PREVIEW: Blue Jackets are back in Nationwide Arena to host Islanders

Scratches: Kent Johnson, Jake Christiansen, Egor Zamula

Injured Reserve: D Brendan Smith (knee surgical procedure, out three to 4 months as of Jan. 8)

Roster Report: The Blue Jackets will make one change to the skater lineup, placing Heinen in for Johnson, whereas Greaves will get the beginning in web for the primary time after the break.

This Day in CBJ History

Feb. 28, 2001: The Blue Jackets defeat Phoenix by a 5-2 rating in Nationwide Arena, with Marc Denis dealing with the primary penalty shot in workforce historical past and denying Jeremy Roenick in the second interval. Steve Heinze turns into the second CBJ participant in the inaugural season to rating his twentieth objective, becoming a member of Geoff Sanderson, whereas Robert Kron turns into the primary participant in workforce historical past with three assists in a recreation.

Feb. 28, 2004: Denis makes one other penalty shot save, this time denying Colorado’s Paul Kariya, throughout a wild 5-4 additional time win vs. the Avs in Nationwide Arena. David Vyborny (1-4-5) ties a workforce file with 5 factors, whereas Jaroslav Spacek scores the additional time winner on the ability play, the third OT PPG in his CBJ profession.

Feb. 28, 2011: Columbus acquires ahead Scottie Upshall and defenseman Sami Lepisto in a commerce with Phoenix, sending the primary draft choose in workforce historical past, Rostislav Klesla, and middle Dane Byers to the Coyotes. Klesla finishes his CBJ profession with 515 video games performed, scoring 41 objectives amongst his 133 factors.

Feb. 28, 2019: Seth Jones scores with 33 seconds left in additional time because the Blue Jackets take a 4-3 win over Philadelphia at Nationwide Arena. It’s the seventh OT winner of Jones’ profession, breaking a tie with Rick Nash for probably the most in workforce historical past.

Feb. 28, 2023: Eric Robinson notches his first profession hat trick, scoring three objectives in a 5-3 victory at Buffalo. Earlier in the day, the workforce traded Gustav Nyquist to Minnesota for a 2023 fifth-round draft choose.

Feb. 28, 2024: Boone Jenner turns into the primary CBJ participant to attain the 700 video games performed milestone in a contest on the New York Rangers.

The Numbers Game

Zach Werenski is the one NHL defenseman with a minimum of 20 objectives (20) and 60 factors (63) on the season, putting second amongst league blueliners in each classes. Werenski has an eight-game level streak (2-September 11) and factors in 21 of the final 23 video games (11-22-33) in addition to 32 of the final 37 (16-36-52). He leads NHL defensemen in multipoint video games (20, tied for eighth in NHL) and is the fourth lively NHL defenseman with three-plus 20-goal seasons. … Kirill Marchenko notched his twentieth objective of the season Thursday, making him the primary participant to start his NHL profession with 4 straight 20-goal seasons with the Blue Jackets. He’s additionally simply one among 4 Blue Jackets in workforce historical past (Rick Nash, 8; Cam Atkinson, 6; RJ Umberger, 4) with 4 20-goal seasons. …Charlie Coyle has 9 objectives and 17 factors in the previous 13 video games, putting him tied for fifth in the NHL in tallies in that span. He has a 5-7-12 line in the final seven contests and 6 video games with a minimum of three factors this season. … With 9 objectives since becoming a member of the workforce, Mason Marchment has set a brand new franchise file for a participant in his first 15 video games with the Blue Jackets. He had two assists Thursday. … Adam Fantilli has a 2-6-8 line in the final seven video games whereas Marchment and Mathieu Olivier every have 4 objectives in that span. … Goaltender Jet Greaves has gained six straight begins with two shutouts and posted a .923 save share in his final seven appearances, whereas Elvis Merzlikins has a .916 save share in his final seven video games. … Blue Jackets defensemen have scored 44 objectives this season, probably the most in the NHL. … Columbus has scored the primary objective in 20 of the final 26 contests and 35 of 57 video games general. …The Blue Jackets are 5-1 in shootouts this 12 months. …Miles Wood is one objective away from 100 in his NHL profession.

Know The Foe: New York Islanders

Head coach: Patrick Roy (Third season)

Team stats: Goals per recreation: 2.86 (twenty second) | Scoring protection: 2.71 (third) | PP: 16.1 p.c (T-Twenty seventh) | PK: 81.5 p.c (ninth)

The narrative: Former Blue Jacket Mathieu Darche’s first season in cost has been charmed, as a workforce that completed sixth in the Metro a season in the past has been one of many surprises of the league. The Islanders began to construct for the longer term by making three first-round draft picks this summer season, together with No. 1 general selection Matthew Schaefer after successful the draft lottery, and his spectacular rookie season has helped lead the Islanders right into a playoff spot two-thirds of the best way by means of the season.

Scoring leaders: Mat Barzal has helped lead the workforce’s current cost, posting a 7-15-22 line in the final 18 video games to now lead the Isles on the season with 52 factors, together with 17 objectives. Schaefer’s put collectively an unimaginable season for an 18-year-old rookie, notching 18 objectives and 41 factors to place third amongst NHL defensemen in objectives. Bo Horvat has a team-high 24 objectives in 45 video games, whereas 5 others (Emil Heineman, 15; Jean-Gabriel Pageau, 13; Simon Holmström, 13; Anthony Duclair, 12; Anders Lee, 12) have double digits in tallies.

In web: Coming off 4 consecutive top-10 finishes in the Vezina voting, Ilya Sorokin might win it this 12 months, as he leads the NHL with six shutouts. He’s posted a 21-13-2 file with a 2.45 GAA and .915 save share whereas main the league in objectives saved above anticipated. David Rittich has confirmed to be a shrewd pickup to function the No. 2, because the veteran Czech netminder is 12-8-3 with a 2.57 GAA and .900 SV%.

What’s new: While the Islanders have been a little bit of a shock this 12 months, they’ve proven no indicators of slowing down. New York has gained three in a row coming into this one and 6 of eight general, together with a 4-3 OT victory Thursday at Montreal thanks to a late equalizer from Lee and Pageau’s winner. The Islanders have been with out forwards Pierre Engvall and Kyle Palmieri, defenseman Alexander Romanov and goalie Semyon Varlamov long run, however they’ve discovered a combination that works.

Trending: The groups have break up the primary two video games of the season collection, with the Islanders rallying to win by a 3-2 rating Nov. 2 on Long Island earlier than the Blue Jackets claimed a 4-2 win at Nationwide Arena on Dec. 28. Columbus has gained three straight in opposition to the Islanders in Nationwide Arena.

Former CBJ: Duclair has a 12-14-26 line and scored eight objectives in January, whereas Adam Boqvist has performed 20 video games with an help.