THE Pittsburgh Penguins And Columbus Blue Jackets will meet for the fourth and final time on Saturday.
Each of the previous three meetings went beyond regulation, with the Penguins winning the last two in overtime.
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The two teams last met on January 4 in Columbus. The Blue Jackets took a 4-1 lead and had everything under control at the end of the second period until the Penguins came back to tie it late in the third. Rickard Rakell tied the game with 12.8 seconds left before Sidney Crosby won it in overtime.
The Blue Jackets’ loss paved the way for a coaching change, as they fired Dean Evason this week and replaced him with Rick Bowness. Bowness is 2-0-0 as head coach of the Blue Jackets, and the team as a whole has won three in a row heading into Saturday’s game.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski was terrific once again this season, compiling 18 goals and 51 points in 43 games. He does all this as the Jackets’ top defender and will play an important role for Team USA in the Olympics next month.
Kirill Marchenko is second on the team in goals with 17 and also has 40 points in 43 games. He can hit from anywhere and scored against the Penguins in the Jan. 4 game.
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Dmitri Voronkov has 16 goals and 30 points in 47 games, while Adam Fantilli has 12 goals and 30 points in 47 games.
Elvis Merzlikins will start in goal for the Blue Jackets after making 30 saves in a 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets. Vancouver Canucks THURSDAY.
The Penguins should have the same lineup they had against the Philadelphia Flyers THURSDAY.
Attackers
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defense
Kulak-Letang
Wotherspoon-St. Ivany
Shea-Clifton
Arturs Silovs will start in goal after having the night off on Thursday.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can listen to the game on 105.9 “The X.”
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