Wild-Columbus game preview
January 5, 2016 at 5:34AM
Preview: The Wild, one of two teams in the NHL that has not been shut out (Detroit is the other), wraps up a four-game road trip against a down-and-out team that just beat arguably the two best teams in the NHL, Dallas and Washington. The Blue Jackets, with their top two goaltenders sidelined, are 15-15-3 under John Tortorella after an 0-7 start under Todd Richards.
Players to watch: Either Anton Forsberg or Joonas Korpisalo, both minor league goalies, will start for the Blue Jackets. C Ryan Johansen, often benched or demoted in lines this season by Tortorella, was elevated from the fourth line late in Saturday's game against the Capitals and logged almost 19 minutes of ice time. He ranked 16th in the NHL last season in scoring. Former Blackhawk Brandon Saad leads Columbus with 16 goals and 29 points. Wild W Jason Zucker has four goals in the past 10 games. Charlie Coyle has 10 goals in 38 games after 11 in 82 games last season.
Numbers: The Blue Jackets have allowed seven power-play goals in the past five games; the Wild is 6-for-57 on the road on the power play, ranking 29th in the NHL (10.5 percent).
Injuries: Wild RW Ryan Carter (hand) is questionable and G Darcy Kuemper (concussion) is out. Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky (groin), G Curtis McElhinney (ankle), RW David Clarkson (upper body) and LW Matt Calvert (knee) are out.
Michael Russo
about the writer
The 39-year-old was a standout player at Grand Rapids and with the Gophers, and won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009.
