Blue Jackets and Bruins Clash on Ice at Nationwide Arena

As the Columbus Blue Jackets prepare to host the Boston Bruins at Nationwide Arena, fans are eager to see if their team can continue its recent trend of high-scoring games. The Blue Jackets have been showcasing a potent offense, particularly in their last home game where they netted an impressive six goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite a shooting percentage of 29 percent in that game, they also demonstrated resilience by overcoming a penalty minute total of 15.

However, consistency remains an issue for the Blue Jackets. In their subsequent away game against the Buffalo Sabres, they managed only two goals on 20 shots with a shooting percentage dropping to 10 percent. Their faceoff win rate also took a hit, falling from 43 percent in front of the home crowd to just over half that number at KeyBank Center.

Defensively, Columbus has room for improvement as well; while they've been able to rack up hits and blocked shots—18 and 21 respectively against Buffalo—their plus-minus rating has suffered. This suggests that while individual players may be performing well offensively, there is a need for better team cohesion in defensive play.

The upcoming match promises to be an exciting one as both teams have shown strong offensive capabilities but also some defensive vulnerabilities. The Blue Jackets will need to capitalize on power plays and maintain discipline if they want to secure victory on home ice.

Fans can catch all the action live from Nationwide Arena on January 3rd or tune into ESPN+ nationally or BSOH channel 660 locally for coverage starting at midnight UTC (7 PM Eastern Time).