Blueger was a second-round pick (No. 52 overall) in 2012 and had a great start in the AHL last year. The 24-year-old opened the season with 39 points (21G / 18A) in 45 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before being promoted to Pittsburgh. Blueger had 10 points (6G / 4A) in 28 NHL games and is a lock for the Penguins bottom-6 to start 2020.
Merzlikins, 25, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third-round back in 2014 but remained with Lugano in Switzerland, where he had a 2.44 GAA and .921 SV% in 43 games this season. Merzlikins represented Latvia at the World Championship, where he had a 2.78 GAA and .914 SV% in five games.
Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 36 shots in the Blue Jackets 4-3 loss in Boston in Game 5. Bobrovsky has now given up four goals in back-to-back games and the Blue Jackets are on the ropes. Bobrovsky has gone 3-1 while allowing just nine goals on 147 shots (.939 SV%) in his four starts at Nationwide Arena in the postseason.
Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 37 shots in the Blue Jackets 2-1 win in Game 3. Bobrovsky has played very well all postseason, but particularly vs. the Bruins, where he has stopped 99 of the 105 shots (.943 SV%) that he has faced. Bobrovsky will look to stay unbeaten in Columbus in Game 4—he is 3-0 while allowing just five goals on 101 shots (.951 SV%) in the first three postseason games at Nationwide Arena.
Bobrovsky stopped 30 of 31 shots in the Blue Jackets 3-1 win over the Lightning in Game 3. Bobrovsky has been excellent for the Blue Jackets, pushing them to a 3-0 series lead after a disappointing first period in Game 1—since then, Bobrovsky has stopped 69 of the 71 shots (.972 SV%) he has faced. Bobrovsky has put past playoff disappointments behind him and has the Blue Jackets in a spot to sweep the Lightning tonight.
Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 24 shots in the Blue Jackets 5-1 victory in Tampa Bay in Game 2. Bobrovsky has a history of playing poorly in the playoffs, but so far he has stopped 49 of the 53 shots (.925 SV%) that he has faced to give the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead. Now they return to Columbus, where Bobrovsky was 18-13-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .907 SV% in 32 appearances this season.
Bobrovsky didn’t have his best season but finished the season extremely hot, going 6-1-0 with a 1.50 GAA, .947 SV% and three shutouts in his last seven starts of the year. Despite the hot finish, Bobrovsky is 5-12 with a 3.37 GAA and .898 SV% in 17 playoff games with the Blue Jackets. He will have a difficult time improving those playoff numbers against a Lightning team that won 62 games this season and outscored the Blue Jackets 17-to-3 in their three meetings this season.
Stolarz allowed one goal on 17 shots after coming in in relief in the Oilers 5-1 loss to the Ducks on March 30th. Since joining the Oilers, Stolarz has gone 0-1-0 with a 4.00 GAA and .898 SV% in one start and four relief appearances. The Sharks have lost nine of their last 10 (1-8-1) but remain a very difficult test for Stolarz this evening.
