PREVIEW: Blue Jackets, Red Wings face off at Nationwide Arena

The Blue Jackets’ 5-3 win at New Jersey could be the kind of victory that changes the season, and not just because the Jackets dropped the gloves four times in a game for the first time since 2015.

Sure, answering the bell in the fisticuffs department goes a long way in bringing everybody into the fight – no pun intended – and building the collective backbone of the squad.

But outside of that, the Blue Jackets showed their character in a variety of ways. Columbus was down 2-0 just over three minutes into the game, but battled back to score four goals in a row to take control. Perhaps more importantly, that gave them yet another opportunity to close out a game with a third-period lead, and the Blue Jackets did just that after struggling in that area in November.

And just about everyone had a hand in the victory, whether it be with crucial goals, selfless blocked shots or timely saves.

“We played hard, we played right, we got some saves from Elvis (Merzlikins) to keep us in there when it was 2-0,” head coach Dean Evason said. “We did a lot of things a hockey team needs to do to win in the National Hockey League.”

Considering the Blue Jackets had entered on a four-game losing streak and were taking on a Metropolitan Division foe, the victory took on added importance. The team has been far from hitting the panic button during a November in which it finished with a 5-5-5 record, but it’s also fair to say there was a little extra pep in the team’s step during Wednesday’s practice and ensuing Player Day of Service.

“It was huge,” Adam Fantilli said. “It’s a four-point game in the division. The standings are so tight right now, so that makes a huge difference. Being able to hold on to the lead in the third period and especially come back from a 2-0 deficit, it’s a huge win for us.”

So, can the Blue Jackets build on that victory moving forward? Time will tell, but their next chance to do so comes tonight when Detroit visits Nationwide Arena. Monday only becomes a memorable night and a potential turning point if the team can build on what happened in New Jersey.

“It’s always about that next win,” said center Charlie Coyle, who had a goal and two assists. “It’s one game. It’s a lot of positive stuff. We learned a lot about each other, and for us to believe in our game and what we have to do, that was really, really important.”

Scratches: F Zach Aston-Reese, D Jake Christiansen

Injured reserve/Non-Roster: F Mathieu Olivier (upper body injury), D Erik Gudbranson (upper body injury), F Boone Jenner (upper body injury)

Roster Report: Marchenko will return after missing four games with a lower-body injury, while Del Bel Belluz is in the lineup after being recalled from Cleveland. Luca Pinelli has been returned to Cleveland (AHL) while Aston-Reese is also out, and Merzlikins gets the net for his first consecutive starts of the season.

This Day in CBJ History

Dec. 4, 2014: Ryan Johansen scores the only goal of the shootout in the fourth round, beating Roberto Luongo, and the Blue Jackets claim a 4-3 victory at Florida. Nick Foligno, Cam Atkinson and Boone Jenner stake Columbus to a 3-0 lead before the Panthers rally to force extra time.

Dec. 4, 2018: Cam Atkinson scores his second hat trick of the season, but the Blue Jackets drop a wild 9-6 final vs. Calgary in Nationwide Arena. The highest-scoring game in CBJ history sees both teams change goalies, while Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan lead the Flames with matching 2-2-4 lines.

The Numbers Game

Zach Werenski remains tied for second among NHL defensemen in goals (nine) and points (26), is first in shots on goal (98) and second in average ice time (26:32). He has points in nine of the last 10 games (5-10-15) and is tied for fourth in the NHL in scoring in that span. With 122 career goals, he has moved into fifth all-time in CBJ history. ... Sean Monahan has three goals in the last two games. ... Blue Jackets defensemen have scored 20 goals this season, two behind Washington for the most in the NHL. … Denton Mateychuk’s six goals tie for fifth among NHL defensemen. ... The CBJ penalty kill is clicking at 84.2 percent (32 for 38) in the last 18 games. ... Charlie Coyle posted his third game with at least three points this season with a goal and two assists Monday. ... Miles Wood had points in five of the last seven games, posting a 3-3-6 line. ... Dmitri Voronkov is one point away from 100, Adam Fantilli is two points away from 100, and Elvis Merzlikins is looking for his 100th career NHL win. In addition, Dean Evason has 199 wins as an NHL head coach.

Know The Foe: Detroit Red Wings

Head coach: Todd McLellan (Second season)

Team stats: Goals per game: 2.96 (T-19th) | Scoring defense: 3.41 (26th) | PP: 21.6 percent (11th) | PK: 79.5 percent (23rd)

The narrative: The Red Wings enter today’s game in third place in the Atlantic Division, and the hope in the Motor City is that the team will finally be playing playoff hockey in spring. It would be the first year since 2015-16 that would be the case, as the Wings’ 25-year run of qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been followed by nine years on the outside looking in. Detroit was in the race until the end the last two seasons before falling just short, and the only goal this year is to get over the hump.

Scoring leaders: The usual suspects are at the top of the chart for Detroit, starting with captain Dylan Larkin, who is one pace for a career high in scoring with a 14-16-30 line in 27 games while posting a plus-9 rating and winning 55.7 percent of his faceoffs. One of the top snipers in the game coming off a 39-goal season, Alex DeBrincat has 13 goals among his 28 points, while Lucas Raymond has followed an 80-point season with a 9-20-29 line. Moritz Seider leads the defense with 19 points, including four goals, while Patrick Kane has 16 points in 18 games.

In net: The game of musical chairs in the Detroit net that have marked the franchise since the end of the Jimmy Howard era has settled on John Gibson, as the Red Wings traded for the longtime Anaheim goalie this summer. Gibson has struggled, though, with a 5-7-1 record, 3.62 GAA and .868 save percentage in 14 starts, while Cam Talbot is 9-4-1 with a 2.88 GAA and .888 SV%.

What's new: After a 9-4-0 start, Detroit is 5-7-2 in its last 14 games, including a four-game losing skid that was snapped Tuesday by a 5-4 home win vs. Boston. Tonight’s game starts a crucial six-game road trip for the Red Wings, who have allowed 30 goals in the last seven games (4.29 per contest). McLellan joined Detroit midway through last season and led the team to a 26-18-4 record, but it wasn’t enough to get the Red Wings over the hump; this year, the solid start has the team in the race.

Trending: The Blue Jackets’ 4-3 overtime loss at Detroit on Nov. 22 gave Columbus points in three of the last four in the series (2-1-1).

Former CBJ: After spending last season with the Blue Jackets, veteran forward James van Riemsdyk signed with the Red Wings and has four goals and an assist thus far in 21 games.