Blue Jackets at Coyotes
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to have issues scoring and their reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky is having problems keeping the puck out of his own net. The Blue Jackets will look to rebound from a 6-3 setback at Western Conference-leading Vegas on Thursday when they visit the Arizona Coyotes in the final game before the All-Star break.
Columbus was unable to keep pace with the Golden Knights on Tuesday in its second game in 11 days and failed to produce more than three goals for the ninth consecutive contest. The Blue Jackets will welcome back Cam Atkinson -- last season's leading scorer -- from a broken foot as they seek to make it six straight wins against Arizona. Despite owning the league's worst record, the Coyotes have hardly been pushovers of late, winning two in a row and earning points in five straight (2-0-3). "I think since we turned the page here in 2018, we have all four lines contributing," forward Nick Cousins said following Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), FS Arizona
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (26-19-3): Atkinson, who has been sidelined for one month, had six goals in 32 games prior to the injury after erupting for career-best totals of 35 goals and 62 points last season. Yet the Blue Jackets also sent home Brandon Dubinsky due to "medical issues," the Columbus Dispatch reported, with Dubinsky's agent denying another published report that his client was being disciplined for personal reasons. “The player is not in trouble with the club," agent Kurt Overhardt said. "He just was put on a plane to go get some medical advice."
ABOUT THE COYOTES (12-28-9): Cousins had three points in his previous 25 games before scoring twice and collecting an assist, including the game-winning tally in overtime against New York. "I've got to give him a lot of credit," Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said. "He's done really well. I've sat him out this year. ... He's worked on his game and he's starting to reap the benefits." Forward Brendan Perlini, a 2014 first-round draft pick, has 13 goals after scoring in three consecutive games and is one shy of matching his total from last season's rookie campaign.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus signed C Nathan Gerbe, who spent the past two seasons playing in Switzerland.
2. Coyotes G Antti Raanta has a .934 save percentage in his past seven starts.
3. The Blue Jackets sent F Tyler Motte to Cleveland of the American Hockey League.