As Saturday turned into Sunday, Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason was still thinking about the Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series.
Can you blame him?
After the biggest spectacle in franchise history, one capped perfectly by a 5-3 Blue Jackets win over visiting Detroit in Ohio Stadium, Evason woke up the next morning and wanted to hear more about how the day went for those closest to him.
“Went for breakfast before they all left, family and friends, just to hear their experiences, too, right? Like what did they experience,” Evason said. “Everybody left and my youngest daughter and I, just her and I, it was like, what was your experience like? She was like, this was just incredible. So yeah, we definitely continued to talk all day about it.”
But what’s done is done, and the question now is can the Blue Jackets build off of what happened Saturday night in Ohio Stadium? Not only did Columbus show out with more than 94,000 fans in attendance, the Blue Jackets stayed perfect since the break with their fourth regulation win in a row.
The last two came against a Detroit team with which they are battling for a playoff spot, and the two victories over the Red Wings moved Columbus into the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Before the Stadium Series game happened, CBJ center Sean Kuraly said momentum could be built from it because the game feels like more than just a normal regular-season game, but Evason said that was no guarantee going into tonight’s game at Tampa Bay.
“Maybe, I guess, but no, I have no experience with that,” Evason said after Monday’s practice. “The game is over. Did we reflect on it yesterday, are we going to talk about it? Sure, why not? It was fantastic, but at the end of the day, we need to play tomorrow night in Tampa Bay, and we’ll get ready for that.”
It’s a case of hot team against hot team, as the Blue Jackets have won all four games since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, while Tampa Bay has won nine of its last 11 games. Columbus is also putting the puck in the net with success, as the Blue Jackets have scored at least five goals in four consecutive games, the longest mark in franchise history.
“Obviously since the break, it’s playoffs for us,” forward Mathieu Olivier said. “We’re trying to get in the best position possible to make these playoffs and to finish the year, and since the break, the pace of play has been upped. Obviously, a lot of guys are stepping up.”
Know The Foe: Tampa Bay Lightning
Head coach: Jon Cooper (12th season)
Team stats: Goals per game: 3.52 (2nd) | Scoring defense: 2.63 (5th) | PP: 26.2 percent (5th) | PK: 80.8 percent (10th)
The narrative: The Lightning has made the playoffs in 10 of the last 11 seasons and won the 2020 and ‘21 Stanley Cups, making the squad a true NHL dynasty over more than a decade, but Tampa has made consecutive first-round playoff exits. The offseason departure of franchise icon Steven Stamkos led to an on-the-fly retooling that included the addition of veteran wing Jake Guentzel, and the Bolts are on course for another playoff appearance. It’s still a veteran team with plenty of star power that knows how to win, even if it is a little long in the tooth these days.
Team leaders: Two-time Art Ross Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov is having another great season at age 31, as the Russian wing is tied for third in the NHL with 87 points, including 27 goals. Brandon Hagel is one of the hottest players in the NHL and has a 30-38-68 line on the year and is plus-29, while CBJ killer Brayden Point leads the team with 32 goals among his 62 points. Guentzel’s first season in Tampa has him posting a 27-30-57 line, and Victor Hedman leads the defense with 47 points, 38 of them assists.
In net, Andrei Vasilevskiy’s streak of five straight top-five finishes in the Vezina voting ended last year, but he could be back this year, as he’s 29-16-3 in an NHL-high 48 starts with a 2.18 GAA and .924 save percentage. Backup Jonas Johansson is 6-5-1 in 13 games with a 3.24 GAA and .892 save percentage and could get the nod tonight as Vasilevskiy played last night at Florida.
What's new: Tampa Bay comes into this one on a red-hot streak, going 9-1-1 in its last 11 games and outscoring foes 40-18 in that span, though the Lightning did suffer a regulation loss last night at the Panthers. The Bolts have given up a total of five goals in the last five games, and the veteran squad appears to be locking in for the postseason. Hagel leads the NHL in scoring since Jan. 30 with 10 goals and 17 assists, while Vasilevsky has a .950 save percentage in his last seven games.
Trending: Columbus won the opening game in the season series by a 7-6 score at home Nov. 21 before Tampa won a home contest Dec. 17 by a 5-3 score. Columbus has won just six of the last 26 regular-season games between the two.
Former CBJ: Now 35 years old, Cam Atkinson signed a one-year deal in Tampa Bay this offseason and has played in 36 games with three goals and five assists.
