Player News
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Merzlikins will get the starting nod on the road against Boston on Monday, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports. Merzlikins has won just once in his last five outings, posting a 1-3-1 record to go with a 3.60 GAA in that span. Historically, the Latvian backstop has put up decent numbers versus Boston, going 2-2-2 with a .924 save percentage and one shutout in six career matchups. Perhaps he can celebrate Latvian Independence Day with a victory.
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Merzlikins stopped 21 of 23 shots in Friday's 6-2 win over the Penguins. Merzlikins snapped a four-game winless skid Friday with a solid performance between the pipes. He went 0-3-1 with a 3.99 GAA and a disappointing .872 save percentage before Friday's performance. Daniil Tarasov will face the Canadiens in Montreal on Saturday, which could lead to Merzlikins defending the crease in Monday's road matchup against Boston.
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Merzlikins will defend the home crease versus Pittsburgh on Friday, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports. Merzlikins is 2-5-1 with one shutout, a 3.03 GAA and an .896 save percentage this season for the lowly Blue Jackets. He has started six of the previous eight games ahead of Friday's tilt. The Penguins are averaging 2.72 goals, 21st in the NHL.
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Merzlikins allowed four goals on 32 shots in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Kraken. The fifth goal was an empty-netter. Merzlikins took his fourth straight loss (0-3-1). He couldn't make a 2-0 lead after one period hold up, as the Kraken rallied for four goals in the middle frame. The 30-year-old netminder has given up 16 goals during his four-game skid, dropping to 2-5-1 with a 3.03 GAA and an .896 save percentage over eight appearances. The Blue Jackets have a back-to-back up next, with a home game versus the Penguins on Friday followed by a visit to Montreal on Saturday. Expect Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov to split those starts.
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Merzlikins will be between the pipes for Tuesday's road contest versus the Kraken, per Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site. Merzlikins will make his eighth start of the season against a Seattle club that's put up 2.87 goals per game through 15 contests. The Latvian netminder is 0-2-1 over his last three appearances, and he's conceded 12 goals during that span. Prior to that three-game stretch, Merzlikins had allowed one goal combined over two games in back-to-back wins, so he makes for a risky play for fantasy managers due to his inconsistency.
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Last 7 Games
| DATE | Opp | Result | W | L | GA | SA | SV | SV% | FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/16 | @  |
L 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 |
| 11/15 | vs  |
W 6-2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 21 | 0.913 | 7.2 |
| 11/12 | @  |
L 5-2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 28 | 0.875 | 1.6 |
| 11/10 | @  |
L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 |
| 11/09 | @  |
L 5-2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 18 | 0.818 | -0.4 |
| 11/05 | @  |
L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 25 | 0.926 | 3 |
| 11/02 | @  |
L 7-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 |
Upcoming Games
| date | Opp | time |
|---|---|---|
| 11/18 | @  |
8:00 PM |
| 11/21 | vs  |
8:00 PM |
| 11/23 | vs  |
8:00 PM |
| 11/27 | vs |
8:30 PM |
| 11/29 | vs  |
4:00 PM |
| 12/01 | @  |
4:00 PM |
| 12/03 | @ |
10:00 PM |
Career Stats
| Year | GP | W | L | OTL | Min | GA | SO | GAA | PIM | FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 535 | 26 | 1 | 2.92 | 0 | 37.6 |
| 2023 | 41 | 13 | 17 | 6 | 2259 | 130 | 1 | 3.45 | 4 | 166.2 |
| 2022 | 30 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 1560 | 110 | 0 | 4.23 | 4 | 84.8 |
| 2021 | 59 | 27 | 23 | 4 | 3320 | 178 | 2 | 3.22 | 8 | 319.4 |
| 2020 | 28 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 1497 | 69 | 2 | 2.77 | 0 | 131.2 |
| 2019 | 32 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 1815 | 71 | 5 | 2.35 | 0 | 178.6 |
| 3 Year Avg | 43 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 2380 | 139 | 1 | 3.50 | 5 | 192 |
| Career | 199 | 71 | 84 | 22 | 10985 | 584 | 11 | 3.19 | 16 |