Blue Jackets coach Dave King isn't planning to pull out any gimmicks or trick defenses tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins. More than anything else, King and the rest of the Blue Jackets will approach the most hyped game of the season in Nationwide Arena with the same style of defense they've played all season, while recognizing that they'll have to play it well.
Many teams claim to have three scoring lines, but Pittsburgh truly does.
King said after the Blue Jackets took a morning skate in preparation for last night's game against the Detroit Red Wings in Joe Louis Arena. It only delays the inevitable. King's philosophy, in this case, is for Columbus to take it right at the Penguins. The Blue Jackets will try to clog up the middle of the ice and keep Lemieux and Co. under wraps, but they won't institute a neutral zone trap for a special occasion. That may sound a bit odd, especially since the Minnesota Wild, who thrive on the neutral zone trap, just split a twin bill with the Penguins, frustrating Lemieux in the process.