Gameday Guide: Feb. 25 at Carolina

A common theme of the Blue Jackets' season-best four-game win streak has been the team getting contributions from all places.
The big guns have been the big guns -- none bigger than the NHL's hottest player, Patrik Laine -- while such names as Brendan Gaunce, Justin Danforth and Jean-Francois Berube have been key contributors.

But one of those contributions was officially recognized Thursday night in a unique way. With defenseman Zach Werenski out because of an upper-body injury, fellow blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov was recognized as an alternate captain with an "A" on his sweater for the first time in his CBJ tenure.
"I think he's earned that letter," head coach Brad Larsen said of Gavrikov, who earned his career-best 21st assist and 23rd point of the season in the 6-3 win at Florida. "I talked to him not too long ago about what he means to our team. What he brings every day, he goes about his business, he's very professional, he comes to the rink with a smile. He's very consistent in how he plays. We love him for what he does. He's a competitor, a real good competitor, and I think he's grown.
"He's grown on me. He's got a really neat personality, and it was an opportunity I think to just reward him and show him what we think. I think he's taking that step. I think he's worked himself into that leadership group by how he plays, how he presents himself and how he helps our team."
Gavrikov in many ways is the example of how the team has started to play during the recent winning stretch. There is some prettiness to the game but there's also grittiness, as the team has tightened its checking and has brought energy and battle level to each of those wins.
That has to continue
tonight against a Carolina team
with the best winning percentage in the Eastern Conference.
"We can't take a breath here," Larsen said, "and I think our guys understand that."

3 Keys to the Game

Match the effort: Columbus put a lot into the Florida game and will have to do it again against a team that is just as good and pressures just as much as the Panthers.
Hit on the counter: Carolina's aggressive style means the team can be susceptible to counterattacks, and the Jackets have done a good job of converting those in recent games.
Ride the goalie: Berube's impressive start has given the Jackets a chance to win each night, and you can tell how hard the team is playing in front of him.

Notable

With last night's win over Florida, Columbus has won nine of 11 overall. With 52 goals in that span, the Blue Jackets have set a franchise record for tallies in an 11-game stretch. … Laine has stayed red hot, extending his point streak to 11 games -- the third longest in team history -- with a goal against the Panthers. He has a 13-8-21 line in those contests, eight multipoint games and five multigoal games in that span. He is also tied for the NHL lead with three overtime goals. … Berube has a .925 save percentage and has won his first three starts for Columbus, becoming the second goalie in team history to do so (Steve Mason). … Forward Brendan Gaunce has four points (2-2-4) in the last three games while fellow fourth-liner Justin Danforth scored last night as well. … Oliver Bjorkstrand is one goal from 100 in his CBJ/NHL career. … CBJ captain Boone Jenner has 22 goals on the season and seven points (3-4-7) in his last four games. Jenner also boasts a 10-11-21 line in the last 19 games, and his 143 goals in a CBJ sweater is now third overall in team history. ... Gustav Nyquist has a 9-12-21 line in the last 23 games. He also has four shorthanded goals on the season, tied for first in the NHL with Florida's Aleksandar Barkov and Anaheim's Isac Lundestrom. … After notching his 200th career assist Sunday night, Max Domi is one goal from 100 and one point from 300 in his NHL career. … Jack Roslovic is set to play in his 99th career game with Columbus tonight. … Jakub Voracek's 28 primary assists are good for third in the NHL. … With his 10th goal of the season Tuesday vs. Toronto, Adam Boqvist became just the sixth CBJ defenseman to reach double digits in goals in a season. … Columbus has killed off 51 of 57 opponent power-play chances over the last 19 games (89.5 percent). … The Blue Jackets have trailed in 17 of their 27 wins this year, tied for the most in the NHL, and have seven wins when trailing after two periods, the most in the NHL. ... Coumbus is an NHL-best 9-1 this year in extra time (6-0 in OT, 3-1 in shootouts). … Columbus is 1-2 vs. Carolina this year but won the previous meeting in PNC Bank Arena by a 6-0 score on Jan. 13. The Blue Jackets are 4-1-1 in their last six in Raleigh.

Projected Lineup

(Subject to change)
Jakub Voracek - Boone Jenner - Patrik Laine
Gus Nyquist - Jack Roslovic - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Max Domi - Sean Kuraly - Yegor Chinakhov
Brendan Gaunce - Cole Sillinger - Justin Danforth
Vladislav Gavrikov - Andrew Peeke
Dean Kukan - Adam Boqvist
Gabriel Carlsson - Gavin Bayreuther
Jean Francois-Berube (confirmed starter)
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratches:Emil Bemstrom, Jake Christiansen, Zach Werenski (upper body, day to day)
Injured Reserve: Joonas Korpisalo (lower body, day to day); Daniil Tarasov (hip surgery; out for season); Alexandre Texier (fractured finger; out four weeks as of Jan. 27), Jake Bean (groin strain; out four weeks as of Jan. 30); Eric Robinson (knee; out six weeks as of Jan. 31)
Roster Report:Larsen said the only change to the lineup would come at the backup goalie spot, as Merzlikins was activiated Friday afternoon and Jet Greaves returned to AHL Cleveland.

This Day in CBJ History

Feb. 25, 2011: Matt Calvert earned his first career hat trick, scoring three times in Phoenix goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, in a 5-3 win at Nationwide Arena. He became just the second rookie in team history with a hat trick, joining Nikita Filatov.
Feb. 25, 2016: Nick Foligno's hat trick helped push the Blue Jackets to a 6-1 in over New Jersey at Nationwide.
Feb. 25, 2017: Joonas Korpisalo notches his first career shutout, turning aside 24 shots in a 7-0 home victory over the New York Islanders.
Feb. 25, 2018: Columbus acquires Mark Letestu from Nashville in exchange for a fourth-round pick, welcoming the versatile forward back for a second stint with the team.
Feb. 25, 2019: Columbus is active again at the trade deadline, adding goaltender Keith Kinkaid from New Jersey and defenseman Adam McQuaid from the New York Rangers.