Canucks at Blue Jackets
THE STORY:
Under normal circumstances, the Columbus Blue Jackets would have a
difficult time ending their losing streak against the Vancouver Canucks.
With the way Vancouver is playing, it would seem host Columbus has very
little chance of coming away victorious Tuesday. The Canucks, who have
won nine straight meetings with the Blue Jackets, enter with a four-game
winning streak and triumphs in nine of their last 10 contests.
Vancouver also has won five consecutive visits to Columbus, where the
Blue Jackets have dropped three in a row. The Blue Jackets are 0-1-1 on
their five-game homestand and have lost five of seven overall. The
Canucks have won five straight away from home and are 2-0-0 on their
five-game road trip.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FS Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (18-10-1):
Cody Hodgson is listed as probable for Tuesday's game after leaving
Saturday's victory over the Senators in Ottawa with a head injury.
Hodgson was on the receiving end of a hard hit by Nick Foligno in the
first period and helped off the ice by teammates and did not return.
Ryan Kesler has been on fire of late, collecting five goals and 14
points in his last 10 games. Captain Henrik Sedin has registered nine
points - all assists - during a five-game streak. Roberto Luongo has
posted a 1.44 goals against average while winning four straight starts.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (8-17-4):
Less than a week after losing Kristian Huselius to a torn groin muscle,
Columbus saw Derek Dorsett go down with an apparent knee injury in
Saturday's loss to the Boston Bruins. Dorsett has scored a career-high
six goals in 29 games this season after netting four tallies in each of
his previous three campaigns. Defenseman James Wisniewski has notched
five assists over his last five contests.
OVERTIME:
1. The Blue Jackets are second in the league behind
the Carolina Hurricanes in total power-play time, but rank 27th overall
with a 12.6 percent success rate.
2. Vancouver's Cory Schneider is 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals against average against Columbus this season.