The Blue Jackets are back in action tonight at Nationwide Arena, where they will host the Utah Mammoth. It will be the lone matchup between these two teams in Columbus this season, with their only other game coming in Salt Lake City on February 17th.
The Jackets got their season off to a positive start on Thursday night, as they downed the Buffalo Sabres by a 6-3 final. Meanwhile, the Mammoth also got started Thursday, pummeling the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 on the road.
It was good to see the Jackets find a way to get the win on Thursday, but lets be honest here: it was a sloppy effort. The start looked pretty rough, and it wasn't until the Sabres made it a 1-0 game, that the team in Union Blue really started to settle in.
Tonight, they're facing a pretty good team. I like the Mammoth a lot, they have talent and depth at every position, and I expect them to give the Blue Jackets quite a test. For the home team to win tonight, it's going to take a full team effort. Here are three things we're watching for.
1. Tighten up defensively.
This is the one area that I thought the Blue Jackets really struggled with on Thursday night. They did not look sharp defensively, especially off the rush. There were a few odd-man rushes, but more to the point here; the Sabres picked them apart on several occasions with some cross-ice passing.
Jet Greaves stood tall on most of them, but Buffalo's first goal is a prime example of what I'm talking about. The Jackets had a tendency to stack up deep beyond the blue line, allowing the Sabres those high passes; which allowed them time and space to generate offense.
Look for Rick Bowness' club to try to correct that tonight. I would like to see them close those gaps, and not leave so much room for their opponent. Limiting turnovers and playing smart hockey, is what I'm hoping to see this evening. Big question: can they get something positive out of Jake Christiansen?
2. Is this top line the real deal?
The Jackets won on Thursday night because their top line quickly got into the game and scored three of their goals. Was that just beginner's luck, or do they have something special brewing here?
Tonight obviously won't tell the whole story, but what we're watching for is whether or not they continue to gel. Even if they don't score points, are they driving the play? Is there chemistry with their passing? Or, do they shut down if things start going the other way?
Per the TV broadcast, the Jackets have the youngest top line in the NHL. If these guys can play like they did on Thursday night consistently, through good and bad, this team is going places. I'm interested to see how they respond again tonight.
3. Impose their physical will.
One thing that impresses me about the Mammoth is their combination of size and skill. They are a team that is built pretty similarly to the Blue Jackets: young, big, and deep.
I would like to see the Jackets lean into that physicality more tonight, than they did against Buffalo. I thought they really took the game over on the back of their 5-on-3 penalty kill, which resulted from Mathieu Olivier lighting a fuse.
They looked sluggish in the second period, until the big fight. I'm looking for more of that, whether it's Olivier, Ryan Lomberg, or even Emil Andrae (isn't he fun to watch?). The Jackets play their best hockey when the games get emotional. Who cares if it's a Western Conference team? Build that identity.
Puck drop this evening is scheduled for 7:00 Eastern time. You can watch the game via all of your usual viewing methods, or tune into the radio broadcast. Let's go Jackets!
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