| FLA | CBJ | |
|---|---|---|
| 14-14-0 | ROAD / HOME | 16-8-5 |
| 2.98 | GOALS FOR | 3.12 |
| 3.34 | GOALS AGAINST | 3.17 |
| 19.3% | POWER PLAY | 19.6% |
| 82.4% | PENALTY KILL | 77.2% |
| 29.1 | SHOTS FOR | 29.9 |
| 26.2 | SHOTS AGAINST | 30.1 |
| 47.7% | FACEOFF % | 50.6% |
| FLORIDA: LAST THREE GAMES | ||
| FRI, 2/27 | vs. Sabres | L, 3-2 |
| SUN, 3/1 | @ Islanders | L, 5-4 |
| TUE, 3/3 | @ Devils | L, 5-1 |
| FLORIDA: TEAM LEADERS | ||
| GOALS | Sam Reinhart | 28 |
| ASSISTS | Sam Reinhart | 29 |
| POINTS | Sam Reinhart | 57 |
| ODDS & PROJECTIONS | ||
| CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: | 56.1% | |
| CBJ ODDS PER DRAFTKINGS: | -115 | |
The four-game homestand continues on Thursday at Nationwide Arena as the Columbus Blue Jackets (31-21-8) host the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers (30-28-3).
Columbus is 2-1-1 since the return from the Olympic break, with their last win coming on Tuesday with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, in which the Blue Jackets scored twice in the first 6:07 of the third period.
The Blue Jackets, winners of two straight, are in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, five points behind the third-place New York Islanders. Columbus is three points behind the Boston Bruins for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot.
It's been a tough year for the Panthers, who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference with 63 points and might end up selling key pieces before Friday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. They enter play on a three-game losing streak, having lost four of their last five games overall.
Here are five things to know before the 7:00 p.m. puck-drop:
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Jet Greaves is set to go between the pipes after Tuesday's performance, in which he made 21 saves and came away with his seventh win in his last eight starts. Greaves briefly left Tuesday's game in the first period due to concussion protocol after getting bumped by Nick Blankenburg, but was able to return in the period.
-
Zach Werenski is considered a game-time decision (illness) after missing the last two games. Neither he nor Dante Fabbro participated in Thursday's morning skate, as Fabro is also a game-time decision. Boone Jenner participated in line rushes and is expected to play after missing Tuesday's game due to what was initially described as maintenance but later clarified by head coach Rick Bowness to be a lower-body injury.
-
Similar to last season's second-half surge, Adam Fantilli comes rolling into Thursday's contest with seven points (four goals, three assists) in five straight and six of the last seven games (four goals, four assists). His four-game goal-scoring streak ties a career high.
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Kirill Marchenko has four points over the last two games (two goals, two assists) and has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven of the last eight games. Marchenko and the Jackets will hope that continues as Columbus looks for revenge following Florida's 7-6 overtime win on Dec. 6.
- Here are the complete lineup projections based on tonight's game, though changes are certainly possible:
| LW | C | RW | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Mason Marchment | 19 | Adam Fantilli | 86 | Kirill Marchenko |
| 91 | Kent Johnson | 23 | Sean Monahan | 38 | Boone Jenner |
| 4 | Cole Sillinger | 3 | Charlie Coyle | 24 | Mathieu Olivier |
| 10 | Dmitri Voronkov | 21 | Isac Lundeström | 11 | Miles Wood |
| LD | RD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Denton Mateychuk | 78 | Damon Severson |
| 6 | Egor Zamula | 9 | Ivan Provorov |
| 2 | Jake Christiansen | 44 | Erik Gudbranson |
| Starting Goalie | Back-Up | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | Jet Greaves | 90 | Elvis Merzlikins |
