Emotions will run high when the Columbus Blue Jackets play their home opener on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
It will be the first game in Columbus since the death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau. On Aug. 29, Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed while cycling as they were hit by a suspected drunk driver.
The brothers were in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding when they were struck. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
On Monday, Guy Gaudreau — the father of Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29 — was on the ice for Columbus’ practice.
“He loves the game, loves hockey, and (it was) a joy to have him out there.” Columbus coach Dean Evason said of Guy.
Other Gaudreau family members will be in attendance on Tuesday.
Asked how the team will feel ahead of the game, forward Sean Monahan said, according to NHL.com, “Honestly, I don’t have an answer. But when we step on the ice, I step on the ice, you play for John. If he was here, he’d be excited for a day like this, a home opener, a new-looking team. We’ve got to be excited for it.”
The Blue Jackets split their first two games on the road. They fell 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday before beating the Colorado Avalanche 6-4 on Saturday.
Yegor Chinakhov paces the Blue Jackets with four points this season (one goal, three assists). Defenseman Zach Werenski, who had 11 goals and a career-high 46 assists in 70 games last season, is tied with Kent Johnson for the team lead with two goals.
Columbus has given one start to each of its goalies so far this season. Daniil Tarasov stopped 26 of 30 shots in the win over Colorado after Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 23 of 26 shots in the defeat against Minnesota.
Tarasov, a 25-year-old native of Russia, was Columbus’ third-round draft pick in 2017. He has been mostly a backup, and his career numbers include a 13-24-3 record and a 3.40 GAA.
Merzlikins, a 30-year-old Latvia native, is also a former third-round pick for Columbus (2014). After starting 40 games last season, Merzlikins is 68-80-30 with a 3.20 GAA.
Meanwhile, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are off to a mediocre start.
The Panthers own two wins over the Boston Bruins. In between those two games, though, Florida lost to the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres, two non-playoff teams from last season.
In addition, the Panthers sustained a major injury against Ottawa on Thursday when top-line center Aleksander Barkov hurt his right leg. He is expected to miss two to three weeks.
If that weren’t enough, winger Matthew Tkachuk missed the past two games due to an illness that will keep him out at least two more games.
Still, the Panthers rallied from an early deficit on Monday to defeat the host Bruins 4-3.
“It was an important win,” Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said after making 24 saves. “I thought our guys worked hard for each other, especially with two key guys out.”
Panthers center Sam Reinhart, who ranked second in the NHL last season with 57 goals, said his squad clearly misses Barkov and Tkachuk.
“If we had (Tkachuk) on the wall or (Barkov) in the hole, we’re going to make a play,” Reinhart said of Florida’s power play. “But we fought and battled. We competed.”
Reinhart, who scored twice on Monday, is tied for the team lead in goals. He and Sam Bennett have three apiece. Anton Lundell collected his first two goals of the season at Boston.
If the Panthers decide to rest Bobrovsky (2-1-0, 3.02 goals-against average) on Tuesday, backup Spencer Knight would get the call.
Knight, Florida’s first-round pick in 2019, lost his lone game this season. He stopped 22 of the 26 shots he faced as the Panthers fell 5-2 to the Sabres on Saturday. Knight hasn’t won an NHL game since Jan. 3, 2023.
–Field Level Media
