Game #8 preview, Blue Jackets look to bounce back in Pittsburgh

The Blue Jackets will face the second half of a tough back-to-back with a road start tonight in Pittsburgh.

Finding points in the second half of these is going to be very important for the Jackets this year. Last season, they were a paltry 2-10-0, getting only 4 of a possible 24 points in these games.

Unfortunately, it will not be easy. The Penguins seem to be drinking from the fountain of youth to start their season, with the usual suspects leading the way.

The Opponent

Evgeni Malkin leads them in scoring through 8 games (12 points), and he's joined by Sidney Crosby (11), Rickard Rakell (8), Anthony Mantha (6), and Erik Karlsson (5). Meanwhile, they are led in scoring by newcomer Justin Brazeau, who has an impressive 5 goals and 8 points to start the year.

Here is how they will line up:

The Penguins were thought of by many to be the league's most obvious contender for the first overall draft pick and the rights to select Penn State superstar Gavin McKenna. Instead, they are just two points out of the Metropolitan Division lead with a 6-2-0 record (12 points).

Like the Blue Jackets, they are seeing a renaissance in their crease, in part thanks to split duty. Arturs Silovs (.919% save percentage) and Tristan Jarry (.921%) have each started 4 games, giving them stellar play in goal. Silovs will get the start tonight.

The Penguins last played on Thursday night, earning a 5-3 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on the road.

The Good Guys

The Jackets will likely use the same lineup tonight, that they did last night at home against the Capitals. It stands to reason.

They played a really good game at home last night, and honestly deserved a better outcome than the 5-1 loss they suffered. Caps goaltender Logan Thompson stood on his head, and as veteran teams do, they found a way to take the lead and hang onto it.

One absolutely terrible call aside, this was probably a 3-1 or even 3-2 type of game. The Jackets carried a lot of the possession at 5 on 5 and really gave the Caps all they could handle.

The goaltending rotation should continue here as well, which means Elvis Merzlikins will face Silovs in an all-Latvian showdown in the crease.

Three Keys to Success

1. Score an early goal. My goodness, can these guys please get rewarded for their efforts and find an early goal to take the Pittsburgh crowd out of it?

2. Contain the stars. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have tormented the Blue Jackets for their entire career. I don't think they can completely stop them, but if they can at least limit their chances, they will do themselves quite a favor.

3. Maintain the playstyle. Despite the big loss last night, I don't think the Jackets ever strayed too far from their game. They need to get right back to it this evening, and stick with it for 60 minutes. There isn't any need for panic adjustments here.

The Penguins are hosting a Hall of Fame game for some of their former players before the game tonight, so there will be a reason for them to come out firing. Hopefully the Blue Jackets can silence the crowd early and play a strong road game.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 Eastern. You can catch the game via Fan Duel Sports Network or ESPN+; or tune in via NHL radio.