Blue Jackets at Hurricanes
If there's one team that can relate to what the Columbus Blue Jackets are going through at the moment, it's the Carolina Hurricanes. But don't expect the host Hurricanes to be overly sympathetic as they look to extend the Blue Jackets' six-game losing streak Friday in a Metropolitan Division showdown. Carolina opened the season with an eight-game winless stretch but since has won three consecutive contests, including a 4-2 triumph at Columbus on Tuesday.
That loss in the opener of the home-and-home series extended Columbus' longest regulation skid since 2006 and perfectly emphasized why the clubs are headed in opposite directions. Carolina dominated play for the majority of the contest, outshooting the Blue Jackets 37-19 while winning 46-of-73 faceoffs. Cam Ward is expected to get his fourth start in a row after backstopping the Hurricanes in all three of their wins, allowing just four goals in the process.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (4-8-0): Optimism has been hard to come by in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets got off to a promising start before a flood of injuries to key contributors derailed them. But the team did receive some good news Thursday, when it learned that defenseman James Wisniewski has declared himself fit to return from a broken index finger that has sidelined him since Oct. 28. "I didn't know it was going to be this fast," said Wisniewski, who will wear a fitted splint. "But I tried to do a good job of resting it. I'm ready to go."
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (3-6-2): Ward has been a major reason for Carolina's recent success, but he's far from the only contributor. The Hurricanes can thank an easier schedule, in one regard - they've defeated an Arizona Coyotes team that still is looking for its first road victory, a Los Angeles Kings club that was finishing up a grueling road trip and a Blue Jackets squad missing several starters. They also have shown improvement on the offensive end, scoring 10 goals during their winning streak after managing just six in their previous five games.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus D Jack Johnson will begin serving his three-game suspension for hitting Carolina LW Jiri Tlusty in the head in their previous encounter.
2. Ward is 1-4-0 with a 3.37 goals-against average and an .861 save percentage in six career games against the Blue Jackets.
3. Carolina LW Jeff Skinner and RW Alexander Semin have combined for just goal in 16 games.