COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS NOTES:
Feb. 28, 2023 Game No. 61 (19-35-6, 44 pts.)
at Buffalo Sabres (31-23-4, 66 pts.), KeyBank Center Road Game No. 28 (6-17-4, 16 pts.)
The Blue Jackets Press Box website, which includes game notes, stats, releases and video/audio clips as well as the 2022-23 Media Guide can be accessed at bluejackets.com/pressbox. Follow @BlueJacketsPR on Twitter for comprehensive information and updates on the team.
THE LAST GAME: FEB. 26, 2023 – CBJ 2 at MIN 3 (OT)
CBJ Goal Scorers: Olivier (5), Foudy (2)
MIN Goal Scorers: Kaprizov (35), PP – Kaprizov (36), OT – Kaprizov (37)
Goalies: CBJ – Merzlikins (41/44; 64:40); MIN – Fleury (22/24; 64:40)
CBJ PP: 0/2; PK: 1/2 | Shots: CBJ: 24 / MIN: 44
3 Stars: 1. Kaprizov, MIN; 2. Hartman, MIN; 3. Merzlikins, CBJ
Noteworthy: CBJ collected a point in 2nd-straight game (1-0-1)… CBJ led 2-0 after 2 periods, but MIN scored 2 goals in the 3rd to send the game to OT… MIN scored with 19.9 seconds left in OT to win… Foudy scored a goal to give him 2-0-2 in his last 5 games… Olivier scored a goal and now has 2-2-4 in his past 5 games… Sweezey made his NHL debut, recoding 3 hits on 10:01 of ice time… Bayreuther skated in his 100th career NHL game… Gudbranson tallied his 10th assist of the campaign, while skating in his 700th career NHL game.
OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT
Danforth (torn labrum); Placed on Injured Reserve (Oct. 25); 6 months (54 games)
Voracek (concussion); Placed on Injured Reserve (Nov. 4); out indefinitely (49 games)
Werenski (torn labrum); Placed on Injured Reserve (retro to Nov. 10); rest of regular season (47 games)
Bean (shoulder); Placed on IR (retro to Nov. 15); out indefinitely (45 games)
Nyquist (shoulder); Placed on IR (Jan. 28); out indefinitely (12 games)
Boqvist (lower body); day-to-day (1 game)
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 414
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Feb. 27 Activated Chinakhov and Meyer off Injured Reserve and loaned to Cleveland (AHL)
Feb. 25 Recalled Sweezey from Cleveland (AHL)
Feb. 9 Recalled Berni from Cleveland (AHL)
TODAY’S GAME BROADCAST INFO
7:30pm ET | ESPN+/Hulu | 97.1 The Fan
AGAINST THE SABRES
2022-23 Series: 0-1-0 (0-0-0 at BUF)
2021-22 Series: 3-0-0 (2-0-0 at BUF)
All-Time Series: 23-13-1-2 (12-7-0-2 at BUF)
Last 10 (Overall | Road): 6-2-2 | 5-3-2
All-Time GF/GA: 127/112
All-Time SF/SA: 1,244/1,200
All-Time PP: 23-of-134
All-Time PK: 98-of-128
THE LAST GAME VS. BUF: DEC. 7, 2022 – CBJ 4 vs. BUF 9
CBJ Goal Scorers: Laine (5), Nyquist (5), Laine (6), Nyquist (6)
BUF Goal Scorers: PP – Cozens (10), Thompson (17), Dahlin (9), Thompson (18), PP – Thompson (19), PP – Thompson (20), Thompson (21), Krebs (1), Tuch (13)
Goalies: CBJ – Korpisalo (6/9; 27:28), Merzlikins (15/21; 32:32); BUF – Luukkonen (20/24; 60:00)
CBJ PP: 0/2; PK: 2/5 | Shots: CBJ: 24 / BUF: 30
3 Stars: 1. Thompson, BUF; 2. Tuch, BUF; 3. Dahlin, BUF
Noteworthy: CBJ fell for 3rd consecutive game… Laine notched his 2nd multi-goal/3rd multi-point game of the season (2-0-2)… Nyquist
recorded his 1st multi-goal/3rd multi-point game of the campaign (2-0-2)… Gaudreau extended his points streak to a season-high 6-
straight games with an assist (2-8-10)… Jenner tallied an assist to give him 1-4-5 in the last 5 contests… Kuraly skated in his 100th
career CBJ game.
SEASON SERIES LEFT: Apr. 14 at CBJ
NOTED (Team Highlights vs. BUF)
CBJ had their 7-game points streak in the series dating back to 3/31/19 (5-0-2) snapped in the first meeting of the season series on Dec. 7 (9-4 loss)… CBJ have points in 13 of the past 17 games of the series since 4/8/16 (11-4-2)…CBJ have points in 5-straight games at BUF (3-0-2) dating back to 3/31/19… 4 of the last 7 meetings have been decided after regulation with each team winning 2 games in OT… Winning team has recorded 4-plus goals in 5-straight contests and 9 of the last 10 since 10/27/18… Each team has recorded 3 shutouts (MR: Bobrovsky in 4-0 win at BUF on 3/31/19) and a penalty shot (MR: Nash unsuccessful vs. Miller on 10/19/07)… Buffalo’s Tage Thompson (5-1-6) recorded the 1st hat trick in the all-time series in the club’s meeting on Dec. 7… Most goals scored at BUF: 7 (11/22/21)… Most goals allowed at BUF: 6 (3/29/04).
