Blue Jackets at Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a deep funk as they've won only two of their last 12 games (2-7-3). They have earned points in three straight contests, however, and look to extend the streak when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Pittsburgh is 1-0-2 in its last three games after dropping a 2-1 decision in overtime at Boston on Friday. Evgeni Malkin, who scored against the Bruins and leads the team with 29 points, is riding a six-game streak during which he has collected two goals and seven assists. The Penguins will need to find a way to contain Cam Atkinson, who extended his goal-scoring streak to six games in Columbus' 4-2 home triumph over Toronto on Friday. The 29-year-old right wing has netted eight tallies during his run and is six away from registering his sixth consecutive 20-goal season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (13-7-2): Columbus hopes to continue its strong play as it has won four of its last five contests and earned points in 11 of its last 14 (9-3-2). The team also is hoping Josh Anderson is heating up as the 24-year-old right wing scored twice against the Maple Leafs after registering one goal in his previous nine games. Artemi Panarin notched an assist Friday, giving him five during his three-game streak, but has gone 11 contests without a goal.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (8-8-5): Tristan Jarry made his season debut on Friday and turned aside 35 shots, including all 10 he faced in the third period. The 23-year-old netminder, who was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, went 14-6-2 with two shutouts and a 2.77 goals-against average last season after appearing in his first NHL contest in 2016-17. Phil Kessel helped set up Malkin's goal against Boston, giving him three tallies and seven assists during his seven-game point streak.
OVERTIME
1. With a tally Saturday, Atkinson will match the the longest goal-scoring streak in franchise history - a seven-game run recorded in 2002-03 by Geoff Sanderson.
2. Malkin is one goal behind Kessel (10) for the team lead but tops Pittsburgh with four power-play tallies.
3. Columbus C Pierre-Luc Dubois was kept off the scoresheet Friday, ending a five-game point streak during which he registered four goals and five assists.