COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. DETROIT RED WINGS

TV:  Bally Sports Ohio           Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)              
Radio:  105.7 FM                    Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 7-5-0, 14 pts. (6^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.08 Goals-For/3.08 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.1 Shots-For/34.8 Shots-Against

Power Play:  21.2 percent (15^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  81.1 percent (19^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.7 PIM (7^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-0-0 (1-0)

DETROIT RED WINGS

2021-22 Record: 8-6-2, 18 pts. (3^rd, Atlantic Division)

Goals:  2.88 Goals-For/3.13 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.3 Shots-For/34.3 Shots-Against

Power Play:  15.4 percent (24^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  75.9 percent (24^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  9.4 PIM (20^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 3-2-0 (0-0)

Players to Watch:  LW Tyler Bertuzzi, who recorded 20-goals in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, leads the team in goals and points with 9-7-16 in 13 GP this season… LW Lucas Raymond (6-9-15 in 16 GP) and D Moritz Seider (2-10-12 in 16 GP) rank first and second among NHL rookies in both assists and points this season… Parma, OH native G Alex Nedeljkovic is 21-9-6 with a 2.19 GAA and .925 SV% in 38 career games, including a 4-2-2 record with a 2.78 GAA and .918 SV% in nine appearances this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 43-47-14 in 104 all-time meetings, including 25-20-8 at home… Of Note: The Blue Jackets went 4-3-1 in eight games against the Red Wings in 2020-21 (3-1-0 at home)… Columbus is 15-5-1 against Detroit since 2016-17… CBJ are 14-4-1 in the last 19 games vs. the Wings at Nationwide Arena dating back to Mar. 28, 2012 and the club has earned victories in five of the last six meetings in Ohio… Each team has recorded three hat tricks in the all-time series, with Rick Nash notching the most recent one on Mar. 7, 2009 (8-2 W at DET)… Columbus has posted eight of the 21 shutouts in the series, as the teams each picked up their most recent shutout in a 1-0 SO CBJ win on Apr. 27, 2021 (CBJ-Merzlikins, 41; DET-Greiss, 33).

This Season (CBJ, 0-1-0)

Oct. 19, 2021 – at DET 4, CBJ 1

Nov. 15, 2021 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)

Apr. 9, 2022 – at Detroit (7 p.m.)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets dropped a back-to-back set on Friday (4-3 vs. Washington) and Saturday (5-3 vs. NY Rangers) over the weekend.  It’s the first time the club has lost two consecutive games this season… CBJ (1-2-0) conclude their four-game homestand on Monday vs. the Red Wings… Following Monday’s contest, Columbus plays 7-of-9 games from Nov. 18-Dec. 4 and 13-of-17 from Nov. 18-Dec. 20 on the road… Friday’s game vs. Washington kicked off a stretch of three games in four days and 10 games (5H, 5 A) over November’s final 19 days… CBJ have posted a league-high four victories when trailing entering the third period this season (4-2-0), including recording a win when trailing heading into the final 20 minutes in three-straight games from October 31-November 6…. The Blue Jackets are 4-0-0 in games decided after regulation this season (3-0-0 in OT, 1-0 in SO).  Last season, CBJ went 3-9 in OT and 3-3- in SO… Columbus had the youngest season-opening roster in average age at 25.71.  New Jersey (25.74) was the only other team to have an average age of its roster younger than 26-years-old… CBJ also had the most diverse roster to open the season with 10 countries represented.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

The Blue Jackets have had 14 different players record goals this season, while 20-of-23 skaters have recorded at least one point… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand has a point in five-straight contests (2-4-6), one game shy of tying his career best (3x, MR: Feb. 10-20, 2020).  He leads the club in scoring and multi-point outings with 5-10-15 and four multi-point efforts in 12 games… C Boone Jenner had his four-game point streak (2-2-4) snapped on Saturday and leads the team in goals with 6-2-8 in 12 games.  He scored eight goals in 41 outings a season ago… G Elvis Merzlikins is 5-2-0 on the campaign with a 2.42 GAA and .929 SV% and had his five-game home win streak snapped in Saturday’s loss (5-1-0, 2.16 GAA, .936 SV%)… LW Eric Robinson collected a point for a career-best third consecutive outing (1-2-3) with a goal on Saturday… C Alexandre Texier has picked up points in three-straight games (2-1-3) after collecting a goal on Saturday (4-1-5, 12 GP)… RW Jakub Voracek notched his first goal with the Blue Jackets since Mar. 9, 2011 vs. St. Louis (27 GP) and stretched his point streak to five contests (1-6-7) with a tally on Saturday.

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is eight points from 200 in his NHL career (88-104-192, 314 GP).

•     C Alexandre Texier is one games from 100 in his NHL career (15-19-34, 99 GP).

•     D Zach Werenski is four points from 200 for his NHL career (67-129-196, 347 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     RW Emil Bemstrom (left oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Oct. 14) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

•     D Dean Kukan (wrist fracture; Injured Reserve on Oct. 26) is expected to miss 8 weeks

•     C Max Domi (COVID Protocols on Nov. 1)

•     LW Patrik Laine (oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Nov. 5) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 34

COURTESY CBJ COMMUNICATIONS