Blue Jackets at Devils
The Columbus Blue Jackets vie for a season-high third straight win on Friday, when they return from the Christmas break to visit the New Jersey Devils. Columbus has taken the first two meetings with New Jersey this season and is in the midst of a five-game stretch against Metropolitan Division rivals. The Blue Jackets split a home-and-home series with Philadelphia before skating to a 4-3 triumph over Carolina on Monday.
New Jersey, which sits one point ahead of Columbus, enjoyed a season-high four-game point streak (3-0-1) before being held to 12 shots in a 5-2 setback to Chicago on Monday. Leading scorer Jaromir Jagr was kept off the scoresheet for the first time in seven games, but he did collect one assist in each of the team's losses to Columbus this season. With 694 goals, Jagr remains tied for seventh place in NHL history with Hall-of-Famer Mark Messier.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (16-17-4): After scoring a goal in Columbus' 4-1 win over New Jersey on Oct. 22, Cam Atkinson erupted for two tallies and two assists in his team's 5-4 triumph over the Devils on Dec. 10. Not to be outdone, Brandon Dubinsky also registered a four-point performance (one goal, three assists) in the latter contest - but has since recorded just three assists. Ryan Johansen has tallied three times in the last two games and leads the team with 15 goals this season.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (15-16-7): Michael Ryder has scored in two of the last three games and enjoyed considerable success versus Columbus. The 33-year-old has tallied in both contests against the Blue Jackets this season and netted seven goals in 12 career meetings. Cory Schneider has dropped 13-of-17 decisions (4-8-5) this season but is 6-2-1 with a slim 2.06 goals-against average versus Columbus.
OVERTIME
1. With a win on Friday, Columbus would pull into the NHL's version of .500 for the first time since the 10th game of the season.
2. New Jersey went 4-for-9 on the power play before failing to score on its lone opportunity versus Chicago.
3. Columbus signed RW Oliver Bjorkstrand to a three-year entry-level contract on Thursday. The 18-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2013 draft and collected 25 goals and 31 assists in 32 games with Portland of the Western Hockey League.