Did you know that Jack Johnson was traded almost a year ago?
By my calculation, he’s been asked how he feels about it roughly 800,000 different times.
I think we can stop asking him about now. We probably know how he feels. Plus, there are so many other interesting stories here — like the coming transformation of the Blue Jackets in the Jarmo Kekalainen era! And how Bill Daly totally contradicted Colin Campbell over Clockgate months after the fact! (Not that reporters noticed!)
OK, so they won’t listen. Let’s look at the lines.
Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets (Staples Center)
Time: 7:30 PM Pacific
TV: Fox Sports West
Enemy reading: The Cannon
Blue Jackets projected lines
Umberger-Brassard-Dorsett
Prospal-Anisimov-Letestu
Calvert-Dubinsky-Foligno
Gillies-MacKenzie-Boll
Tyutin-Nikitin
Johnson-Aucoin
Erixon-Goloubef
Bobrovsky
Kings projected lines
Gagne-Kopitar-Brown
Penner-Carter-Williams
King-Richards-Nolan
Clifford-Stoll-Lewis
Ellerby-Doughty
Scuderi-Voynov
Muzzin-Drewiske
Bernier
Game notes:
- Per the LA Kings Insider, this is the first time Jonathan Bernier has seen consecutive starts since January 2011. He’s been waiting more than two seasons for this kind of opportunity. Best of luck to him, because someone has to get the job done and Quick isn’t Quick.
- Jake Muzzin is another young defenseman who has waited years for another chance. Alec Martinez may be out for a week or so, which means Muzzin still has a window to put in a strong showing. Darryl Sutter referred to his game against Anaheim as “horse…road apples.” Colorful yet polite. Don’t play like poop.
- Columbus’ battered blue line has gotten healthier since these teams last met, while the Kings took another hit. This should be a tougher challenge than on the 5th, and I’d still have liked to see more chances generated back then.
- Penner is still working his way out of the doghouse (and being kept to short shifts), but there are many other scorers who need to get going. Richards and Williams have one goal apiece, and Gagne none. Mike Richards has had some bad games mixed with some terrific ones, so let’s hope tonight is more of the Gordie Howe hat trick variety.
- We’ve been saying the Kings’ underlying numbers are strong, but there’s no doubt in my mind that they need to pile up points now. The season isn’t long enough to count on lucky-streak teams falling out of the picture. March’s coming schedule is jam-packed – they need regulation wins now.
Are you going to the game? Tell me who you want to be stars tonight.