Blue Jackets at Jets
The Winnipeg Jets seek their first win of the calendar year when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Winnipeg ended 2013 with three straight victories but has yet to earn two points in a game in January. The Jets went 0-3-0 on their three-game road trip before dropping a 4-2 home decision to Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
Columbus is coming off its third win in four games, a 3-0 triumph over visiting Carolina on Friday. Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves en route to his sixth career shutout and Cam Atkinson recorded a goal and an assist as the Blue Jackets extended their winning streak against the Hurricanes to six games. Winnipeg goes for a sweep of the two-game season series after posting a 3-2 win at Columbus on Dec. 16.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), CBC (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (20-20-4): Bobrovsky posted his second shutout of the season in his second game back from a strained groin that kept him sidelined for 14 contests. He has stopped 76-of-79 shots since returning. "When he's playing like that, he gives us a chance to win every night," Atkinson said. "You can tell by his swagger he was on top of his game."
ABOUT THE JETS (19-22-5): Coach Claude Noel plans to use defenseman Dustin Byfuglien at right wing on the team's top line Saturday. Byfuglien saw plenty of time at forward while with Chicago before being traded to the Atlanta-Winnipeg franchise. "You're trying to find ways to win," Noel told the Winnipeg Sun. "Dustin played last year a little bit up front and was pretty hard to handle in some episodes of the game."
OVERTIME
1. Blue Jackets C Derek MacKenzie completed serving his three-game suspension Friday and is eligible to play against Winnipeg.
2. Winnipeg LW Evander Kane remains sidelined with a hand injury.
3. Columbus placed LW Blake Comeau on injured reserve with a sprained knee.