Blue Jackets at Bruins
The Boston Bruins vie for a three-game regular-season sweep of the Columbus Blue Jackets when the teams meet at TD Garden on Saturday. Loui Eriksson has tallied in both games versus the Blue Jackets - his team's 3-1 win at Columbus on Oct. 12 and a 3-2 overtime triumph in Boston on Nov. 14. The latter contest is part of the Bruins' 9-2-1 stretch, which includes Friday's 3-2 victory over the Original Six-rival New York Rangers.
Ryan Johansen scored his team-leading ninth goal and added an assist as Columbus avenged an embarrassing 7-0 loss to Edmonton with a 4-2 triumph over the Oilers on Friday. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 25 shots as the Blue Jackets skated to their fourth win in seven contests. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner, who has faced the Bruins twice this season, has yet to defeat them in four career appearances.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS, NHLN, NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (10-13-3): Columbus is starting to find some rhythm on its power play after managing a pair of man-advantage tallies for the second time in three games. Artem Anisimov and Nick Foligno netted power-play goals on Friday for the Blue Jackets, who went 3-for-24 with the extra man prior to their recent surge. Columbus went a combined 1-for-8 on the power play in two games against Boston - with defenseman Jack Johnson netting the lone tally on Oct. 12.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (17-7-2): Backup Chad Johnson is in line to make his fifth start of the season - and second versus Columbus. The 27-year-old, who saw Tuukka Rask stop 17 shots on Friday afternoon, secured his lone victory of the season with a 32-save effort against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 14. Johnson will be aided by defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, who logged nearly 25 minutes of ice time against the Rangers after returning from a four-game absence due to a lower-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Boston captain Zdeno Chara has collected three goals and an assist in his last four games.
2. Johansen, who is tied with D James Wisniewski for the team lead in points (18), has been held off the scoresheet in all four career meetings with the Bruins.
3. Bruins LW Milan Lucic has just one goal and two assists since scoring the overtime winner against Columbus on Nov. 14.