NOTED (Player Highlights vs. BUF)
Foudy notched his 1st career NHL point (assist) on 2/13/20 at BUF… Gaudreau skated in his 300th career NHL game on 3/7/18 at BUF… Laine notched his 100th career NHL point (goal) on 1/9/18 at BUF.
SCORING NOTABLES vs. BUF
• Gaudreau – 8-8-16 in 14 career GP, including points in all but four of his career games and 3-3-6 with two multi-point efforts in his last four road contests against the club
• Jenner – 5-6-11 in 21 career GP, including assists in each of his last four contests (1-5-6) and points in his last five outings (2-5-7)
• Laine – 3-6-9 in 11 career GP, including points in three-straight against the Sabres (2-3-5)
• Roslovic – 3-2-5 in 9 career GP, including points in three of his last four contests vs. the club (3-2-5)
BLUE JACKETS NOTES
STRONG PLAY OF LATE
The Blue Jackets have recorded points in five of their last six games (3-1-2) following Sunday’s 3-2 overtime loss a Minnesota. The club is now 6-5-4 in the past 15 contests and has registered points in six of its last eight contests (4-2-2) with wins againstt four of the top-13 teams in the League in points (Toronto-4th; Dallas-8th; Edmonton-12th; Winnipeg-13th). The club concluded a stretch of six-straight games against the Western Conference on Sunday (3-1-2). Columbus will play its 13th of 17 back-to-back sets on Friday vs. Seattle and Saturday at Ottawa.
HIT THE ROAD, JACK(ETS)
After playing a schedule heavy in-home games to date, the Blue Jackets will keep their travel bags packed over the next month. The club, who has collected points in a season-high four-straight road games (2-0-2), kicked off a stretch on Sunday of 12-of-15 games away from Nationwide Arena through the end of March. The schedule includes a season-long five-game road trip from March 14-21 with stops in California (San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim), Vegas and Washington. The lone home games during that stretch are March 3 (vs. Seattle), March 11 (vs. St. Louis) and March 24 (vs. NY Islanders).
2022-23 TEAM QUICK HITS
• CBJ have allowed 24 goals over their last 9 games, ranking 8th-T in the NHL in goals-against/game (2.67) since returning from the NHL break on Feb. 10
• CBJ have killed off 42-of-51 opponent power play attempts over the last 20 games since Jan. 12 (82.4 pct.)
• CBJ have scored on 9-of-41 power play chances over their last 15 games dating back to Jan. 21 (22.0 pct.)
• CBJ blueliners have posted 3-10-13 in the last 10 games and have now recorded 24-66-90 in 60 games
• CBJ finished with a season-high 12 skaters recording a point on Nov. 17 vs. MTL
• CBJ have had 37 different players play in a game this season (34 skaters, 3 goaltenders)
• CBJ have recorded 37 multi-goal periods this season, including scoring 3 goals in the 2nd period and 2 goals in the 3rd period on Sat.
• CBJ were tied for 3rd-youngest team in the NHL (ARI and NJD) to start the season at 25.9, trailing only BUF (25.0) and OTT (25.7)
BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:
LAST GAME
Sunday, Feb. 26
Washington 4 at Buffalo 7
Goals: Cozens (3), Thompson, Skinner, Girgensons, Hinostroza
Goalies: Luukkonen (26 saves/30 shots)
PP: 0/3; PK: 1/2; Shots: Buffalo 37 – Washington 30
CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 105)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Alex Tuch (lower body, Feb. 26; IR) – 1 game
Rasmus Dahlin (lower body, Feb. 26) – 1 game
TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
2/26: Recalled F Vinnie Hinostroza from Rochester (AHL); Placed F Alex Tuch on injured reserve
2/27: Signed G Michael Houser and placed him on waivers
UPCOMING GAMES
Thursday, March 2: Buffalo at Boston, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 4: Tampa Bay at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, March 6: Edmonton at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7: Buffalo at NY Islanders, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 9: Dallas at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.
TODAY’S GAME
BLUE JACKETS AT SABRES
• This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and Blue Jackets this season.
• Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Columbus 9-4 in Columbus on Dec. 7, 2022.
• Next meeting: Friday, April 14 in Columbus.
• The Sabres are 4-3-3 in their last 10 games against the Blue Jackets; 5-4-1 at home.
• This is the 40th game all-time between Buffalo and Columbus; Buffalo has a 15-19-5 series record.
• The Sabres are 9-10-2 at home against the Blue Jackets all-time.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• A win in tonight’s game would give the Sabres their third winning streak of four or more games this season.
• The Sabres and the Blue Jackets have combined to score at least seven goals in each of the last five meetings between the two teams.
• Buffalo has scored eight power play goals in its last seven matchups with Columbus.
• Tage Thompson has recorded 29 points (14+15) in his last 25 games, including 10 points (5+5) in his last six games.
• A point in today’s game would give Thompson a seven-game point streak, the longest such streak of his career.
• In his last 37 games, Jeff Skinner has notched 45 points (20+25), including nine points (5+4) in his last six games.
• With a point today, Skinner will have recorded his second point streak of seven or more games this season, and the fourth of his career.
• A goal in tonight’s game would give Skinner his second goal streak of three or more games in 2022-23. It would be the 12th such streak of his career.
• Rasmus Dahlin has recorded 45 points (7+38) in his last 42 games, including 14 points (1+13) in his last 14 games.
• Dylan Cozens (6+3) and Casey Mittelstadt (2+7) have each collected nine points in their last eight games.
• In his last six games, Jack Quinn has recorded six points (2+4).
• A point in tonight’s game would give Owen Power a three-game point streak, one game shy of the longest point streak of his career (four games, Jan. 21 to 26, 2023).
