Rangers at Blue Jackets
Ryan Johansen has paid consistent dividends since ending an acrimonious contract negotiation by signing a three-year deal worth $12 million at the start of the season. The All-Star looks to extend his franchise-best point streak to 12 games when the Columbus Blue Jackets wrap up their three-game homestand against the New York Rangers on Friday. The 22-year-old Johansen scored a power-play goal in Wednesday's 3-2 setback to Montreal, marking Columbus' third straight defeat.
Johansen has scored seven goals and set up six others during his point streak and also notched a pair of assists in the Blue Jackets' 5-2 win over New York on Oct. 11. The Rangers overcame their sputtering start to the season by winning five in a row and 13-of-14 before dropping consecutive 3-0 decisions to the New York Islanders and Boston. "We've got to stop the bleeding here at two," Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said. "It gets no easier (Friday) night."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (24-13-4): The Rangers' scoring drought extended to exactly 121 minutes since Rick Nash recorded an empty-net goal in a 3-1 victory over San Jose on Saturday. The former Blue Jackets captain has 26 goals to share top honors in the league with Dallas' Tyler Seguin and Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos and also tallied versus Columbus in the first meeting. Cam Talbot played in that contest as well as against the Bruins, but Henrik Lundqvist will return to the crease looking to improve upon his 9-3-1 road record this season.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (18-20-3): Nick Foligno notched an assist versus the Canadiens to extend his point streak to eight games. Foligno, who will join Chicago's Jonathan Toews as captains in the upcoming All-Star Game, has recorded two goals and nine assists during that stretch and also tallied in the first meeting with the Rangers. Cam Atkinson scored twice versus the Rangers but has been kept off the scoresheet in each of his last 10 games.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus C Brandon Dubinsky has registered just one point (an assist) in his last four games after recording seven (two goals, five assists) in his previous four.
2. Rangers RW Lee Stempniak scored in the first meeting versus the Blue Jackets and resides one assist shy of 200 for his career.
3. Columbus has scored a power-play goal in each of its last four games and eight of nine.