Columbus Blue Jackets Alexander Wennberg will miss Game Four

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Alexander Wennberg for the third straight game.

Injuries are apart of the playoffs and the Columbus Blue Jackets are dealing with a substantial one. Their second line center, Alexander Wennberg, has been dealing with an “upper body” injury suffered after a dirty Tom Wilson hit in game one.

The upper body injury is more than likely a concussion and Wennberg still hasn’t been cleared to play. On 97.1 The Fan’s Carpenter and Rothman, coach John Tortorella said that Wennberg needs more time and will not be ready to return in game four.

This will mean that four the third straight game the Jackets will need to dive into the forward reserves. For the last two games they have tapped Sonny Milano to play wing and shift Brandon Dubinsky to center. Dubinsky has played well outside of his penalties but Milano hasn’t been heard from much.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Milano only played 3:12 in game two in our nation’s capital. He followed that up with a mere 5:55 in game three at home. That is over a full game, and a period and half of overtime. Torts has been double shifting Artemi Panarin instead of allowing Milano to play more.

Sonny the Problem?

Coach Tortorella has not played Sonny that often in the playoffs of course. But is that his fault? In game two the Jackets had to change first giving the Capitals the matchup opportunity. There was little to no chance the fourth line was getting put out on the ice when the Caps could counter with Ovi and company.

And in game three the Jackets had the last change and therefore the advantage with matchups. Torts used this to get his top line out as much as possible. Not a bad move when you can get Panarin, PLD, and Cam on the ice.

On top of that putting Sonny Milano on the ice also means you have to put Mark Letestu on the ice. Letestu has been overmatched so far in the playoffs and looked downright slow.

This series with the Capitals has been defined by speed and high risk scoring chances, both of which Letestu struggles to create. This fact has also contributed to Milano’s low ice time.

For these reasons I still think Markus Hannikeinan would be a better play on the fourth line. He plays a more physical all around game that isn’t solely centered on scoring goals like Milano. He can contribute in other ways defensively and doesn’t need a ton of ice time to get his game rolling.

Related Story: Hannikainen should draw in

But Torts looks like he has made his call and will go with Milano again in game four. Milano in, Wennberg out for the third straight game.