PITTSBURGH -- Already playing without their top defenseman, the Columbus Blue Jackets will also be without their captain, Nick Foligno, when they take the ice for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.
The Blue Jackets announced just before the start of the game that Foligno is sidelined with a lower body injury.
He will be replaced in the lineup by veteran forward Scott Hartnell who did not play in Game 4.
It’s a bit of a surprise given that Foligno did not seem to be injured in the Blue Jackets’ Game 4 win (though he did play just 17 minutes, his lowest total of the series) and coach John Tortorella announced earlier in the day there would be no lineup changes for Thursday.
In four games this postseason Foligno has no goals and two assists (both in Game 3).
He finished the regular season with 26 goals and 25 assists in 79 games.