Coyotes at Blue Jackets
The Arizona Coyotes attempt to reverse their fortunes away from home when they continue a four-game road trip Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Arizona had won three straight in enemy territory before hitting the skids, as it has lost four straight (0-2-2) after Thursday's 6-1 setback in Boston.
Christian Dvorak scored the lone goal in the setback as the Coyotes fell to 0-1-1 on their trek and have recorded a total of five tallies during their slide on the road. Columbus avoided a third consecutive road loss and earned a split of its home-and-home series against New Jersey on Friday with a 5-3 triumph. Alexander Wennberg snapped a 3-3 tie early in the third period and Artemi Panarin collected a career-high five points by setting up each of the Blue Jackets' goals. The five-assist performance increased the 26-year-old Panarin's team-leading point total to 25.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona Plus, FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (7-19-5): Antti Raanta figures to be in the crease Saturday after missing six games with an upper-body injury and serving as Scott Wedgewood's backup on Thursday. "It's always tough to sit on the sidelines," the 28-year-old Raanta, who could start Sunday in Chicago instead, told reporters. "It's always frustrating. It doesn't matter if you're winning or losing, you just want to be out there with the team." Defenseman Kyle Capobianco made his NHL debut in Boston and posted a minus-1 rating in 13 minutes, 33 seconds of ice time.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (18-10-1): Panarin etched his name in the team record book Friday with his five assists, tying the franchise record that was set in 2001 by Espen Knutsen. Wennberg's goal against the Devils was just his second in 23 games this season and first since Oct. 14, ending his 17-game drought. Rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois scored his fifth goal on Friday, giving him at least one point in five of his last six contests (two goals, five assists).
OVERTIME
1. Coyotes rookie C Clayton Keller leads the team with 11 goals but is mired in a 15-game drought as he has not tallied since Nov. 6 at Washington.
2. Columbus D Markus Nutivaara returned to the lineup Friday after a two-game absence due to an upper-body injury and finished at plus-1 in 11:35 of ice time.
3. Saturday's contest will be Arizona's league-leading 20th on the road this season.