GAME DAY: vs. Chicago

Jackets begin stretch of five of six at home with game vs. Blackhawks

Tuesday, 03.20.2012 / 12:27 AM / News
By Rob Mixer  - BlueJackets.com

  Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Chicago Blackhawks
RECORDS - CBJ: 23-42-7 (Home: 13-19-3), CHI: 40-25-8 (Road: 15-18-3)
WHEN: Mar. 20, 2012 - 7 p.m.   |   WHERE: Nationwide Arena
WATCH: FOX Sports Ohio (HD)  |  LISTEN: 97.1 FM & BlueJackets.com
GAME NOTES


A. Johnson
Richards
Breakdown
No Jonathan Toews, no problem. That has been the motto for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 13 games played without their captain and one of their top offensive threats. Toews has missed significant time with an upper-body injury, but his teammates have picked up the slack and are 8-4-1 in his absence. Currently positioned in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, the Blackhawks are in a crucial stretch of their season and sit just four points behind Detroit and Nashville, the later holding home-ice advantage in the fourth spot.

Chicago has endured its share of ups and downs since the All-Star break, including a dreadful nine-game losing streak that could have put the Blackhawks’ postseason hopes in jeopardy. Their response has been impressive, especially considering occasional goaltending struggles and missing Toews in the middle of the ice: the Blackhawks are 11-4-1 after the skid, and tonight at Nationwide Arena, they are seeking a season sweep of the Blue Jackets.

Also on the line is a potential four-game winning streak for the Blackhawks, who are coming off an impressive 5-2 win on Sunday at the United Center over the Washington Capitals. Goaltender Corey Crawford, recently named the NHL’s second star of the week, is expected to start in goal yet again for Chicago and will seek his fifth win of the season against Columbus.

Not only have the Blackhawks strung together three straight wins at a pivotal juncture, but they’ve done so by defeating some of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League. Their last three victories have come against St. Louis (4-3 at home), Dallas (4-1 on the road) and over the weekend against the Capitals, who won a 5-3 thriller in Detroit last night as well.

The Blue Jackets, fresh off a 2-1 shootout win against the Calgary Flames on Sunday night, will turn to Steve Mason once again. He was stellar in relief of Curtis Sanford, who left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

G
 Nash (24) Toews (29)
A
 Prospal (33) Hossa (43)
PTS
 Nash (47) Hossa (71)
PIM
 Dorsett (194) Mayers (89)
+/-
 MacKenzie (+4) Sharp (+24)
W/L
 Mason (13-23-3)
 Crawford (25-16-5)
GAA
 Sanford (2.60) Emery (2.73)
SVP
 Sanford (.911) Emery (.903)
• The Blue Jackets snapped a four-game winless skid with Sunday’s shootout win at Calgary. Prior to the skid, the club had a four-game winning streak Mar. 1-8, the first time the club has won four straight games since Nov. 17-24, 2010, when the club won five straight games. The Blue Jackets have gone 10-10-1 the last 21 games.

• Nikita Nikitin has goals in four of the last 14 games after scoring his fifth of the season Sunday at Calgary. The goals come after he went the previous 20 games without a goal. He has 3-6-9 the last 17 games after being held to 0-1-1 the previous seven games. He has set career highs in goals (5), assists (18), points (23) and games played (51).fter being held to 2-3-5 the first 24 games of the season.

• Steve Mason won four straight games Mar. 1-8 for first time since winning five-straight Feb. 13-25, 2011. He stopped 28-of-29 shots Sunday at Calgary and is now 8-4-1 with a 2.69 GAA and .922 SV% his last 12 games after going 1-7-1 with a 3.73 GAA and .880 SV% the previous 10 games. He has also made 30 or more saves in 10 of his last 14 starts.

• Tonight marks the sixth and final meeting overall and third of three at Nationwide Arena this season between the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks. Columbus is 28-32-8 all-time against Chicago, including a 15-14-5 mark at Nationwide.


ANDREW SHAW
  LW - #65
  9 GOALS
  6 ASSISTS
  15 POINTS




• Since joining the Blackhawks in the middle of the season, the rookie forward has made an immediate impact at both ends of the rink. The 20-year-old recorded the first three-point night (and multi-goal game) of his NHL career vs. the Capitals, and his nine goals are 10th among NHL rookies despite playing just 28 games.


D Radek Martinek (concussion); out for the season
LW Kristian Huselius (lower body); indefinitely
D Marc Methot (jaw); indefinitely
D Fedor Tyutin (hand); indefinitely
C Derek MacKenzie (concussion like symptoms); day-to-day
D James Wisniewski (upper body); indefinitely
G Curtis Sanford (lower body); indefinitely

SCHEDULE

HOME
AWAY
PROMOTIONAL

STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39
COMPLETE STANDINGS

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
FULL TEAM STATS
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