The Columbus Blue Jackets face off against the Ottawa Senators tonight at the Canadian Tire Centre. Here's a look at the projected lineups, considering recent performances and injury updates.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets (16-15-6) are coming off an impressive comeback victory against the New York Islanders, scoring three goals in the final five minutes to secure a 3-2 win. This momentum could be crucial as they head into tonight's game against the Senators.
Forwards: * Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko * Dmitri Voronkov - Sean Monahan - Miles Wood * Boone Jenner - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier * Kent Johnson - Brendan Gaunce - Cole Sillinger
Defense: * Denton Mateychuk - Damon Severson * Ivan Provorov - Dante Fabbro * Jake Christiansen - Brendan Smith
Goaltenders: * Elvis Merzlikins * Jet Greaves
Injury Notes: Zach Werenski is on injured reserve and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He is not expected to play tonight. The Blue Jackets have been plagued with injuries this season. Erik Gudbranson is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Isac Lundestrom will miss today's game due to a lower-body injury sustained in Saturday's practice.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (18-14-5) have had a mixed bag of results recently. They dropped their most recent game to the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-5. Prior to that, they had won five out of six games.
Forwards:
While confirmed lines are not available, key offensive players to watch for include:
- Tim Stützle
- Drake Batherson
- Dylan Cozens
- Brady Tkachuk
Defense:
- Jake Sanderson
- Thomas Chabot
Goaltender:
- Leevi Merilainen is a likely starter
Injury Notes: The Senators have also been dealing with injuries. Forwards Shane Pinto and Lars Eller are on injured reserve. Tyler Kleven also did not play in Saturday's game against the Maple Leafs. However, there is a possibility that Pinto and Kleven could return for tonight's game.
Keys to the Game
For the Blue Jackets, building on the momentum from their comeback win and capitalizing on offensive opportunities will be crucial. Defensively, they'll need to find a way to compensate for the absence of Werenski.
The Senators will be looking to bounce back from their loss to Toronto. Strong performances from their key offensive players like Stützle and Batherson will be essential.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM ET.
