Game Preview: Blue Jackets, Hurricanes Meet For First Time This Season As Columbus Wraps Up Road Trip

Two days after being held off the scoreboard for the first time this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets hit the ice again Tuesday night as they wrap up a three-game road trip with a stop in Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes.

Here are five things to know before the 7:30 p.m. puck-drop:

• This is the final game of a long, seven-game homestand for the Canes. They're 3-3-0 so far, most recently losing 4-1 to the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. ... With 16 on the season, Seth Jarvis is the only Carolina skater to hit double-digits in the goal department so far this season. Sebastian Aho, with nine, becomes their second with his next goal. ... Brandon Bussi gets the start in net for the Hurricanes. He's been great this season, going 8-1-0 in nine starts with a 2.21 goals against average and .903 save percentage.
   
• The Blue Jackets may have been shut out for the first time this season in their 2-0 loss Sunday to the Washington Capitals but had 39 shots on goal — tied for their third-highest shots on goal total of the season. They were stymied by a hot goalie. “It’s a little unlucky,” said forward Kirill Marchenko. 
   
• Blue Jackets defensemen Zach Werenski (9) and Denton Mateychuk (6) have combined for 15 of Columbus' 22 goals from blueliners this season. That's just one behind the Capitals for the most team goals by defensemen this season.
   
• Columbus continues to play relatively strong hockey at 5-on-5. Despite the loss Sunday, they generated 53.9% of the shot attempts at even-strength. It's the sixth time in the last eight games in which the Blue Jackets have been at or over 50% in that category.
   
• The Blue Jackets were off Monday, so any lineup changes may not drop until later in the day. Here are the complete projections: