COLUMBUS — The Blue Jackets finally get back to work Friday night.
Columbus hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena after a six-day gap following last Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Utah. The game is the first of a back-to-back for the Blue Jackets, who travel to St. Louis on Saturday.
The Blue Jackets enter at 1-1-0 after opening the season with a 6-3 win over Buffalo before the loss to the Mammoth. Pittsburgh is 2-2-0 and has dropped two straight after winning its first two games.
Matthew Knies has been the early standout for Columbus. The offseason acquisition has two goals and two assists through his first two games with the Blue Jackets, including a three-point debut against Buffalo. He also has a strong history against Pittsburgh, producing 11 points in nine career games against the Penguins.
Columbus will need more offense around him after managing only one goal and 18 shots against Utah. Kent Johnson scored the Blue Jackets’ lone goal in that loss, while Columbus struggled to generate consistent pressure against Sebastian Cossa.
Pittsburgh presents a familiar challenge.
The Penguins have earned points in 19 of their last 20 games against Columbus and are 24-3-6 against the Blue Jackets since February 2017. Sidney Crosby has been a major part of that success, collecting 71 points in 49 career games against Columbus.
The Blue Jackets will also see a familiar face on the other side. Egor Chinakhov returns to Nationwide Arena with Pittsburgh after being traded by Columbus last December. Chinakhov finished last season with 36 points in 43 games for the Penguins after the trade.
Game Information
| Matchup | Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Puck Drop | 7 p.m. ET |
| Location | Nationwide Arena — Columbus |
| Television | Blue Jackets Hockey Network |
| Streaming | Prime Video | Fubo |
| Puck Line | Columbus -1.5 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 |
| Game Eats | DoorDash | Grubhub |
For Columbus, the biggest question is whether the time between games helped Rick Bowness continue sorting through a roster filled with new combinations. Knies has made an immediate impact, while Valeri Nichushkin, Conor Garland, Danton Heinen, Ryan Lomberg, and others are still settling into new roles.
Friday also begins a busier stretch for the Blue Jackets. Columbus plays in St. Louis Saturday before returning home Tuesday against Florida.
That makes the Pittsburgh game an opportunity to reset after the Utah loss and build some momentum before the schedule picks up.
Prediction
Pittsburgh has dominated this matchup for years, but Columbus should be well-rested and prepared. If the Blue Jackets can generate more offense than they did against Utah, they have a good chance to get back above .500.
Blue Jackets 4, Penguins 3
