Merzlikins has taken only one regulation loss in his last seven starts, going 6-1-0 with a 2.26 GAA and .917 save percentage to help the surprising Blue jackets stay in the playoff picture.

Starting Saturday ...

Merzlikins' unpredictable play on a nightly basis keeps him from becoming one of the league’s elite goalies, while Tarasov’s impressive finish to last season feels like ancient history.