PREVIEW: Columbus goes for another win vs. Edmonton, McDavid

BLUE JACKETS (36-24-3) vs. OILERS (27-30-7)Saturday, 1 p.m., Nationwide Arena (FOX Sports Ohio, CBJ app, FOX Sports app, CD102.5)
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When the Blue Jackets acquired Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Adam McQuaid and Keith Kinkaid at the deadline, they brought in four players who are expected to strongly aid a playoff push.
They also acquired expectations.
At least that's how head coach John Tortorella sees it. Columbus is 3-1 since the Duchene deal, but that move combined with the team's final flurry -- bringing in the latter three players in a 40-hour span ahead of the deadline -- caught the eye of the hockey world.

There was no mistaking the message from the front office -- Columbus was serious about winning this year. But that word -- serious -- can cut both ways. Suddenly, there was a little bit of pressure on the Jackets.
"I think we know what position we're in right now that people are watching us after the deals, and (saying), 'You're supposed to this. You're supposed to do that,'" Tortorella said. "It's a little bit of different pressure on our team right now. We're kind of supposed to win right now. A lot of guys haven't been in this situation."

Don't get Tortorella wrong, he's more than happy with the "great job" team management did to fortify the Blue Jackets for the final quarter of the regular season and hopefully the Stanley Cup Playoffs beyond that.
But there is the reality that the eyeballs watching the Jackets have different expectations now. The team's Tuesday night loss to Pittsburgh felt like a letdown to the fan base given the acquisitions made in the days before, and there was a certain amount of pressure on the team last night to beat a Philadelphia team below it in the standings, especially with a brutal stretch of six games against potential playoff teams in 10 days upcoming March 7-16.
"It's different," Tortorella said. "It's different for athletes to handle that type of pressure. I think we have to wade into that and handle that a little better. I think each game that goes by, a huge win last night - if we lose that game, what happens to our confidence? We end up finding a way to win that game. Hopefully that will keep on going up the rung here where we're playing more free. I think we have to free ourselves up."
The Blue Jackets aren't asking for sympathy - obviously, making a splash at the deadline sure beats the opposite scenario - but there is just the reality that things have a different feel to them after the move. Some teams seem to play their best as underdogs - that seems to be a Jackets trait over the years - while others thrive as the favorites. It's just human nature.
Another word Tortorella referenced during his Friday meeting with the media is "fun." The head coach said this is the fun time of year, and Columbus should be enjoying the atmosphere that comes with playing meaningful games in March.
That's a feeling echoed by defenseman Seth Jones.
"You can look at it as pressure, but I think it's just having fun," he said. "We all love what we do here and we all want to be the best we can be, so at the end of the day there shouldn't be any pressure on anybody. We should just go out and play together and as a team.
"If you don't have any pressure on you at this time of the season, then you're probably not in it and your season is over right now. This is great. This will make us a better hockey team for it and bring us closer together."
Know the Foe
When you think of Edmonton right now, you think of Connor McDavid, and with good reason.
Not only is the superstar forward third in the NHL in points, he's one of the few bright spots on an Oilers team that as of Friday afternoon was seven points adrift of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and in deep danger of missing the postseason for the second year in a row.
McDavid has been a point machine this year, placing third in the NHL with 87 on 33 goals and 54 assists in 60 games. He plays 22:58 per game, most of any forward in the league.
There's also Leon Draisaitl, the German forward who has been one of the league's top goal scorers with 39 on the season to go with 39 assists for 78 points. The two are the third highest scoring duo of teammates in the NHL behind Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point as well as Kucherov and Steven Stamkos.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has also had a solid year with a 20-36-56 line, but things drop off precipitously from there. Darnell Nurse is next with 32 points, Alex Chiasson has 17 goals and 28 points, but no one else has reached the 20-point mark. That's one reason the Oilers are 25th in the NHL in scoring with just 2.75 goals per game.
Ken Hitchcock's team has also had its fair share of issues defensively, allowing 3.30 goals per game, 24th in the NHL. Thirteen different defensemen have skated in at least five games this year for the Oilers, and of those with at least 200 minutes at 5-on-5, only Matthew Benning has been on the ice for more goals for than against.
Mikko Koskinen is now the No. 1 with Cam Talbot having been traded to Philadelphia. This year he has a 17-15-4 record with a 2.84 GAA and .908 save percentage, and he's now backed up by Anthony Stolarz.
3 Keys
Handle the top guys: After McDavid and Draisaitl, Edmonton's scoring depth drops off. They might get theirs, but limiting the damage is key. It's easy to suspect Seth Jones will be on the ice a lot against this line.
Use your speed: Edmonton's defense is not noted for being fleet afoot. Columbus has good team speed and has added to it with Ryan Dzingel, and the Jackets can use that to their advantage vs. the Oilers.
A power-play goal: Seems like we always say this one, but Edmonton is third from bottom in the NHL in penalty kill. Columbus got to Philadelphia's struggling PK; with Martin St. Louis at practice Friday, the team practiced the power play again and should be good to go.
Of Note
Former Blue Jackets Sam Gagner (3-0-3, seven games) and Kris Russell (2-9-11, 54 games) are on the Oilers roster. ... Edmonton is 3-5-2 in its last 10 games. ... The game is the first in the season series between the teams. They meet again March 21 in Edmonton. The teams split the 2017-18 season series with the winning team scoring seven goals each time. … Zach Werenski has a four-game assist streak for the Blue Jackets, while Oliver Bjorkstrand has goals in three of four. … Josh Anderson has a 7-6-13 line in his last 15 games and is one point from 100 in his CBJ career. ... Columbus has scored a power-play goal in three straight games.
Blue Jackets Projected Lineup
Subject to change
Artemi Panarin - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Cam Atkinson
Ryan Dzingel - Matt Duchene - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Nick Foligno - Boone Jenner - Josh Anderson
Eric Robinson - Riley Nash - Brandon Dubinsky
Scott Harrington - Seth Jones
Zach Werenski - David Savard
Markus Nutivaara - Adam McQuaid
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched:Alex Wennberg, Lukas Sedlak, Markus Hannikainen, Dean Kukan, Keith Kinkaid
Roster Notes:Jenner was the only Blue Jacket not to practice Friday. He took a maintenance day, Tortorella said.
CLICKABLES
News
Audio
Video
- Behind the Battle: Trade deadline - Where I'm From: Nick Foligno - Kekalainen deadline show - 1-on-1 with Duchene - 1-on-1 with Dzingel