Devils at Blue Jackets
Two Metropolitan Division rivals basically playing out the string face off Tuesday, when the Columbus Blue Jackets host the New Jersey Devils. Columbus has yet to officially be eliminated from postseason contention, but it trails Boston for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference by 13 points with seven games remaining. The Blue Jackets are finishing the schedule strong, however, as they enter Tuesday with a six-game winning streak and victories in nine of their last 10 contests.
New Jersey was knocked out of the playoff picture Sunday, when the Bruins earned a point by reaching overtime in their game against Carolina - which ended in a Boston victory. The Devils' fate would've been sealed a few hours later as they dropped a 2-1 home decision to league-leading Anaheim. Columbus looks to earn a split of the four-game season series as it lost the first two matchups before posting a 3-2 road triumph on March 6.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (31-33-12): New Jersey is in the midst of a five-game slide (0-4-1) during which it has scored fewer than two goals four times and tallied only twice in the other contest. Scott Gomez on Sunday became the 15th player to appear in 600 games for the club and second this season to accomplish the feat, joining Travis Zajac. Dainius Zubrus scored the lone goal for the Devils versus the Ducks, his fourth in 68 games this season and second since Oct. 28.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (36-35-4): Columbus boasts the reigning NHL Second Star of the Week as Cam Atkinson received the honor on Monday. The right wing led the league with four goals and a plus-6 rating while ranking second with seven points in three games last week. Ryan Johansen is riding a seven-game point streak during which he has collected three goals and six assists.
OVERTIME
1. The Blue Jackets begin a three-game homestand Tuesday and play five of their final seven contests at Nationwide Arena.
2. The Devils have missed the playoffs each of the last three seasons and four of the past five.
3. Columbus LW Matt Calvert (concussion) and C Alexander Wennberg (hand) returned to practice Monday and could play against New Jersey.