Blue Jackets at Red Wings
The Columbus Blue Jackets hope to halt a four-game slide as they begin a stretch of three games against Original Six clubs Saturday versus the host Detroit Red Wings. Columbus, which follows with games against Montreal and the New York Rangers, fell to 0-3-1 over its last four contests with Friday's 3-1 loss to Carolina, a game in which it owned a lead after one period before allowing the final three goals.
Brandon Dubinsky continues to make up for an awful first month of the season as he scored the Blue Jackets' goal against the Hurricanes to give him four points (two goals) over his first five games of November. After breaking even on a four-game trek through Canada, Detroit begins a string of five contests at home, where it owns a 2-2-1 record. The Red Wings were thwarted Thursday in their attempt at their first three-game winning streak of the season as they concluded their road trip with a 6-3 loss at Calgary. Anthony Mantha recorded a goal and two assists in the setback to raise his team-leading point total to 16.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (9-7-1): Columbus' winless streak has coincided with its power play, which has failed to produce a goal in 11 opportunities during the slide. The club is 5-for-50 with the man advantage on the season, putting it last in the league. Alexander Wennberg has been one of the Blue Jackets' biggest disappointments thus far, recording one goal in 17 games after notching a career-high 13 in 80 contests last season.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (8-8-1): Mantha is beginning to live up to being the 20th overall pick in the 2013 draft as he leads the team with eight goals in 17 games after recording 17 in 60 contests last season. The 23-year-old right wing has tallied in four of his last five games and notched eight points in his last six matches. Rookie Martin Frk is riding a three-game goal-scoring streak and is tied for second on the team with six and even with Mantha for first with three power-play tallies.
OVERTIME
1. Red Wings C Frans Nielsen has collected four points over his last three games to double his season total.
2. Columbus C Zac Dalpe sat out his second straight contest Friday because of an upper-body injury.
3. Detroit C Scott Wilson has gone nine games without registering a point since being acquired from Pittsburgh on Oct. 21.