Senators at Blue Jackets

SENATORS (29-41-7) at BLUE JACKETS (35-36-6)

Senators projected lineup
Brady Tkachuk -- Josh Norris -- Connor Brown
Alex Formenton --
Tim Stutzle
-- Drake Batherson
Adam Gaudette -- Chris Tierney --
Mark Kastelic
Parker Kelly -- Dylan Gambrell -- Austin Watson
Michael Del Zotto -- Travis Hamonic
Erik Brannstrom -- Artem Zub
Nick Holden -- Nikita Zaitsev
Filip Gustavsson
Anton Forsberg
Scratched: Victor Mete
Injured: Mathieu Joseph (undisclosed)
COVID-19 protocol: Colin White
Blue Jackets projected lineup
Kent Johnson -- Jack Roslovic -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Gustav Nyquist -- Cole Sillinger -- Jakub Voracek
Eric Robinson -- Sean Kuraly -- Justin Danforth
Emil Bemstrom -- Brendan Gaunce -- Carson Meyer
Vladislav Gavrikov -- Nick Blankenburg
Jake Bean -- Andrew Peeke
Gabriel Carlsson -- Gavin Bayreuther
Elvis Merzlikins
J-F Berube
Scratched: Dean Kukan
Injured: Zach Werenski (upper body), Patrik Laine (upper body), Alexandre Texier (hand), Boone Jenner (back), Yegor Chinakhov (upper body), Adam Boqvist (lower body)
Status report
A decision on Stutzle (lower body) was to be made following the morning skate, Senators coach D.J. Smith said Friday; if Stutzle can't play, either a forward will be recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League or Ottawa will use Mete as a seventh defenseman. … Gustavsson makes his second straight start. … Werenski, a defenseman, will miss his second straight game. ... Laine, a forward, will be out a third consecutive game. … Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said Friday that Boqvist, a defenseman, was injured in practice Thursday and will be replaced by Carlsson. ... Merzlikins will make his 13th start in 14 games.