Update 2:40pm EST
Aaron Portzline of the Athletic and Jeff Svoboda of NHL.com have both confirmed that
Winger Patrik Laine is back in the lineup against Arizona, skating with Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner. Additionally, Daniil Tarasov will get his second consecutive start against Arizona.
Per Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch:
Winger Justin Danforth has suffered a torn labrum against Pittsburgh, missing the next six months, his season is most likely done.
Great to see Laine back and early, but tough break to lose maybe the top veteran of the preseason for the year in only his second full North American season.
There has been some action, attention, and milestones being thrown toward Nationwide Boulevard. Let’s back track before we move forward. Here, we will cover the results of the games against Nashville, Pittsburgh, and the New York Rangers. There were some career milestones that were noted over the past several games. The rumor mill is back, and the Jackets are buying. Preview of the Coyotes game tomorrow will conclude the blog.
Let’s start with the results against Nashville:
CBJ P5 — Comeback Win 2
The Union Blue comeback against Smashville in a 5-3 victory with a 4 goal third period as the headline.
Nashville opened the scoring on the road in front of the Columbus faithful with a snapper from sophomore Tanner Jeannot for his second of the season. His linemates, Colton Sissons and Yakov Trenin, had the assists on the first of the game. (3:16)
Halfway through the first, forward Ryan Johansen potted his second of the season with a backhander. Mattias Ekholm and Nino Niederreiter had the helpers for Joey’s goal. (10:45)
Columbus opened the second period of scoring with their first
Of the game, coming defenseman Jake Bean for his first of the season. First rounders Kent Johnson and Yegor Chinakov had the apples for the opening Jackets’ goal. (36:09)
Preds’ winger Trenin responded just 90 seconds later to reacquire the 2 goal lead for his first of the season. Jeannot and Sissons had the assists. (37:38)
Johnny Jacket begins the Columbus comeback for his third of the season, Nick Blankenburg got his first point of the season with for lone assist on the Gaudreau goal. (40:38)
Justin Danforth evened the game with his 2nd of the season; Chinakov and Andrew Peeke got the apples on the game tying goal. (52:07)
Blankenburg got the game winning goal for his first of the year; forwards Jakub Voracek and Jack Roslovic had the cookies on the play. (58:37)
In the last minute, Gaudreau got an empty netter got his second of the game and 4th of the season; Gustav Nyquist had the lone assist. (59:14)
Matt Duchene was my player to watch for Nashville, going pointless against the team he had the most playoff success with to date. Duchene had a minor penalty with 4 shots on goal, recording a -2 in 20:45TOI.
Kevin Lankinen was the goaltender of choice for Nashville, allowing 4 goals on 41 shots faced for a 0.902 save percentage (90.2 SV%).
Mathieu Oliver was my player to watch for Columbus, being a former player under Nashville until July. Oliver was a -1 rating with one shot and 2 hits in 9:56TOI.
Elvis Merzlikins stopped 23 of 26 shots for a 0.885 save percentage (88.5 SV%).
CBJ THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Johnny Gaudreau — 2 goals (4)
2. Nick Blankenburg — GWG (1), assist (1)
3. Jake Bean — goal (1)
CBJ P6 — Proven Penguins
In the final game of the home stand, the Pittsburgh Penguins comeback to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 6-3.
Columbus opened scoring courtesy of the captain getting his first of the season. Boone Jenner’s goal was assisted by Johnny Gaudreau. (7:13)
Late in the first, Jack Roslovic extended the home team’s lead with his first of the season with an unassisted goal. (18:44)
Josh Archibald got his first goal back in Pittsburgh with an early second period goal. Ryan Phoeling got his first assist as a Penguin. (23:43)
Kent Johnson concluded the Columbus scoring with his first career goal on a smooth silky backhander. Roslovic had the lone assist.(23:57)
Pittsburgh came back with 5 unanswered goals in 24 minutes and 47 seconds.
Two second period goal came in 4 minutes and 15 seconds.
Jan Rutta, the Allen Walsh client, had his second goal as a Penguin with the assist from Kasperi Kapanen.
Danton Heinen evened the game with his second of the season. Sidney Crosby and Marcus Petterson had the assists.
Crosby had the game winning goal with his third of the season. Brian Dummolin had the game winning assist.
Heinen had his second of the game for his third of the season; Crosby and Pierre-Oliver Joseph had the assist.
Brock McGinn had the final goal for his first of the season; Kapanen and Rutta had the helpers.
Tristan Jarry had 29 saves on 32 shots faced for a 0.906 save percentage.
Elvis Merzlikins had 33 saves on 39 shots for a 0.846 save percentage.
