GDT: Game 50 - CBJ at NYR - 19 Jan, 7pm

[Viqsi]

Going from one current Metro bottom-feeder to the other, albeit one that's much closer to us. Hopefully we can get a similar result.

Projected lineup per bluejackets.com:

Projected Lineup
(Subject to change)

Gustav Nyquist - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Kevin Stenlund
Emil Bemstrom - Alexander Wennberg - Cam Atkinson
Nathan Gerbe - Boone Jenner - Nick Foligno
Jakob Lilja - Riley Nash - Eric Robinson

Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Vladislav Gavrikov - David Savard
Scott Harrington - Markus Nutivaara

Elvis Merzlikins
Matiss Kivlenieks

Scratches: Sonny Milano, Adam Clendening, Joonas Korpisalo (injury)

Roster Report: The Blue Jackets shuffled the lines in the Devils game and went with the above trios. Any further update to the lineup will come when Tortorella meets with the media ahead of the game around 5:30 p.m.

No preview article on rangers.nhl.com; all they have is a link to Ticketmaster.

Scoresheet links (they'll work later tonight):
Game Summary - overall team info
Event Summary - player-specific info

Highlights of the Rangers' last game:

Click to read more...

 

[MAHJ71]

Feels like its always a tough/interesting one in MSG.

I suspect tonight will be no different.

Go Jackets!

 

[Timeless Winter]

I'll be the only one who thinks this but I'd start Vehvelainen tonight and rest Elvis. As hot as he's been he needs a break and I'd reward VV for his nice season in the AHL so far.

 

[MAHJ71]

Stenlund sent back to Monsters

Bjorkstrand activated off IR!

 

[EspenK]

Stenlund sent back to Monsters

Bjorkstrand activated off IR!

I'm not sure this makes sense at the moment. Stenlund has been playing well and by delaying this a day or so the only thing lost is tonight's game. I'd rather not put OB at risk by playing tonight. Give him 9(?) more days to recover.

 

[MFRONE]

I'll be the only one who thinks this but I'd start Vehvelainen tonight and rest Elvis. As hot as he's been he needs a break and I'd reward VV for his nice season in the AHL so far.

VV isn’t the backup, Kievs is.

 

[ZipCity]

Torts really does hate Sonny Milano. There's always one guy on our roster that Torts just won't play (*cough* Duclair *cough*).

I full expect Milano to get traded somewhere and instantly become a 25 goal guy

 

[DarkandStormy]

Stenlund sent back to Monsters

Bjorkstrand activated off IR!

Stenlund is better than Lilja wtf is this

Our PP is league-worst since Dec. 9th and we're not going to have one of our best forwards on the PP. Amazing logic.

Hopefully Bjorkstrand being back means the team can get back to not being outshot by a thousand.

 

[NotWendell]

I'll be the only one who thinks this but I'd start Vehvelainen tonight and rest Elvis. As hot as he's been he needs a break and I'd reward VV for his nice season in the AHL so far.

I'll join you. I would be happy if they called VV up and started him tonight. I also think this is a great opportunity to play Milano.

 

[NotWendell]

Torts really does hate Sonny Milano. There's always one guy on our roster that Torts just won't play (*cough* Duclair *cough*).

I full expect Milano to get traded somewhere and instantly become a 25 goal guy

Either Torts hates him or Sonny's got a nagging injury that's not bad enough to put him on IR.

 

[ZipCity]

Either Torts hates him or Sonny's got a nagging injury that's not bad enough to put him on IR.

Sonny doesn't play defense, so he's not a good fit for Torts. He'll put up with it if you're a superstar like Panarin, bu Milano's game is about finding open ice and scoring one-on-one with the goalie.

 

[ellja3]

So what's with the goalies? Elvis back-t0-back or Kivlenieks debut?

 

[MAHJ71]

I'm not sure this makes sense at the moment. Stenlund has been playing well and by delaying this a day or so the only thing lost is tonight's game. I'd rather not put OB at risk by playing tonight. Give him 9(?) more days to recover.

Stenlund is better than Lilja wtf is this

Our PP is league-worst since Dec. 9th and we're not going to have one of our best forwards on the PP. Amazing logic.

Hopefully Bjorkstrand being back means the team can get back to not being outshot by a thousand.

Almost wonder if Bjork is a healthy scratch and Milano goes in tonight? Not that it makes sense but...

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Stenlund is better than Lilja wtf is this

Our PP is league-worst since Dec. 9th and we're not going to have one of our best forwards on the PP. Amazing logic.

Hopefully Bjorkstrand being back means the team can get back to not being outshot by a thousand.

Stenlund would't be on the PP with Bjorkstrand back

 

[Byrral]

Almost wonder if Bjork is a healthy scratch and Milano goes in tonight? Not that it makes sense but...

Yeah make no sense but who knows what Torts (Jarmo) thoughts are. No reason to take him off IR if he's not going to play tonight. Seems to fit perfectly on that projected top line in the OP. Stenlund has played really well but no reason to keep him here if he's not going to play in the top 9. Better off in Cleveland playing more minutes. Lilja is a better fit for 4th line minutes. And Stenlund's spot on the team isn't so much the return of Bjorkstrand (that was a given) it's been the play of Gerbe that has pushed him out of the lineup. Same for Sonny unfortunately.

 

[Monstershockey]

I'll be the only one who thinks this but I'd start Vehvelainen tonight and rest Elvis. As hot as he's been he needs a break and I'd reward VV for his nice season in the AHL so far.

VV's last 4 games has given up 5,3,3, and 5. He is 1-3 in that span. Giving him his first NHL start in MSG right now probably isn't wise. Granted the guys in front of him have sucked, Columbus' guys aren't exactly playing great in front of Elvis. Better to let Kiv take his lumps if Elvis can't go. Anyway, VV would have to have been called up already, and he hasn't been.

