Gameday Guide: Dec. 9 vs. Anaheim

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially since this is the penultimate game in Nationwide Arena before the holiday.
There will be plenty of holiday-themed promotions
tonight as the Blue Jackets host Anaheim
, including the popular
Santa Stinger photo booth
. Pregame and during intermissions, fans can make a $10 donation to the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation to get a photo with the bug near section 117.

In addition, the Blue Jackets, in partnership with WBNS-10TV, are asking fans to support The Salvation Army of Central Ohio's efforts to brighten the holidays for local families in need by donating toys. Before the game,
donations of new, unwrapped toys
will be accepted by volunteers outside the arena entrances. All toys collected will be donated to The Salvation Army's Christmas Cheer program, and fans who donate that night will receive a voucher redeemable for a pair of tickets to a January home game.
The Blue Jackets are partnering with The Salvation Army to raise money during the annual holiday Red Kettle campaign. Fans who wish to donate can locate the Red Kettle Ringers on the Front Street and McConnell Plazas before doors open and through the first period.
Lastly, it's High School Hockey Night, as the captains of local varsity and club hockey teams will be recognized at Nationwide Arena. Today, the Blue Jackets announced the McConnell Education Foundation
will award grants tonight
to 37 Columbus-area high school hockey programs for the 24th consecutive year, and a group of more than 900 players, coaches and families will attend tonight's game.

3 Keys to the Game

Defend Nationwide: Columbus is a franchise-best 9-3-0 through the first 12 games at Nationwide Arena this season, and with a five-game road trip on the horizon, it would be nice to get a victory in front of the home fans tonight.
No self-inflicted wounds: Head coach Brad Larsen said this is what killed the Jackets in Toronto, and the Ducks can put similar pressure on you offensively. Columbus has to be smart and fast with the puck.
Split special teams: The Ducks enter in the top five in the NHL in both power play and penalty kill, so this is an area where you just can't let them beat you.

Notable

Adam Boqvist is tied for fifth in the NHL among goals for defenseman with six, five of which have come in the last seven games. Boqvist also has a pair of two-goal games in that span. … With two goals in Toronto on Tuesday, Oliver Bjorkstrand is two points from 200 in his NHL career (91-107-198) … After scoring his 11th goal of the year last Thursday at Dallas, Boone Jenner leads the team in tallies and is the only player in double digits. … Jakub Voracek is tied for first in the NHL with 16 primary assists with Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau. … Alexandre Texier already has a career-high eight goals after scoring Sunday night, plus a 6-5-11 line in the last 15 games. … Columbus ranks third in goals (18) and tied for fifth in the NHL in points (63) by defensemen this season. ... The Blue Jackets have trailed in nine of their 13 wins this year. … Twenty of the 24 skaters to play this year for Columbus have scored a goal and 22 have at least one point. … This is just one of four home games on the schedule in a 17-game span from Nov. 18-Dec. 20. Columbus also plays five straight against Western Conference teams starting tonight. … The teams split the season series in 2019-20, with Anaheim capturing a 2-1 win in Columbus on Oct. 11 and the Blue Jackets winning 4-3 in Anaheim on Jan. 7.

Projected Lineup

(Subject to change)
Gregory Hofmann - Boone Jenner - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Max Domi - Jack Roslovic - Jakub Voracek
Gustav Nyquist - Cole Sillinger - Justin Danforth
Eric Robinson - Sean Kuraly - Alexandre Texier
Zach Werenski - Jake Bean
Vladislav Gavrikov - Andrew Peeke
Gabriel Carlsson - Adam Boqvist
Elvis Merzlikins (confirmed starter)
Daniil Tarasov
Scratches:Emil Bemstrom, Yegor Chinakhov, Gavin Bayreuther
Injured Reserve:Dean Kukan (wrist; eight weeks as of Oct. 26); Patrik Laine (oblique; four to six weeks as of Nov. 5); Joonas Korpisalo (illness)
Roster Report:The Blue Jackets will keep the same 18-skater lineup as well as Merzlikins in net, but there will be some tweaks to the forward lines again, as Hofmann skated with Jenner and Bjorkstrand as Tuesday's game in Toronto went on.

This Day in CBJ History

Dec. 9, 2009: Steve Mason made 32 saves in a 3-0 shutout win at Florida, his first blanking of the season after posting 10 as a rookie the year prior.
Dec. 9, 2014: Kevin Connauton scored 1:58 into overtime past Mason to give the Blue Jackets a 3-2 victory over Philadelphia in Nationwide Arena.
Dec. 9, 2017: Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves and Josh Anderson scored the game's only goal 30 seconds into the game in a 1-0 CBJ victory over Arizona in Nationwide Arena.
Dec. 9, 2019: Columbus earns a 5-2 win at Washington, starting a 12-game point streak (8-0-4) that would go down as the third longest in franchise history.