Columbus Blue Jackets Host the New Jersey Devils in Divisional Match-Up
By William Espy
The Columbus Blue Jackets are ready to host the New Jersey Devils in another divisional game.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off of one of their most difficult weeks of the season and they looked very impressive. Meanwhile the Devils are coming off of an 8-5 win against the Chicago Blackhawks last night.
The key player to keep an eye on for the Devils tonight will be Kyle Palmieri, mainly because reigning Hart Trophy winning winger Taylor Hall is out with injury.
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For the Blue Jackets, Artemi Panarin is on fire at the moment and holds a three game goal scoring streak. While Cam Atkinson is starting to heat back up with a two game goal scoring streak.
According to Jeff Svaboda on Twitter, Joonas Korpisalo will be in net for the Blue Jackets tonight while the Devils goaltender has yet to be confirmed. MacKenzie Blackwood has been by far the best goaltender on the Devils this season, so it would be surprising if he doesn’t get the nod from head coach John Hynes.
It makes sense that Joonas Korpisalo gets the start, considering he’s been better than Sergei Bobrovsky since the new year oddly enough. John Tortorella is starting the hot hand, and as a result Korpisalo will likely be getting more starts going forward as long as he keeps playing well.
This is a game that the Columbus Blue Jackets need to win if they want to build momentum following a very strong week against high quality opposition. Dropping two points against the weaker New Jersey Devils who are currently without their best player would be a massive disappointment.
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The Blue Jackets have won both match-ups against the Devils so far this season, however it’s been a fairly close game both times. Another win is almost necessary against New Jersey.