The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to avoid a third straight loss when they open a four-game home forest against Utah Hockey Club on Thursday evening.
Columbus was lined 3-2 on Tuesday in Buffalo to finish a four-match road trip (2-2-0). Ivan Provorov made and added an assist and Kent Johnson added the second goal for Blue Jackets. Johnson extended his points streak to eight matches (four goals, five assists).
“I thought our effort was really there,” said Columbus coach Dean Evason. “Maybe there is an element of not playing any games and some juggling a bit with a few different players, but after saying it we still have to get the job done, we still have to play as we play and we have to stay with how we play the game. ”
Elvis Merzlikins made 18 rescues for Blue Jackets, which was without their best defensive mating of Zach Werenski and Dante Fabbro. Each set out due to upper body injuries.
Werenski is hesitant for Thursday, while Fabbro will reportedly miss two to three weeks.
The leading goal scorer Kirill Marchenko missed his first game for Columbus this season after suffering a broken jaw in the 5-3 loss at Dallas on Sunday. The club announced that forward, which was placed on damaged reserve, will be out indefinitely.
Marchenko’s injury is especially tough considering that Blue Jackets is fighting for a playoffs. Columbus entered on Thursday a point from the second and last jok card in the eastern conference.
However, the blue jackets have been solid at home and went 17-5-3. They are 4-4-1 in total since they won six directly from January 4-16.
Thursday is the second and last meeting of the season between Columbus and Utah. Blue Jackets took a 3-2 overtime victory last Friday in Salt Lake City.
Utah participates in Thursday’s competition after his own 3-2 overtime victory against Philadelphia to finish a four-game home tooth (1-1-2).
Dylan Guenther made twice, including the winner overtime with a second left in the extra frame, when Utah snapped a five-game losing line (0-3-2). Guenther returned to the Utah lineup after missing 12 matches due to a lower bodily injury.
Mikhail Sergachev scored one goal and had two assists and Karel Vejmelka made 18 rescues for Utah. Sergachev tied his career loudly (10) with his speech on Tuesday.
Utah, who finished Wednesday six points from a Western Conference Wild slot, is 4-4-2 in the last 10 and 13-10-3 on the road this season.
“We still think a lot,” said Utah coach Andre Tourigny. “We know right now, we need some help. We didn’t take the straight line, but we can do it, and we will fight for it.
“And now we have to walk on the road and have one (heck) of a drive.”
Clayton Keller has a team -leading 39 assists and 57 points in 52 games this season. Utah captain and Guenther share the team with 18 goals per piece.
Vejmelka is 12-14-4 with a .910 Savings percentage and a 2.46 goal-on average in 30 starts this season. In two career performances against Blue Jackets, Vejmelka is 1-0-1 with a 0.900 savings percent and a 2.48 GAA.
Merzlikins has published a record 19-13-3 with a .894 Savings percentage and a 2.96 goal-on average in 35 starts this season. He is 2-2-1 in six career performances against Arizona Coyotes franchise and publishes a .885 Savings percentage and a 3.50 GAA.
Daniil Tarasov was in goal for Columbus against Utah in the team’s first meeting and made 32 rescues.
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