 

[MFRONE]

Was Stenlund an emergency recall? If so he might be required to be sent down.

 

[Monstershockey]

Stenlund is better than Lilja wtf is this

Our PP is league-worst since Dec. 9th and we're not going to have one of our best forwards on the PP. Amazing logic.

Hopefully Bjorkstrand being back means the team can get back to not being outshot by a thousand.

We have been winning since Dec. 9, with a league worst PP. Most of the game is played 5 on 5 anyway and Stenlund has been average 5 on 5.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

Was Stenlund an emergency recall? If so he might be required to be sent down.

That’s what I read. He was an emergency recall. So when the player he was called up for is activated he has to be returned to the minors

I’m not sure if a player who is exposed to waivers would get an exemption going back down or not.

 

[ZipCity]

I don't know all the ins and outs of IR, but last night Korpi was listed as a "scratch"....so does that mean he's not on IR?

Oliver coming off the IR doesn't even necessarily mean he's healthy. It's just moving designations on the roster. He could sit there as a scratch for the next two weeks for all we know (and that may be the plan to a) get Milano into the lineup and b) let one of the youngters go get minutes in Cleveland)

 

[Cyclones Rock]

We have been winning since Dec. 9, with a league worst PP. Most of the game is played 5 on 5 anyway and Stenlund has been average 5 on 5.

This streak is miraculous anyway even before hearing about a stat like this.

I honestly believe that the true odds of the CBJ of playing .800 hockey (14-2-4 on this streak) had to be higher than 50-1 against. This is a streak of historical magnitude given the injury situations.

I'll have to admit to rushing to judgement on Elvis. I would have thought that I would have learned long ago that gauging a player's true abilities on just a handful of games is not a sound evaluation method. Oh, well. Live and learn. Maybe.

Babcock, Gallant, Montgomery, Deboer have all bitten the dust and Torts is in the running for the Adams. It's a strange and wonderful world sometimes.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Milano’s gotta get back in...

Milano-Dubois-Bjorkstrand
Bemstrom-Wennberg-Atkinson
Nyquist-Jenner-Gerbe
Robinson-Nash-Foligno

 

[Monstershockey]

This streak is miraculous anyway even before hearing about a stat like this.

I honestly believe that the true odds of the CBJ of playing .800 hockey (14-2-4 on this streak) had to be higher than 50-1 against. This is a streak of historical magnitude given the injury situations.

I'll have to admit to rushing to judgement on Elvis. I would have thought that I would have learned long ago that gauging a player's true abilities on just a handful of games is not a sound evaluation method. Oh, well. Live and learn. Maybe.

Babcock, Gallant, Montgomery, Deboer have all bitten the dust and Torts is in the running for the Adams. It's a strange and wonderful world sometimes.

I wouldn't say you rushed judgement on Elvis. He has played very little NHL hockey up to this point. We won't know how good he really is for a while yet. While he has played outstanding, to say this is who he is, is premature. You have to remember, every other NHL team is filled with top talent. The coaches and players are pouring over film to find his weaknesses. They will adjust. If they get the better of him, it will be his turn to adjust and get better. How he reacts when things start to cool down will give an indicator on how he could possibly be. Then again, he could keep playing well and Columbus could have another Vezina winner on their hands. It won't be known until he has a season or two in that we can really say this guy will be, or is good. I think there were some people that thought Boone Jenner would be a consistent 30 goal a year guy. A lot of people thought Baker Mayfield would just tear up the NFL this year based on half a season. Not trying to be a downer, but guys have to prove themselves year in and year out. I hope he is this good, and this is fun to watch.

 

[Finner]

Can someone explain why almost everyone is question Torts decisions? What the heck everybody thinks? With Jon Cooper and this roster we would be number one in the league? We have half of the offence by Monsters and still what last 20games is 14-4-2? What should Tortorella do so people here agrees with him? Win 10 stanley cups with zero loses? I just dont get it.

About incoming game, its going be rough one. Rangers with Panarin has scored many many goals and offence is scary. Opponents fire way more shots per game than us, against NJD we looked tired, Elvis says he is tired and now under 24hours and puck drops again. Can Elvis play outstanding game once again against firepowered team? Can offence score needed goals? How is the energy? With win its great to go AS break but even if lose in squaregarden im more than happy the way CBJ has got points in last 25games. AS break coming for good spot. Lets go!

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I wouldn't say you rushed judgement on Elvis. He has played very little NHL hockey up to this point. We won't know how good he really is for a while yet. While he has played outstanding, to say this is who he is, is premature. You have to remember, every other NHL team is filled with top talent. The coaches and players are pouring over film to find his weaknesses. They will adjust. If they get the better of him, it will be his turn to adjust and get better. How he reacts when things start to cool down will give an indicator on how he could possibly be. Then again, he could keep playing well and Columbus could have another Vezina winner on their hands. It won't be known until he has a season or two in that we can really say this guy will be, or is good. I think there were some people that thought Boone Jenner would be a consistent 30 goal a year guy. A lot of people thought Baker Mayfield would just tear up the NFL this year based on half a season. Not trying to be a downer, but guys have to prove themselves year in and year out. I hope he is this good, and this is fun to watch.

No doubt that a) a .955 save percentage won't continue b) his tendencies will be determined and exploited.

That being said, He's 8-2 with a 1.55 gaa and .955 save percentage over the last 10 games. I would have given him zero % chance of doing that. I thought he was a clown show and have been proven to be completely wrong about that.

I've learned watching kids play their first pro games in the ECHL that most need time to adjust. I never gave Elvis that same leeway. Probably due to my love of the GM