By ERIC SMITH
FOXSportsOhio.com
December 27, 2010
The Columbus Blue Jackets (17-15-3) and the Minnesota Wild (16-14-4) both come into Monday night's game at Nationwide Arena on the heels of 4-1 defeats on Sunday.
The Wild lost at home to the Red Wings, and the Blue Jackets took their beating on the road against the Blackhawks.
Both teams will be desperate as losing has become all too common of an outcome for them. The Wild have lost eight of their past 13 contests, and the Blue Jackets have lost 12 of their past 15.
Given their struggles, it probably doesn't come as a surprise that the clubs are dealing with the same issues on the ice. Both have problems clearing the puck out of their own end, which extends shifts and offers up more scoring chances for the opposition.
It's also been common for the Jackets and Wild to deal poorly with adversity. On Sunday night, Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom (12-9-3) let two bad and strange goals get behind him against Detroit, and the game then got away from Minnesota.
The Blue Jackets faced their own adversity down 1-0 on Sunday against Chicago, as they had a holding penalty called on Marc Methot early in the third period. The Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp scored a power-play goal six seconds later, and the wheels then fell off.
The Wild will try to change its fortunes Monday by changing its lineup. Head coach Todd Richards said that D Cam Barker, who has been a healthy scratch the past two games, will be back on the ice. D Nick Schultz has been cleared to play after his concussion he received Dec. 18 against the Calgary Flames, and RW Brad Staubitz will try and put his physical style to work for the Wild.
Richards also is going to make a change in net. Jose Theodore (4-5-1) will play Monday, with the Wild hoping his 6-3-1 record and a 2.30 goals against average all-time against Columbus will give him the mental edge.
Columbus head coach Scott Arniel is less revealing with his lineup plans. So, reading the tea leaves, G Steve Mason (9-9-1) might get the call as he hasn't had a start since Dec. 16 when he was pulled after giving up six goals in the first two periods against the Oilers. Mason has been pulled in three of his past four starts. The Jackets need the former Calder Trophy winner to find his stride so he can take over games like he did two seasons ago.
D Mike Commodore has been a healthy scratch for the past three games. Because of the defensive breakdowns against Chicago, Arniel is likely to give Commodore a chance. Commodore will need to bring his physical approach to the game and also get shots on the net
