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The Columbus Blue Jackets (9-16-5, 23 points, 8th Metro) will play north of the border on Thursday when paying a visit to the Toronto Maple Leafs (15-6-5, 35 points, 3rd Atlantic). The Columbus Blue Jackets were defeated by the Florida Panthers 5-2 on Sunday and have lost four of the last five. Toronto defeated the New York Rangers 7-3 Tuesday night with Mitch Garner and Austin Matthews each scoring two goals and the Maple Leafs have won three of the last four. Columbus will play without several players including D Adam Boqvist, C Boone Jenner, G Elvis Merzlikins, C Jack Roslovic and G Daniil Tarasov amongst others. Toronto will play without D Mark Giordano, D John Klingberg, D Timothy Liljegren, G Matt Murray, D Jake Muzzin and D Jo seph Woll.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 2.90 goals per game which is 22nd in the NHL. Columbus is averaging 29.5 shots per game which is 26 and is winning only 48.2% of its face offs, which is 24th. The Columbus power play is 26th, scoring 14.1% of the time. The leading goal scorer for Columbus, Boone Jenner with 13, was placed on injured reserve with a fractured jaw three days ago. The second leading goal scorer is Kirill Marchenko with nine goals and Adam Fantilli has scored eight. The leader in assists is Zach Werenski with 20 and the defenseman is also the leader in points with 21.
Columbus has a 3.50 goals against average, which is 29th and is allowing 34.3 shots per game which is also 29th. Columbus does have a solid penalty kill unit that is successful 85.9% of the time the Blue Jackets are short-handed. Spencer Martin is 2-7-1 with a 3.57 goals against average and .892 save percentage. Martin is the active No. 1 goalie for Columbus as Elvis Merzlikins is on injured reserve. Merzlikins was 6-8-4 with a 3.10 GAA and .910 SV% before his injury.