Columbus Blue Jackets need a better effort and win against Tampa Bay Lightning

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Columbus Blue Jackets need a better effort and win against Tampa Bay Lightning

Brian Hedger, Columbus Dispatch · The Columbus Dispatch

Sat, Oct 18, 2025 ·

3 min read

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It's early, but the Blue Jackets need a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 18 at Nationwide Arena.

After honoring members of the franchise's first team who've returned for the first of five 25 th Anniversary Night celebrations, the Blue Jackets will host the Lightning in their fourth straight game against a playoff team from last season.

More: Columbus Blue Jackets' Evason roiled about 'soft' play in loss to Colorado Avalanche

Carrying a 1-3-0 record after two straight home losses adds urgency for the Blue Jackets, who could really use a win to ease the early tension.

"We're a real good team if we play the right way," coach Dean Evason said after an optional morning skate. "If you don't, then we're not a good team, and we weren't last game."

Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (86) skates to the bench after an empty net goal by the Colorado Avalanche during the third period of the NHL hockey game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Oct. 16, 2025. The Blue Jackets lost 4-1.

That's a reference to the Blue Jackets getting thoroughly outplayed by the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 16 in a 4-1 loss to one of the NHL's top Stanley Cup contenders. The Lightning (1-2-2) are usually in that category but have won just once in five games.

Tampa Bay comes into Columbus to finish a road back-to-back that started with a 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 17 at Little Caesar's Arena.

Nikita Kucherov , their top scorer, missed the game with an illness and is considered questionable for this game against the Blue Jackets. Former Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand returns to Columbus on the right side of the Lightning's third line.

"We're ready to go here tonight," Evason said. "Hopefully the adjustments that we've made and talked about will be applied here this evening."

Jet Greaves gets the start for the Blue Jackets as they alternate goalies between him and Elvis Merzlikins , who was their lone bright spot against the Avalanche. Greaves is 0-2-0 in his first two outings despite providing strong goaltending with a 2.06 goals-against average and .932 save percentage.

Jonas Johansson is expected to start for the Lightning, who started top goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy in Detroit. The Blue Jackets torched Johansson for seven goals on 43 shots last season on Nov. 21, 2024 at Nationwide Arena in a 7-6 overtime win decided by Zach Werenski in OT.

Here's a look at the projected lineups:

Columbus Blue Jackets lineup vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Evason and his coaching staff shook things up at practice Oct. 17, including three new forward combinations and two on defense, including Denton Mateychuk moving up to the top pairing to skate with Zach Werenski and Dante Fabbro , who's usually in that spot, moving to the third pairing with Jake Christiansen .

Here's how the Blue Jackets are expected to start out against the Lightning:

Forwards

Dmitri Voronkov – Sean Monahan – Kirill Marchenko

Boone Jenner – Adam Fantilli – Kent Johnson

Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier

Zach Aston-Reese – Isac Lundeström – Yegor Chinakhov

Defensemen

Zach Werenski – Denton Mateychuk

Ivan Provorov – Damon Severson

Jake Christiansen – Dante Fabbro

Goalies

Jet Greaves

Elvis Merzlikins

Injured: D Erik Gudbranson (upper body), Miles Wood (upper body)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) knocks down a puck during the first period of the NHL hockey game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024.

Tampa Bay Lightning lineup at Columbus Blue Jackets

The Lightning lost 2-1 in Detroit on Oct. 17, so backup goalie Jonas Johansson is expected to get the start. Kucherov missed the game against the Red Wings with an illness but might return.

Here's how the Lightning might line up in Columbus:

Forwards

Brandon Hagel – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov

Jake Guentzel – Anthony Cirelli – Gage Goncalves

Pontus Holmberg – Yanni Gourde – Oliver Bjorkstrand

Mitchell Chaffee – Conor Geekie – Curtis Douglas

Defensemen

Victor Hedman – J.J. Moser

Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak

Emil Lilleberg – Darren Raddysh

Goalies

Jonas Johansson