The Blue Jackets are riding high after last night's overtime win over the Ottawa Senators, their first win in eight games. Tonight, the Blue Jackets will look to build on that performance against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
 |
| MINNESOTA WILD |
|
29–25–7 (65 points) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
|
|
|
8 P.M. – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 XCEL ENERGY CENTER SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA |
|
|
|
FOX SPORTS OHIO FOX SPORTS GO |
The Wild have played well as of late, capturing 13 points in their last 10 games but their playoff hopes are fading fast. GM Bill Guerin was also a seller at the trade deadline, with Jason Zucker, one of the team's offensive producers, being traded from Minnesota to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Zucker is not the only Wild player who was recently sent packing. Minnesota also fired head coach Bruce Boudreau last week, with the club naming assistant coach Dean Evason as interim head coach.
With so much in flux for the Minnesota Wild, the Blue Jackets have an opportunity to build off the momentum from Monday's win and capture two crucial points on the road. They finally snapped a long losing skid with an overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday, and tonight, they expect new acquisition Devin Shore to make his debut (which comes at an important time).
Here's a look at tonight's projected lines for the Blue Jackets:
Forwards
Nyquist–Dubois–Foligno
Matteau–Jenner–Gerbe
Thurkauf–Shore–Bemstrom
Robinson–Stenlund–Lilja
Defenseman
Werenski–Nutivaara
Gavrikov–Savard
Harrington–Peeke
Goaltender: Korpisalo
Storylines
- SHORE'S DEBUT. The Blue Jackets' only trade deadline acquisition, Devin Shore, is projected to make his first start tonight in Saint Paul. Columbus acquired Shore in a late-day deal that sent Sonny Milano to the Anaheim Ducks. Shore has 4-6-10 in 39 games this season and can play all three forward positions.
- HOME-AND-HOME SERIES. Minnesota and Columbus, who only meet twice each season, will play both of their games against each other in one four-day span. The home-and-home series gives Columbus the great chance to bank points against a familiar opponent at a crucial point in the season.
- INJURY WOES CONTINUE. The Blue Jackets, no stranger to injuries this season, lost two more players in last night's game. Elvis Merzlikins left the Ottawa game after a collision with Anthony Duclair and Riley Nash headed to the locker room after a hit from Andreas Englund. The Blue Jackets now must face even more injury adversity in their hunt for a berth in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
