Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: In goal Saturday

Merzlikins will protect the home goal in a preseason game versus the Sabres on Saturday, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.

Merzlikins stopped all 19 shots he faced in his preseason debut Wednesday versus the Sabres. The 30-year-old will face a youthful version of the Sabres' lineup, as the team's veterans are all in Europe in preparation for the NHL Global Series, so Merzlikins should put in another strong performance Saturday.