CBJ THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Jack Roslovic — goal (1), assist (1)
2. Kent Johnson — first career goal
3. Boone Jenner — goal (1)
CBJ P7 — Magic in MSG
Daniil Tarasov gets his first career win with a win over the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden by the final score of 5-1.
Columbus got three goals before the halfway mark, covering 8 minutes and 6 seconds of ice time.
Late in the first, defenseman Zach Werenski got his second of the regular season with the lone assist coming from Liam Foudy for his first point of the season in his first game.
Andrew Peeke got an early second period goal for his first of the season; Jack Roslovic and Jakub Voracek had the helpers.
The leading preseason goal scorer Yegor Chinakov had his first of the regular season; Foudy and Jake Bean had the assists.
Artemi Panarin closed the shutout hopes with his 4th of the season. The power play goal was unassisted and the only Ranger goal.
Eric Robinson responded in the third period with his first of the season; Erik Gubdranson and Sean Kuraly had the assists.
Kent Johnson had the final goal of the game for his second of the campaign; Voracek and Roslovic had the apples.
Jaroslav Halak allowed all five goals on 21 shots faced for a 0.762 save percentage.
Daniil Tarasov had 30 saves on 31 shots faced for a 0.968 save percentage.
CBJ THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Daniil Tarasov — first career win 96.8 SV%
2. Andrew Peeke — GWG (1)
3. Liam Foudy — 2 assists (2)
Milestone Corner
Against St. Louis, Gaudreau earned his 400th career assist.
On Saturday, Kent Johnson got his first career NHL goal against Tristan Jarry and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On Sunday, against the New York Rangers, Columbus goaltender Daniil Tarasov got his first career win inside Madison Square Garden.
Additionally, Sean Kuraly got his 100th career NHL point against the Rangers with a secondary assist on Eric Robinson’s goal.
Furthermore, Jack Roslovic got his 150th career point with a primary assist on the Andrew Peeke game winning goal against the Rangers.
Finally, Elvis Merzlikins got his 50th career win against the Nashville Predators.
Trade Rumors:
Per Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet: “The Leafs, Senators, Islanders, Oilers, and Blue Jackets have been linked to Jacob Chychrun.”
Per Aaron Portzline of the Athletic: “The Blue Jackets may need to make a trade for a right hand defenseman”
CBJ G8 — Arizona Coyotes
The Columbus Blue Jackets return to their home turf to do battle with the tanking Arizona Coyotes at Nationwide Arena.
Arizona made moves by acquiring a plethora of draft picks and overpaid NHL salaries. Adding Zach Kassian and Patrick Nemeth were done via trade with future picks in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 drafts. They also signed forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jean-Sebastian Dea; defensemen Josh Brown and Troy Stecher; and goalie Jon Gillies. They also claimed defenseman Jusso Valimaki off waivers from Calgary and goalie Connor Ingram off waivers from Nashville.
For the Columbus lineup tonight, Nick Blankenburg and Justin Danforth remain day-to-day with their upper-body injuries. Still, no time table for Joonas Korpisalo and Joona Luoto; Laine remains on track for early November, just in time for the Global Series games in Finland.
Additionally, Gavin Bayreuther has been recalled from Cleveland due to the defensive injuries.
Projected Lineups
Arizona Coyotes
Clayton Keller—Travis Boyd—Lawson Crouse
Mattias Maccelli—Nick Bjugstad—Christian Fischer
Nick Ritchie—Jack McBain—Dylan Guenther
Liam O’Brien—Barrett Hayton—Zach Kassian
Janis-James Moser—Dysin Mayo
Jusso Valimaki—Troy Stecher
Shayne Gostisbehere—Josh Brown
Karel Vejmelka
Connor Ingram
Scratched — Patrick Nemeth
Injured — Jacob Chychrun, Nick Schmaltz, Andrew Ladd, Connor Timmins, Bryan Little
Columbus Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau—Boone Jenner—Gustav Nyquist
Kent Johnson—Jack Roslovic—Jakub Voracek
Liam Foudy—Cole Sillinger—Yegor Chinakov
Eric Robinson—Sean Kuraly—Mathieu Oliver
Zach Werenski—Adam Boqvist
Vladislav Gavrikov—Andrew Peeke
Jake Bean—Erik Gubdranson
Elvis Merzlikins
Daniil Tarasov
Scratched — Gavin Bayreuther
Injured — Justin Danforth, Nick Blankenburg, Patrik Laine, Joonas Korpisalo, Joona Luoto
Players to Watch
Arizona — Dylan Guenther — their first round pick from the 2021 draft, the former Oil King will be a dynamic forward, so get your eyes on him early.
Columbus — Cole Sillinger — gone pointless this far into the season, the sophomore slump is real and it is needed for him to produce to get any success for the Union Blue.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»