Game Preview: Blue Jackets Riding Seven-Game Point Streak As Road Trip Continues With Battle Against Panthers

With points in seven straight games (4-0-3), the Columbus Blue Jackets (33-21-10) look to make it an eight-game point streak Thursday night when they face the Florida Panthers (32-29-3).

It's the second of a three-game road trip for the Blue Jackets. 

It's also their second meeting in as many weeks against the Panthers; Columbus defeated Florida 4-2 last Thursday at Nationwide Arena.

If the Blue Jackets get the win, they have the chance to move into a tie for the final wild card spot in a jumbled Eastern Conference playoff picture. For that to happen, they'd also need a regulation loss by the Boston Bruins. They're at home against the San Jose Sharks with a 7:00 p.m. faceoff.

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For now, all the Blue Jackets can do is focus on themselves.

Sean Monahan knows that.

“You got to step up right now,” Monahan said. “We’re fighting for our lives to get in a playoff spot. That’s why you play the games."

Here are five things to know before the 7:00 p.m. puck-drop:

• Since last Thursday's loss to the Blue Jackets, the Panthers have had just two games: a pair of wins in a home-and-home against the Detroit Red Wings. ... Sam Reinhart leads the team in goals (28), assists (31), and points (59), but veteran Brad Marchand is right behind him with 27-27-54. ... No goalie announcement has been made yet, but expect Sergei Bobrovsky to get the start. He's 23-19-1 as a starter this season but has had a down year by his standards, posting a 3.08 goals against average and just an .876 save percentage.
   
• Last week's acquisition of Conor Garland has already paid off in a huge way. After what was a down year for him with the Vancouver Canucks, Garland had just seven goals in 50 games before his trade to the Jackets. In just three games, he's already got four goals in the union blue. His 40% shooting rate won't stick, but the early indications are — to no one's surprise — Garland is a big boost for this team.
   
• Elvis Merzlikins makes the start again, and the Blue Jackets have picked up at least a point in each of his last four starts. He stopped 16 of 18 shots Tuesday night against the Lightning in Columbus' 5-2 win. For the season, Elvis is 13-9-2 with a 3.46 goals against average and .884 save percentage.
   
• Kirill Marchenko's next goal will be the 100th of his career, and he's also just two assists shy of 100 in the NHL, too. He's scored in back-to-back games, is on a six-game point streak (four goals and five assists), and has at least a point in 11 of his last 12 games (six goals, nine assists, 15 points).
   
• Dmitri Voronkov is back in the lineup for the first time in three games, coming in for Danton Heinen and playing on the fourth line. Voronkov is without a point in his last seven games and has just one goal and two assists (three points) in 16 games since Rick Bowness took over as coach. Here are the complete projections: