The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> (34-26-12) will shoot for a third consecutive victory when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets (32-29-9) at Nationwide Arena. 
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It’s another night with both teams trying to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Canucks are five points back of St. Louis with a couple of games in hand. While the Jackets are two points behind Montreal in the chase for an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot.
<h1>What we know</h1>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Optional skate, but looking like a Lankinen start. Sasson called up because the flu continues to be a problem for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#canucks</a>
&mdash; Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportsnetmurph/status/1905654508086042873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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With Columbus the fifth stop on a six game road trip, the Canucks held an optional skate this morning. According to Sportsnet&#8217;s Dan Murphy, it appears <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/kevin-lankinen-contract-good-deal-any-measure-potentially-great-one-vancouver-canucks">Kevin Lankinen</a> will return to the net for the first time since Saturday&#8217;s 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers. The 29-year-old Finn has not dressed for either of the team&#8217;s last two games but will look for his first win tonight since a 6-2 victory over Winnipeg last week. Thatcher Demko will back up tonight and will presumably get the call in the road trip finale on Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg.
Rookie <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-call-up-max-sasson-ahl-abbotsford-emergency-conditions">Max Sasson</a> will likely get plugged into the lineup after being recalled from AHL Abbotsford on an emergency basis this morning. Sasson last played an NHL game on January 27th in St. Louis. In 24 big league games this season, Sasson has scored twice and added four assists. If he plays, he could be the fifth forward in the lineup that has spent the bulk of his season in the minors – along with Aatu Räty, Nils Aman, Linus Karlsson and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. Defenceman Elias Pettersson would bring the total to six players if he remains in the lineup tonight.
Columbus, OH native <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-kiefer-sherwood-breaks-nhl-record-hits-season-hit-ex-teammate-carson-soucy">Kiefer Sherwood</a> scored twice and had an assist on Long Island while Aatu Räty, Derek Forbort and Teddy Blueger had the other goals. Pius Suter and Drew O’Connor each chipped in with a pair of assists as the Canucks spread their scoring and got contributions from a number of depth players. 
The Canucks are 3-1-1 in their last five games and 5-2-1 in their last eight.
They are hanging in the chase despite a power play that has deserted them. They are 0 for 7 on this road trip so far and gave up a shorthanded goal to the Isles Casey Cizikas on Wednesday. Brock Boeser scored the team’s last power play in the first period of a 6-2 win over Winnipeg on March 18th.
Jake DeBrusk has assists in three straight games and five his last six, however the winger has gone seven games without a goal and has just one in his last 11 outings.
The Canucks have scored 33 goals in their last 10 games. That is 10 more goals than the team managed in its previous 10-game segment.
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The Blue Jackets return to action for the first time since a 4-3 shootout win over the New York Islanders. Adam Fantilli, Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko scored the Columbus goals, while Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves and added an assist. Merzlikins gets the start again tonight.
The win snapped a six-game losing skid (0-5-1) and was the team’s second victory in its last nine games (2-6-1). 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Cole Sillinger returns to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBJ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CBJ</a> lineup tonight.<a href="https://t.co/tNy3qIoqy6">https://t.co/tNy3qIoqy6</a>
&mdash; NHL Rosters (@NHL_Rosters) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL_Rosters/status/1905637980871491796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Defenceman Zack Werenski logged a league-high 33:44, including 13:07 of the third period and 3:02 of overtime against the Islanders. He leads Columbus with 69 points and is second to Cale Makar in goals and points by a defenceman in the NHL this season. He also leads all NHLers in average ice time, logging 27:06 per game. 
Werenski is one of five 20-goal scorers on the Jackets roster. Marchenko leads the team with 26 while Fantilli and Port Moody’s Kent Johnson each have 22, and Weresnki and Dmitri Voronko have 20 apiece. Voronko leads the team with eight power play goals.
Columbus has been good on home ice this season, posting a 20-9-5 record. However, on their most recent homestand, they went 0-3-1 and managed just a single goal, getting shut out by Vegas, Florida and the New York Rangers. 
Jackets tough guy Mathieu Olivier is having a breakout season, posting career highs with 16 goals, 27 points and 125 penalty minutes. He and Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk are the only players in the league this season with more than five goals and 100 penalty minutes. Olivier is second to former Canuck Nikita Zadorov in penalty minutes this season. 
The Canucks beat Columbus 5-2 in their first meeting of the season on December 6th at Rogers Arena. The Jackets jumped out to a 2-0 lead and outshot the Canucks 17-2 in the first period before Vancouver rallied with five unanswered goals.
Today’s referees: Dan O’Rourke &amp; Jake Brenk
Today&#8217;s broadcasters: John Shorthouse &amp; Dave Tomlinson
Make sure to join the Rink Wide Vancouver postgame live stream immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Canucks game. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.
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The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> (34-26-12) will shoot for a third consecutive victory when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets (32-29-9) at Nationwide Arena. 
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It’s another night with both teams trying to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Canucks are five points back of St. Louis with a couple of games in hand. While the Jackets are two points behind Montreal in the chase for an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot.
<h1>What we know</h1>
https://twitter.com/sportsnetmurph/status/1905654508086042873

With Columbus the fifth stop on a six game road trip, the Canucks held an optional skate this morning. According to Sportsnet's Dan Murphy, it appears <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/kevin-lankinen-contract-good-deal-any-measure-potentially-great-one-vancouver-canucks">Kevin Lankinen</a> will return to the net for the first time since Saturday's 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers. The 29-year-old Finn has not dressed for either of the team's last two games but will look for his first win tonight since a 6-2 victory over Winnipeg last week. Thatcher Demko will back up tonight and will presumably get the call in the road trip finale on Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg.

Rookie <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-call-up-max-sasson-ahl-abbotsford-emergency-conditions">Max Sasson</a> will likely get plugged into the lineup after being recalled from AHL Abbotsford on an emergency basis this morning. Sasson last played an NHL game on January 27th in St. Louis. In 24 big league games this season, Sasson has scored twice and added four assists. If he plays, he could be the fifth forward in the lineup that has spent the bulk of his season in the minors – along with Aatu Räty, Nils Aman, Linus Karlsson and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. Defenceman Elias Pettersson would bring the total to six players if he remains in the lineup tonight.

Columbus, OH native <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-kiefer-sherwood-breaks-nhl-record-hits-season-hit-ex-teammate-carson-soucy">Kiefer Sherwood</a> scored twice and had an assist on Long Island while Aatu Räty, Derek Forbort and Teddy Blueger had the other goals. Pius Suter and Drew O’Connor each chipped in with a pair of assists as the Canucks spread their scoring and got contributions from a number of depth players. 

The Canucks are 3-1-1 in their last five games and 5-2-1 in their last eight.

They are hanging in the chase despite a power play that has deserted them. They are 0 for 7 on this road trip so far and gave up a shorthanded goal to the Isles Casey Cizikas on Wednesday. Brock Boeser scored the team’s last power play in the first period of a 6-2 win over Winnipeg on March 18th.

Jake DeBrusk has assists in three straight games and five his last six, however the winger has gone seven games without a goal and has just one in his last 11 outings.

The Canucks have scored 33 goals in their last 10 games. That is 10 more goals than the team managed in its previous 10-game segment.
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The Blue Jackets return to action for the first time since a 4-3 shootout win over the New York Islanders. Adam Fantilli, Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko scored the Columbus goals, while Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves and added an assist. Merzlikins gets the start again tonight.

The win snapped a six-game losing skid (0-5-1) and was the team’s second victory in its last nine games (2-6-1). 

https://twitter.com/NHL_Rosters/status/1905637980871491796

Defenceman Zack Werenski logged a league-high 33:44, including 13:07 of the third period and 3:02 of overtime against the Islanders. He leads Columbus with 69 points and is second to Cale Makar in goals and points by a defenceman in the NHL this season. He also leads all NHLers in average ice time, logging 27:06 per game. 

Werenski is one of five 20-goal scorers on the Jackets roster. Marchenko leads the team with 26 while Fantilli and Port Moody’s Kent Johnson each have 22, and Weresnki and Dmitri Voronko have 20 apiece. Voronko leads the team with eight power play goals.

Columbus has been good on home ice this season, posting a 20-9-5 record. However, on their most recent homestand, they went 0-3-1 and managed just a single goal, getting shut out by Vegas, Florida and the New York Rangers. 

Jackets tough guy Mathieu Olivier is having a breakout season, posting career highs with 16 goals, 27 points and 125 penalty minutes. He and Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk are the only players in the league this season with more than five goals and 100 penalty minutes. Olivier is second to former Canuck Nikita Zadorov in penalty minutes this season. 

The Canucks beat Columbus 5-2 in their first meeting of the season on December 6th at Rogers Arena. The Jackets jumped out to a 2-0 lead and outshot the Canucks 17-2 in the first period before Vancouver rallied with five unanswered goals.

Today’s referees: Dan O’Rourke &amp; Jake Brenk

Today's broadcasters: John Shorthouse &amp; Dave Tomlinson

Make sure to join the Rink Wide Vancouver postgame live stream immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Canucks game. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRQJ4NW4Cs4

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