATCHUP
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
2021-22 Record: 27-25-1, 55 pts. (5th, Metropolitan Division)
Goals: 3.25 Goals-For/3.62 Goals-Against… Shots: 29.7 Shots-For/35.8 Shots-Against
Power Play: 16.8 percent (24th, NHL)… Penalty Kill: 81.1 percent (13th, NHL)
Penalty Minutes: 7.5 PIM (4tj, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 9-0-1 (3-1)
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
2021-22 Record: 18-29-5, 41 pts. (8th, Metropolitan Division)
Goals: 3.00 Goals-For/3.60 Goals-Against… Shots: 31.7 Shots-For/30.9 Shots-Against
Power Play: 17.7 percent (22nd, NHL)… Penalty Kill: 81.6 percent (11th, NHL)
Penalty Minutes: 8.4 PIM (12th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 5-1-4 (1-4)
Players to Watch: LW Jesper Bratt leads the team in goals, assists and points with 18-30-48 in 47 games this season and has 4-1-5 in his last two contests… D Dougie Hamilton, who recently returned from an injury, has posted 7-14-21 in 32 games in his first season with the team and has 113-249-362 in 639 career NHL appearances… G Jon Gillies has started five of the last six games for the Devils and is 3-9-1 with a 3.70 GAA and .887 SV% in 14 outings this season.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Results: Columbus has gone 26-14-3 in 43 all-time meetings, including 15-7-0 at home… Of Note: The clubs did not meet in 2020-21… The Blue Jackets have earned points in 12 of the last 13 games of the series (11-1-1) with the lone regulation loss coming on Jan. 6 at New Jersey (3-1 loss)… CBJ are 20-4-1 against the Devils since Mar. 6, 2015… Columbus has won six-straight home games in the series dating back to Feb. 10, 2018 and is 10-2-0 against the club at Nationwide Arena since Mar. 31, 2015… New Jersey posted the first three shutouts in the all-time series while Columbus has recorded the past four (MR: Merzlikins, 41 saves in 5-0 win at CBJ on Jan. 18, 2020)… The Blue Jackets have been awarded all four penalty shots in the all-time series.
This Season (CBJ, 2-1-0)
Oct. 31, 2021 – CBJ 4, at NJD 3 (SO)
Jan. 6, 2022 – at NJD 3, CBJ 1
Jan. 8, 2022 – at CBJ 4, NJD 3
Mar. 1, 2022 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)
CBJ TEAM NOTES
The Blue Jackets fell for a second consecutive game with a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday… The club fell to 9-4-0 in its last 13 games but still rank second in the NHL in wins and fifth in points since January 27… Sunday’s contest against the Penguins kicked off a five-game homestand and a stretch of 9-of-11 contests played at Nationwide Arena through March 19… The club ranks third in the NHL in goals-per-game since Jan. 27 (4.15 avg), trailing only Toronto (4.54) and Florida (4.30)… CBJ have scored three or more goals in 31 of their 53 games this season (24-7-0)… The club in 22-3-0 when scoring four-plus goals in a game in 2021-22, recording four-plus goals in four of the last six games… Columbus killed off three of Pittsburgh’s four power play attempts on Sunday and has killed off 57-of-65 opponent chances over the last 21 games (87.7 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 one off the League lead in wins (Dallas and Detroit) with a 9-0-1 record (.900)… The Blue Jackets have trailed in 17 of their 27 victories this season with the club trailing by multiple goals in five of its contests. The 17 comeback victories are tied for the NHL lead in that category (Colorado, Florida and NY Rangers)… The Jackets rank fourth-T in the NHL in goals (30) and ninth in points by defensemen (121)… CBJ boast six 30-point scorers on the team… Columbus plays in its third game on ESPN+/Hulu this season, earning a 6-0 win at Carolina on Jan. 13 and 6-3 victory at Florida on Feb. 24.
CBJ PLAYER NOTES
G J-F Berube (3-1-0, .924 SV%) became the second goaltender in franchise history to start his tenure with three-straight wins (Steve Mason; 2008-09)… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand became the seventh player to record 100 career goals in a CBJ uniform in franchise history with his 17th of the season on Sunday vs. Pittsburgh and has points in seven of the last 10 games (5-3-8)… D Adam Boqvist (10-9-19 in 39 GP) is the sixth different defenseman in Blue Jackets history to record double digit goals in a single season… C Boone Jenner had 3-5-8 in the last seven games and 10-11-21 with five multi-point efforts in the last 20 contests. CBJ’s captain leads the club in goals, points and power play goals with 22-19-41 and seven PPG in 53 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)… D Vladislav Gavrikov has collected assists in three of the last six games (0-4-4) and ranks third on the team in that category on the campaign (2-21-23 in 51 GP)… LW Patrik Laine had his 11-game points streak (13-8-21) snapped on Friday. It was the second longest points streak of his career (15 GP in 2017-18) and the third longest in franchise history. He leads the NHL in goals and ranks third in points since the streak started on Jan. 27. The winger also leads the League in overtime winners (3, tied) and ranks fifth-T in game-winners (6)… D Andrew Peeke has played 21-plus minutes in each of the last 19 games since Jan. 13 (avg. 24:39, 20th in NHL)… RW Jakub Voracek, has collected 0-6-6 in the last six appearances, ranks third-T in the NHL in primary assists (28) and leads the club in assists overall (36)… D Zach Werenski, who has missed the last three games with an upper body injury, has tallied 2-10-12 in his last 12 games, including points in six consecutive (2-6-8).
MILESTONES
• C Max Domi is one goal from 100 and one point from 300 for his NHL career (99-200-299, 472 GP).
• G Elvis Merzlikins is six contests from 100 for his NHL career (39-35-14, 94 GP).
• D Zach Werenski (73-149-222, 383 GP) is two points from surpassing Seth Jones (50-173-223, 381 GP) for the most in CBJ history among blueliners.
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
• G Joonas Korpisalo (lower body; Injured Reserve retroactive to Feb. 15) is day-to-day
• D Zach Werenski (upper body; missed first game on Feb. 24) is day-to-day
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 210
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