Blue Jackets Face Lightning Amid Key Player Returns Tonight

TAMPA, Florida — The Columbus Blue Jackets will face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at 7 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena, starting a crucial four-game road trip. The game comes after the Blue Jackets’ recent success, having won in front of a crowd of nearly 95,000 at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

The Blue Jackets, currently sitting fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points, are looking to build on their momentum. They have struggled with injuries this season but are getting back a key player. Yegor Chinakhov, who has been sidelined since November with an upper-body injury, is expected to make his return to the lineup. Coach Dean Evason praised Chinakhov’s dedication during his recovery, saying, ‘He’s been grinding for a while to get back. He’s been working hard and looks good.’

In contrast, Cole Sillinger has been placed on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury, further testing the team’s depth. The Blue Jackets are eager to capitalize on Chinakhov’s scoring potential, as he previously registered seven goals and seven assists in just 21 games before his injury. ‘Just to play hockey. I miss that,’ Chinakhov said, expressing his excitement to return to play.

The Lightning are also in solid shape, standing third in the Atlantic Division with 74 points and a record of 35-21-4. They have excelled at home with a 21-7-2 record. After their recent loss to the Florida Panthers, they haven’t skated at the morning practice, leaving some uncertainty about their lineup. However, Jonas Johansson is expected to start in goal for the first time since January.

Both teams are looking to secure more points in a tight playoff race, with the Blue Jackets aiming to contend for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Columbus trails the New Jersey Devils for a top-three spot by just four points. The first three teams in each division are guaranteed playoff berths, making every game crucial.

The projected lineups for the game are as follows:

Blue Jackets:
Dmitri Voronkov — Adam Fantilli — Kirill Marchenko
Yegor Chinakhov — Kent Johnson — Boone Jenner
Zach Aston-Reese — Justin Danforth — Mathieu Olivier
Joseph LaBate — Sean Kuraly — James van Riemsdyk
Zach Werenski — Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk — Ivan Provorov
Jake Christiansen — Damon Severson
Goalies: Elvis Merzlikins, Daniil Tarasov
Scratched: Jack Johnson, Jordan Harris, Mikael Pyythia
Injured: Cole Sillinger (IR), Erik Gudbranson (upper body), Sean Monahan (wrist)

Lightning:
Jake Guentzel — Brayden Point — Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel — Anthony Cirelli — Gage Goncalves
Mitchell Chaffee — Nick Paul — Michael Eyssimont
Zemgus Girgensons — Luke Glendening
Victor Hedman — J.J. Moser
Ryan McDonagh — Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg — Darren Raddysh
Goalies: Jonas Johansson, Andrei Vasilevskiy
Scratched: Cam Atkinson
Injured: None

As fans look forward to tonight’s matchup, both teams will be keenly aware of the implications for their playoff hopes.