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NEWS & NOTES
William Whitelaw - 21 years Old - Drafted in 2023
- NCAA - Western Michigan University - 32 Games - Stats 17-12-29
Oiva Keskinen - 21 Years Old - Drafted in 2023
- Liiga - Tappara - 40 Games - Stats 15-14-29
Dobber Prospects Scouting Report - A center with a limited upside that is steadily improving. In 2024-25, Keskinen set a career-high in goals with 15; he added 20 assists for 35 points in 59 games. A late-round pick, he has seen his overall game improve.
Cayden Lindstrom - 20 Years Old - Drafted in 2024
- NCAA - Michigan State University - 25 Games - Stats 1-7-8
Sure, Canada is the favored nation most times, but the Canucks are hardly a lock in any competition. Canada has only won one of the three gold medals (2002 Salt Lake City) since the NHL started participating in the Winter Olympics in 1998.
The United States, Russia, Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden and Slovakia are all contenders who can stack their lineups with some of big-league hockey’s best.
Although the Columbus Blue Jackets don't play until Thursday (we hope), there will be eight games on Wednesday night to kick off the sprint to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Of note, the Devils, Capitals, and Flyers will all be playing on Wednesday. The Capitals, however, will be the only one of those three that can pass Columbus and drop them a spot before they even take the ice on Thursday in Boston.
Attorney Richard Klineburger who represents Higgins, introduced new evidence which included a second toxicology report. In the new report, the defense argues that Higgins' blood-alcohol level was actually recorded at .075, which is lower than then .087, that was previously reported.
Higgins' defense also submitted a motion to dismiss the indictment altogether. Klineburger also introduced a counteroffer to the plea deal given by the state. Terms of the new plea deal weren't disclosed.
March Schedule Highlights
- 17 total games
- 10 homes games. Was originally 9, but the LA make-up game was added.
- 7 away games.
- 8 of the 17 games are with teams currently in the playoffs.
- Only two back-to-back situations. The second back-to-back will be a home-and-home
- The CBJ only have two days in a row off once - on the 15th and 16th.
- Plays Metro leading Carolina twice at home.
- Will play the Islanders on the road in what will probably be a game that could decide a playoff berth for both teams.
- 3 of 4 Saturdays are home games.
6. 1996 WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY
Nobody really took the United States seriously as a hockey power until the Americans walked off with the loot at the 1996 World Cup.
Mario Lemieux was sidelined with a back injury and Ray Bourque refused pleas by Gretzky and Mark Messier to play for his country, which left the Canadians vulnerable. Canada and the U.S. advanced to the best-of-three final and the Americans won the deciding game in Montreal thanks to a spectacular performance by goalie Mike Richter.
"Incredible group of women. We got to know them extremely well in the village. No one was bigger supports of them than us. I remember I was at dinner for their gold medal game. I was glued to my phone watching it. Obviously, it's not a great moment.
It doesn't look great, so I understand that. But, you know, I think deep down, they know how we feel about them and how much support we have for them. Just incredible people, incredible hockey players, and they've done so much for the game of hockey."
GAME PREVIEWS & RECAPS
Series History vs. The Bruins
- Columbus is 17-17-0-10 all-time, and 7-9-0-5 on the road vs. Boston.
- The Blue Jackets are 9-8-1 in the last 18 games against the Bruins.
- The winning team has scored four or more goals in four-straight and seven of the last nine meetings.
- The teams have combined for four goals or less in three of the past four games played at TD Garden as well as five of the past eight at Boston since Mar. 16, 2019.
- The winning team has also won by multiple goals in nine of the last 11 games of the series, including by three-plus goals in seven of them.
- The teams have combined for less than 60 shots on goal in six of the past seven meetings, including five-straight (averaging 54 shots over the five).
Kirill Marchenko(20) and Adam Fantilli(14) scored the only goals for the CBJ, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 of 22 Boston shots in a 4-2 Columbus loss to the Bruins.
Joonas Korpisalo earned every penny of his contract by standing on his head the entire game. The Blue Jackets pumped 40 shots at the Bruins goalies but just couldn't solve Bronze Medal winner Korpisalo.
Series History vs. The Islanders
- Columbus is 28-23-1-7 all-time, and 19-7-1-4 at home vs. New York.
- The home team is 11-3-1 in the last 15, and 5-0-1 in the last 6.
- The CBJ have killed off 9 of 10 NYI power plays.
- The winning team has won by multiple goals in seven of the last nine meetings overall, including five-straight at Nationwide Arena.
- Each team has recorded a 2-0 shutout victory over the past five contests played at Nationwide Arena.
- The Jackets have killed off 9-of-10 Islanders power play attempts over the last five contests played in Ohio (90 pct.).
- CBJ have recorded five shutouts in the all-time series (MR: Merzlikins, 26 saves in 2-0 W at CBJ on Oct. 30, 2024).
- The teams have averaged a combined 58.5 shots on goal in the past six meetings of the series.
Rick Bowness said after the game, "You look at the last two games, Boston’s first goal goes in off of us, their third goal tonight, so you're in these tight-checking, one-goal games and they're going in off of us. That being said, we had them down 2-0; we had so many chances to make it 3-0. Sorokin just came up big, which was the same thing as in Boston, right? You just gotta fight through these things. It’s disappointing, but when you get a chance, make that 3-0, and we had enough chances to do that. That eventually will bite you."
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets travel to New York to take on the Rangers at MSG on Monday.
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