Blue Jackets’ hot streak meets Canadiens’ struggles in pivotal NHL clash
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens face off in an intriguing matchup. Columbus' goaltenders Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins are set to split the back-to-back starts. Meanwhile, Montreal's Nick Suzuki leads his team in assists and points, but the Canadiens have struggled, winning only once in their last six games.
Columbus' penalty-kill unit has been formidable, going 18-for-20 in their last 10 games. Kirill Marchenko has been on a tear, with an 11-game points streak, just one away from the second-longest in Blue Jackets' history. Artemi Panarin previously held the longest streak at 17 games during the 2017-18 season. In net, Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes have essentially split starting duties for Montreal.
The Canadiens' power play has been cold, going 0-for-17 in the last five games. Cole Caufield leads the team in goals with 13. However, the team has been outscored 15-3 during a three-game losing streak, indicating a need for improvement.
With Columbus' strong penalty-kill unit and Marchenko's hot streak, they pose a significant threat. Montreal, despite Suzuki's leadership, must turn their fortunes around, especially on the power play, to compete effectively.
