DEC. 7, 2022 II NATIONWIDE ARENA II vs. BUFFALO SABRES

BROADCAST INFORMATION

TV:  TNT                                   Brendan Burke (play-by-play), Darren Pang (analyst), Jackie Redmond (reporter)              
Radio:  97.1 The Fan              Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

Sabres to Watch

«  D Rasmus Dahlin has collected assists in four-straight contests (0-6-6) and ranks second among NHL blueliners in goals (tied) and points and third-T in assists with 8-21-29 in 24 appearances

«  LW Jeff Skinner is riding a four-game points streak (3-3-6) and ranks second on the team in goals (tied) and third in points with 12-15-27 in 25 games

«  C Tage Thompson has racked up 3-5-8 during a four-game points streak and leads the club with 16-18-34 in 25 games while ranking sixth-T in the NHL in goals and seventh-T in points

All-Time Series

«  Columbus has gone 23-12-3 in 38 all-time meetings vs. Buffalo, including 11-5-1 at home.

«  The Blue Jackets have recorded points in seven-straight in the series since Mar. 31, 2019 (5-0-2) and swept the 2021-22 series, outscoring the Sabres 18-10.

«  CBJ have won the last two home games in the series and are 7-2-0 at Nationwide Arena dating back to Apr. 10, 2015.

«  Four of the last six meetings have been decided after regulation with each team winning two games in overtime over that timeframe.

«  The winning team has recorded four or more goals in four-straight games and eight of the last nine since Oct. 27, 2018.

«  Each team has recorded three shutouts in the all-time series with Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky stopping 38 shots in a 4-0 victory at Buffalo on Mar. 31, 2019 in the most recent one.

«  Neither team has registered a hat trick in the all-time series and each team has been awarded a penalty shot (neither successful).

This Season (CBJ, 0-0-0)

«  Dec. 7, 2022 – at COLUMBUS (7:30 p.m. ET)

«  Dec. 27, 2022 – at COLUMBUS (7:30 p.m. ET)

«  Feb. 28, 2023 – at Buffalo (7:30 pm. ET)

Player Notables vs. Sabres

«  LW Johnny Gaudreau – 8-7-15 in 13 career GP, including points in six of his seven home contests (5-4-9)

«  D Vladislav Gavrikov – 2-3-5 in 6 career GP, including points in four-straight games played vs. Buffalo (2-3-5)

«  C Boone Jenner – 5-5-10 in 20 career GP, including points in his last four consecutive games played against the Sabres (2-4-6) and assists in the last three (0-4-4)

«  W Patrik Laine – 1-6-7 in 10 career GP, including assists in three of his last four home games (0-4-4)

«  W Gustav Nyquist – 4-10-14 in 28 career GP, including points in two of the three meetings in 2021-22 (1-1-2)

«  C Jack Roslovic – 3-1-4 in 8 career GP, including goals in two of his last three contests vs. the club (3-1-4)

BLUE JACKETS TEAM NOTES

• The Blue Jackets fell for a second consecutive game and to 5-5-2 in the last 12 games overall following a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh tonight.
• Wednesday’s game vs. Buffalo kicks off a three-game homestand from December 7-11.  The club then plays six-of-eight on the road from December 13-29.
• The Jackets conclude their fifth of 16 back-to-back sets on Wednesday.  The team is 2-7-0 in back-to-backs this season (2-2-0 in second game).
• CBJ blueliners have recorded goals in two of the last three contests (2-1-3) and have collected 13-27-40 in 24 games this season to rank eighth-T in NHL in goals.
• Columbus has had 21 different players score a goal this season following D Erik Gudbranson’s first as a Blue Jacket on Friday.  The club has the second-most players with a goal in 2022-23, trailing only Detroit (22).
• Blue Jackets rookies have combined for 10-15-25 in 24 games in 2022-23, including notching both goals in Sunday’s game vs. Detroit.  CBJ rank third-T among NHL team rookies in goals and fifth in points.
• CBJ rank 11th-T in the NHL in power play percentage dating back to November 5 (second game of 2022 Global Series), converting on 8-of-31 power play opportunities (25.8 pct.).
• Columbus plays its third of four Wednesday games of the season tomorrow (0-2-0).

BLUE JACKETS PLAYER NOTES

• D Marcus Bjork notched his second goal of the season on Sunday and has 2-3-5 in his first 11 NHL games.
• RW Yegor Chinakhov, who has 2-3-5 in his last 10 games played, has already tied his single season career high in assists with 4-7-11 in 23 outings this season (7-7-14 in 62 games in 2021-22).
• LW Johnny Gaudreau stretched his points streak to five consecutive games (2-7-9), including three multi-point efforts, with CBJ’s lone goal at Pittsburgh tonight.  He now has 4-14-18 in the last 12 contests.
• C Boone Jenner had his points streak snapped at three games (1-3-4) tonight.  He has registered 8-6-14 in his last 14 contests since November 4.
• C Kent Johnson has collected points in two of his last three contests (1-1-2) and has 3-4-7 in his last 10 games.  He ranks fourth-T among NHL rookies in goals, sixth-T in points-per-game (min. 10 GP) and seventh-T in points with 6-7-13 in 21 contests (.62 ppg).
• LW/RW Patrik Laine registered an assist tonight and has notched 3-3-6 in his last seven games played.
• RW Kirill Marchenko and D Tim Berni made their NHL debuts Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh.  It was the sixth instance in CBJ history that the club has two players from the same Draft class (2018 – Marchenko-2^nd; Berni-6^th) made their NHL debut in the same game and the first not to take place in a season opener.
• LW Gustav Nyquist has collected 1-6-7 in his last 11 contests.

BLUE JACKETS MILESTONES

• G Joonas Korpisalo is eight games from 200 for his NHL career (80-72-22, 192 GP).
• C Sean Kuraly is one game from 100 for his CBJ career (20-19-39, 99 GP).
• C Jack Roslovic is seven assists from 100 for his NHL career (61-93-154, 330 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

• D Jake Bean (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve (Nov. 17); out 4-to-6 months (9 games)
• D Nick Blankenburg (ankle) is on Injured Reserve (Nov. 10); 6-to-8 weeks (11 games)
• D Adam Boqvist (broken foot) is on Injured Reserve (Oct. 26); 6-weeks (16 games)
• D Jake Christiansen (illness) is day-to-day (1 game)
• C/RW Justin Danforth (torn labrum) is on Injured Reserve (Oct. 25); 6 months (18 games)
• LW Jakub Voracek (upper body) is on Injured Reserve (Nov. 4); out indefinitely (13 games)
• D Zach Werenski (shoulder separation/torn labrum) is on Injured Reserve (Nov. 10); out 6 months (11 games)

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 135

COURTESY CBJ COMMUNICATIONS