Game #19 preview, Blue Jackets host a team from up north at Nationwide

The Blue Jackets begin another back-to-back tonight, taking on the Montreal Canadiens at Nationwide Arena. This is a game some of us have had circled on the calendar since the schedule came out.

That's because the Canadiens are in a very similar situation to the Blue Jackets. Last season, the Habs beat the Jackets out for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Then, they swooped in and made the move to acquire Noah Dobson ahead of the NHL Draft this summer, putting together a better offer than the one Don Waddell had on the table.

As a result, they're now even further ahead in their build. Though these teams are close enough in the standings that a budding rivalry seems imminent (maybe it's already here?), they could not be farther apart in the way they're being built.

The Canadiens are one of the most exciting teams in the NHL. Loaded with young, talented offensive weapons; they're currently 11th in the league in goals for (61).

But, that comes at a price. They have given up the 10th most goals in the league as well (60).

In one way, they are the polar opposite of the Blue Jackets, who are being built to play a more physical, defensively responsible overall game. I've been waiting for this game because it feels like a true measuring stick for where the Jackets sit in their rebuild.

The Opponent

Montreal comes into this game having lost three in a row. In those losses, they've been outscored 15-3. Still, they sit with the 4th highest win percentage in the conference after a hot start.

Part of their skid is because they have been struck by a string of injuries to some of their best players. Out of the line up are their second and third line centers, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook; sniper Patrik Laine, and defenseman Kaiden Guhle.

Up front, they are led by their top line, which is healthy and pretty darn good. Center Nick Suzuki (4-17-21 in 18gp) and his right winger Cole Caufield (13-6-19) lead them in scoring, while sophomore defenseman Lane Hutson (1-13-14) sits third.

Star rookie Ivan Demidov is next with 13 points (4 goals), and he plays on a different line entirely. Overall, this is a dangerous offensive team that wants to play a high tempo game - not unlike the team we saw twice last week (Edmonton).

Defensively, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Behind Hutson and the aforementioned Dobson, they have some good pieces in Mike Matheson, Arber Xhekaj, Alexandre Carrier, and Jayden Struble.

Like the Jackets, these guys love to get into the rush and create offense, but they are prone to mistakes in their own end.

In goal, the Habs will roll out backup Jakub Dobes tonight. In 8 starts, he has a record of 6-1-1 with a .901% save percentage and 2.70 goals against average.

The Good Guys

As we have seen from prior history: after a loss on Saturday night, Dean Evason has mixed up the Blue Jackets' lines ahead of tonight's game. The defense pairings remain the same, but aside from the first and third lines, everything is different:

If you've been screaming for Yegor Chinakhov to get a chance on one of the top two lines, today is your lucky day. He'll be on the second line tonight with Sean Monahan and Kent Johnson.

On paper, I really like the look of this line. The Jackets have been trying to squeeze more out of Johnson all season so far, and part of the reason he hasn't been producing is because he's been too east-west.

Chinakhov's speed should force them to play more north-south, and his shooting ability is a natural fit alongside a playmaker like Johnson. Add a responsible two-way center who can win some puck battles, and it should work.

Meanwhile, Zach Aston-Reese returns to the lineup in place of Luca del bel Belluz. Not surprising with a more high tempo team coming to town. This means Evason will have a balanced forward group with clear roles for each line tonight.

In goal, Jet Greaves will make his 5th consecutive start. He was terrific on Saturday night, so this makes perfect sense.

Three Keys to Success

1. Slow the game down. The Blue Jackets will need to play CBJ hockey for a full 60 minutes tonight. Smart on defense, quick in transition, and heavy along the boards in all three zones. Don't let this game open up.

2. Don't think, just shoot! Just once, I would like to see this team have a killer instinct and shoot the puck from high danger areas. Stop deferring, quit trying to force the puck to the point. Just fire it on net.

3. Dominate the middle. Montreal doesn't have their full compliment of centers, so the Jackets should be able to showcase their center depth. If they can do that, they have a great chance of winning this game.

This one is another national broadcast via Prime in Canada. So, it's a late start, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 Eastern Time. Hopefully our Jackets can give the folks up north a good show.