PREVIEW: Blue Jackets continue opening homestand vs. Red Wings

Experience the most bizarre hockey game you’ll ever witness, as the Blue Jackets triumphed against all odds on Saturday night.

The first period alone saw three goals overturned: two for the New York Rangers and one for the Blue Jackets. Despite starting goalie Elvis Merzlikins leaving in the second period due to illness, Spencer Martin stepped in and secured the victory in the final 20 minutes.

While the game didn’t unfold as expected, one thing remained consistent for the Blue Jackets: their unwavering effort. After a disappointing performance and loss to the Flyers in their previous game, Columbus knew they had to change their approach to avoid falling to a 0-2 record.

“Tonight was pivotal for us,” remarked captain Boone Jenner following his hat trick. “We were displeased with our game against Philly. With another home game on a Saturday night, we wanted to deliver a much better effort. I think everyone stepped it up tonight.”

The third period was far from pretty, with Columbus being outshot 17-2. This was partly due to the Blue Jackets rallying to support Martin in goal. However, the team recognized and appreciated their response against the Rangers and are looking to build upon it in their upcoming game against the Red Wings.

“I believed we managed the game quite well in the first two periods, but we became a bit tight in the third,” explained head coach Pascal Vincent. “Nevertheless, it’s progress – learning how to win and bouncing back from a loss. I’m genuinely pleased with the response.”

Know The Foe: Detroit Red Wings

Head coach: Derek Lalonde (Second season)

2022-23 Stats: Goals per game: 2.89 (24th) | Scoring defense: 3.35 (22nd) | PP: 21.1 percent (17th) | PK: 78.3 percent (18th)

The narrative: The Red Wings deserve credit for their consistency, maintaining a streak of 25 consecutive playoff appearances until the 2015-16 season. However, they have failed to make the playoffs for the past seven campaigns. Despite the implementation of the Yzerplan, named after esteemed team legend Steve Yzerman, who now serves as the executive vice president and general manager, the Red Wings are still struggling to establish themselves as postseason contenders. Their season began with a loss to the New Jersey Devils but was followed by a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2022-23 leaders: Detroit retains some key players, including captain Dylan Larkin. However, they experienced major changes during the offseason, with departures such as Dominik Kubalik and Pius Suter and trades involving Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek. Larkin had an impressive season last year, leading the team with 32 goals, 47 assists, and 79 points. Veteran David Perron achieved a 24-32-56 line in his debut season with Detroit. Additionally, Lucas Raymond recorded a 17-28-45 line in his second NHL campaign, while defenseman Moritz Seider contributed five goals and 37 assists. In goal, Ville Husso maintained a 26-22-7 record, with a 3.11 GAA and .896 save percentage.

What’s new: Detroit secured a significant acquisition by bringing in high-scoring winger Alex DeBrincat during the offseason. DeBrincat has already made an impact with a 3-1-4 line in the first two games. Other notable additions include forward Daniel Sprong, who has scored in each game, J.T. Compher, a Stanley Cup winner from 2022, and Christian Fischer, Justin Holl, Shayne Gostisbehere, and James Reimer.

Trending: In the previous season, Detroit won two out of three matchups against the Blue Jackets, both held in Nationwide Arena. However, the series concluded with a 4-3 victory for Columbus in the Motor City, largely thanks to a hat trick from Patrik Laine. The Wings had previously witnessed the Blue Jackets attain an impressive 17-5-1 record over the span of six seasons.

Former CBJ: None

3 Stats to Know

• Kirill Marchenko, who only managed four assists in 59 games last year, has already recorded three assists in the first two games of the season. Marchenko became the first player in Blue Jackets’ history to score at least 15 goals in a season with fewer than 10 assists.
• During Saturday night’s game, David Jiricek scored his first career goal, joining an elite group of teenage defensemen in Blue Jackets’ history.
• Keep an eye out for these milestones: Patrik Laine is one goal away from reaching 200 in his NHL career (199-182-381, 464 GP). Adam Boqvist is one game shy of his 100th appearance for the Blue Jackets (16-30-46, 99 GP). Andrew Peeke is four games away from achieving his 200th NHL game (9-25-34, 196 GP).

Who’s Hot

Boone Jenner secured a hat trick in Saturday’s game, marking the second of his career and the 47th in Blue Jackets’ history. With 26 goals last season, Jenner joined the ranks of Blue Jackets’ greats Nash, Vyborny, Umberger, Atkinson, and Bjorkstrand as one of the few players with three or more 20-goal seasons. Additionally, several players have recorded multiple points so far, including Laine (1-1-2), Jake Bean (1-1-2), Johnny Gaudreau (0-2-2), and Ivan Provorov (0-2-2). Gaudreau impressively achieved 20 multipoint games last season and contributed two primary assists in the win against the Rangers. Furthermore, goalie Elvis Merzlikins boasts a .950 save percentage, having stopped 57 of the 60 shots he faced.

This Day in CBJ History

Oct. 16, 2019: In a match against the Dallas Stars, Columbus triumphed with a 3-2 victory at Nationwide Arena. The game showcased Sonny Milano’s mesmerizing between-the-legs goal during the third period, sealed by additional goals from Miro Heiskanen and Joe Pavelski.

Oct. 16, 2021: Patrik Laine’s overtime goal propelled the Blue Jackets to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken in Nationwide Arena. This marked the first-ever meeting between the two teams and further solidified Columbus’ 2-0 start to the season.

Roster Report

Projected Lineup (subject to change)

Adam Fantilli – Patrik Laine – Alexandre Texier
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Kirilll Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Cole Sillinger – Justin Danforth
Jack Roslovic – Sean Kuraly – Emil Bemstrom
Jake Bean – Erik Gudranson
Ivan Provorov – David Jiricek
Adam Boqvist – Damon Severson
Spencer Martin
Jet Greaves

Scratches: F Liam Foudy, F Mathieu Olivier, D Andrew Peeke, G Elvis Merzlikins (stomach bug)

Injured reserve/Injured Non-Roster: Zach Werenski (quad contusion, out one to two weeks as of Oct. 13), Yegor Chinakhov (back strain, week to week), Jordan Dumais (upper body, day to day), Daniil Tarasov (knee, week to week)

Roster Report: The Blue Jackets made five changes to the lineup during Saturday’s game, resulting in a victory. Roslovic and Bemstrom may feature in the upcoming game, potentially replacing Foudy and Olivier. Greaves has been called up on emergency recall due to Merzlikins’ absence.