Columbus Blue Jackets (87 pts) vs. Montréal Canadiens (88 pts) Game Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on the road for the final game of three away from Nationwide Arena. This game features the Montréal Canadiens.

Montréal Canadiens – 39-21-10 – 88 Points – 6-3-1 in the last 10 – Won 2 – 3rd in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets – 38-22-11 – 87 Points – 6-1-3 in the last 10 – Won 1 – 2nd in the Metro

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

The Blue Jackets won for the fifth time in the last six games with a 3-2 victory at Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The club has earned points in 24 of its last 27 contests (20-3-4, 44 pts) to lead the league in wins (tied), points, points pct. (.815) and goals-against per game (2.44) as well as posting the fewest regulation losses since Jan. 11. They also rank seventh-T in penalty kill pct. (81.4) and eighth in goals-for per game (3.59).

CBJ are also 9-2-1 in 12 road contests since Jan. 11, ranking second in the league in points pct. (.792) and third in goals against per game (2.17) and penalty kill pct. (87.1) as well as fifth in power play pct. (30.4).

Columbus has allowed two goals or less in seven of the last eight games since Mar. 10 (1.75 GA/GP, 2nd).

The Blue Jackets have 11 games remaining in the regular season with seven against teams currently holding a playoff spot, and all 11 contests against teams within seven points of a playoff spot.

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

Adam Fantilli has registered points in seven out of the last eight games (3-6-9) and 13 of the last 16 contests (8-10-18). He sits two points (21-32-53, 71 GP) from setting a single-season career high.

Jet Greaves has earned points in 14 of his last 15 starts since Jan. 11 (12-1-2, 2.24 GAA, .915 SV% in 16 GP), while G Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 12 starts over that span (8-2-2, 2.50 GAA in 13 GP).

Mason Marchment notched 1-1-2, including the third period game winner on Tuesday and has totaled 13-10-23 in 29 contests with the Blue Jackets.

Mathieu Olivier has posted 3-1-4 in the past five games and ranks seventh in the NHL in goals since Jan. 28 (11 in 20 GP).

Damon Severson collected two assists at Philadelphia and has registered 3-7-10 in 13 games in March.

Zach Werenski has recorded multiple points in three of the last four games (1-7-8) and tied Artemi Panarin’s single-season club record with his 25th multi-point effort on Tuesday (1-1-2). He has notched 21-56-77 in 64 games in 2025-26 to lead NHL blueliners in points-per-game (1.20), multi-point efforts and shots on goal (225) and sit second in points and third in goals.

Blue Jackets Stats

Power Play – 20.1% – 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill – 77.9% – 22nd in the NHL
Goals For – 225 – 13th in the NHL
Goals Against – 216 – 18th in the NHL

Canadiens Stats

Power Play – 25.0% – 3rd in the NHL
Penalty Kill – 76.3% – 25th in the NHL
Goals For – 247 – 5th in the NHL
Goals Against – 225 – 25th in the NHL

Series History vs. The Canadiens

Columbus is 22-17-1-5 all-time, and 10-10-1-3 on the road vs. Montréal.
Columbus has recorded points in three-straight meetings overall (2-0-1) and 12 of the last 17 dating back to Mar. 28, 2019 (9-5-3).

The club has collected points in five of last eight games at Montreal (3-3-2) but the Canadiens have won the last four home games in the series (CBJ; 0-3-1).

Each of the last three games have been decided by a single goal. Prior to that, 7-of-8 were decided by multiple goals.

The winning team has scored four-plus goals in 11 of the past 15 games since Nov. 19, 2019 (including SO goals).

The teams have combined for six or more goals in four-straight meetings and nine of the past 11.

CBJ have scored a power play goal in two-straight games of the series (2-of-5; 40.0 pct.).

The teams have combined for 60 shots or less in six of the past nine meetings (58.2 avg.).

Who To Watch For The Canadiens

Cole Caufield leads the Habs with 44 goals.

Captain Nick Suzuki leads the team with 62 assists and 86 points.
Jakub Dobeš is 23-8-4 with a SV% of .896.
Jacob Folwer is 6-5-2 with a SV% of .899.

CBJ Player Notes vs Canadiens

Charlie Coyle has 9 goals 21 points in 29 games against Montréal.
Zach Werenski has 18 career points in 22 games against the Habs
Boone Jenner has 13 points in 25 games against the Canadiens.

Injured Reserve

Brendan Smith – Lower Body – Missed 33 Games IR – Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 179

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight’s game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

* Simulcasted on CW Columbus, WUAB in Cleveland, WXIX in Cincinnati, WZCD in Dayton, WQCW in Charleston/Huntington, WV, WKYT in Lexington, KY and WAVE in Louisville, KY

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