COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

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: 32-28-3, 67 pts. (5^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.27 Goals-For/3.68 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.0 Shots-For/35.4 Shots-Against

Power Play:  18.3 percent (25^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  78.1 percent (20^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.6 PIM (6^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  10-1-2 (4-2)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

2021-22 Record: 38-16-9, 85 pts. (3^rd, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.21 Goals-For/2.57 Goals-Against… Shots:  34.9 Shots-For/30.4 Shots-Against

Power Play:  20.2 percent (17^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  86.5 percent (2^nd, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  6.8 PIM (1^st, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  7-4-5 (3-5)

Players to Watch:  C Sidney Crosby is tied for the team lead in scoring with 22-39-61 in 51 contests this season and has totaled 13-27-40 in 32 career games vs. the Blue Jackets… D Kris Letang ranks fourth-T among NHL blueliners in assists and points with 6-46-52 in 59 outings in 2021-22 and has notched 10-15-25 in 27 career outings vs. CBJ… G Tristan Jarry ranks second in the NHL in wins and fifth in GAA (min. 15 GP) with a 31-12-6 record, 2.28 GAA and .922 SV% in 49 appearances this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 14-22-8 in 44 all-time meetings, including 4-13-4 on the road… Of Note: The teams did not meet in 2020-21… Two of the last three games in the series have been decided by a single goal… The Blue Jackets have picked up points in three of the last six meetings (2-3-1) since Mar. 9, 2019… Pittsburgh has won the last nine-straight home games in the series dating back to Dec. 21, 2015 (CBJ; 0-5-4)… The winning team has scored three-plus goals in 17 of the last 19 games (including SO)… Pittsburgh owns all three shutouts in the series while each team has recorded three hat tricks.

This Season (CBJ, 0-2-0)

Jan. 21, 2022 – PIT 5, at CBJ 2

Feb. 27, 2012 – PIT 3, at CBJ 2

Mar. 22, 2012 – at Pittsburgh (7 p.m. ET)

Apr. 29, 2022 – at Pittsburgh (7 p.m. ET)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets won for the fourth time in the last five games with a 5-4 victory over St. Louis on Saturday… The team improved to 14-7-2 (30 pts) in its last 23 games, ranking third-T in the NHL in wins and points since Jan. 27… After playing the nine of the last 11 games at home, the Blue Jackets head on the road for a three-game road trip and play five of the next six away from Nationwide Arena… The team ranks third in the NHL in goals-per-game since Jan. 27 (3.83 avg)… CBJ have scored three or more goals (incl. SO goals) in 39 of their 63 games this season (29-8-2)… The club in 26-4-1 when scoring four-plus goals in a game in 2021-22, recording four-plus goals in 10 of the last 16 games… CBJ rank second in the League in win percentage after regulation and are two off the lead in wins in OT/SO (10-1-2; .769)… The Blue Jackets have trailed in 21 of their 32 victories this season, including seven-straight wins prior to Saturday’s victory over the Blues.  The 21 comeback victories are tied for the most in the NHL (NY Rangers) and are a new single season record in franchise history (20; 2005-06, 2018-19)… CBJ boast eight 30-point scorers and five 40-point producers on the team… The Blue Jackets rank fourth-T in the NHL in goals (34) and 10^th-T in points (141) by defensemen.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is one goal shy of tying his career high (2018-19) and has set a career high in points with 22-26-48 in 61 GP.  He has posted 6-7-13 in his last 11 games and has collected points in 15 of the last 20 outings (10-10-20)… D Vladislav Gavrikov has already set single-season career highs in assists, points and penalty minutes with 3-22-25 and 46 PIM in 61 outings in 2021-22… C Sean Kuraly has set a single-season career high in goals and points with 11-13-24 in 63 games after posting his second goal in his last three contests on Saturday… LW Patrik Laine has recorded points in four-straight games (3-3-6) after posting his 15^th multi-point effort of the campaign with 1-1-2 on Saturday.  He ranks second in the NHL in goals and fifth-T in points since Jan. 27 while recording points in 19 of the 23 games with 19-14-33.  The winger also leads the League in overtime winners (3, tied) and ranks fifth-T in game-winners (7)… D Andrew Peeke has played 21-plus minutes in 28 of his last 29 games since Jan. 13 (24:25) and ranks sixth in the NHL in blocked shots this season with 131… LW Eric Robinson collected two assists on Saturday and has 2-2-4 in his last four contests.  He has set career highs in goals (tied), assists and points with 8-13-21 in 48 appearances this season… C Jack Roslovic has recorded 4-6-10 while averaging 16:12 of ice time in his last 13 outings since Feb. 24… RW Jakub Voracek has recorded 2-11-13 in his last 15 appearances after notching the game-winner on Saturday.  He ranks fifth-T in the NHL in primary assists (31) and leads the club in assists overall (41).  His .68 assists-per-game, meanwhile, are the second-highest in a single season in franchise-history, trailing only Artemi Panarin’s .75 A/GP when he posted a club record 59 helpers in 2018-19… D Zach Werenski has recorded points in four of the last five games (1-4-5) and has 4-15-19 in his last 21 games played, ranking seventh-T among NHL blueliners in scoring since Jan. 23.  He has 10-30-40 in 57 contests this season, reaching the 40-point plateau for the fourth time in his career.

MILESTONES

•     D Jake Bean is eight games from 100 for his NHL career (5-24-29, 92 GP).

•     RW Emil Bemstrom is two games from 100 for his NHL career (16-15-31, 98 GP).

•     C Sean Kuraly is eight points from 100 for his NHL career (35-57-92, 333 GP).

•     LW Patrik Laine is five games from 400 for his NHL career (175-144-319, 395 GP).

•     D Andrew Peeke is four games from 100 for his NHL career (2-17-19, 96 GP).

•     D Zach Werenski is eight games from 400 for his NHL career (75-154-229, 392 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 Adam Boqvist (upper body; Injured Reserve retroactive to Feb. 27) is day-to-day

•     C Boone Jenner (lower back; Injured Reserve on Mar. 11) is week-to-week

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 258

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