What is the story about?
Just the facts
- When: Today, 5 PM
- Where: Nationwide Arena – Columbus, OH
- How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
- Opposing perspective: Jackets Cannon
Know your enemy
- 38-24-11, 87PTS, 4th in the Metropolitan Division, currently in WC2
- Zach Werenski: 21G-56A-77PTS; Kirill Marchen: 25G-34A-59PTS; Charlie Coyle: 17G-38A-55PTS
- Jet Greaves: 24-14-8, 2.55 GAA, .910 save percentage
Game notes
- The Bruins take to the ice for the second time in less than 24 hours, this time facing the Columbus Blue Jackets in Ohio.
- The B’s, as you know, are coming off of a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild at TD Garden on Saturday. Columbus hosted San Jose on Saturday, a game that ended in a 3-2 win for the Sharks.
- That game was a kick in the teeth for Columbus, who lost a 2-1 lead a minute into the third period then allowed the game-winning goal with just under 90 seconds left in regulation.
- Columbus recently had a 12-game point streak, a run that saw them go 8-0-4 from the end of February through last week. However, they’ve hit a bit of a rough patch since then, losing three of four, including a big “playoff implications” game to the Islanders last Sunday.
- However, it’s worth pointing out that while the Blue Jackets are just a point from dropping out of a wild card spot, they’re also just two points away from being tied for second in the division, so…lots to shake out over the next few games.
- For the first time in quite a while, the Bruins got some help in the standings on Saturday, with Detroit and Ottawa both losing. The B’s currently sit in the first wild card spot, one point ahead of Columbus (WC2) and four ahead of both Detroit and Ottawa.
- Elvis Merzlikins started for Columbus on Saturday, meaning we’ll likely see Jet Greaves this evening. The Bruins haven’t seen Greaves yet this season, as Merzlikins also started the February match-up between these two teams.
- Greaves has lost two out of his last three starts, but prior to that, he was on an 11-0-2 run.
- Marco Sturm didn’t rule out starting Jeremy Swayman in both games this weekend, so I guess we’ll wait to see what tricks he has up his sleeve. Given the frenetic nature of the run-in to the end of the season, it’d seem a little silly to have Swayman start on back-to-back days, but I don’t know anything.
- David Pastrnak extended his point streak to 12 games on Saturday. He now has 3G-7A-10PTS totals in his last five, while fellow Czech Pavel Zacha has 4G-3A-7PTS in that same span.
- Columbus has been a good home team this season, posting a 20-9-7 mark amidst the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena.
