Blue Jackets at Panthers
The skidding Florida Panthers seek their first home win in more than a month when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. The Panthers have dropped five straight overall (0-4-1) and six in a row at home to fall seven points behind Boston for the eighth and final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference. "Now's our playoffs and the games down the stretch don't mean a thing if you don't win now," captain Willie Mitchell said. "We have to be urgent now."
The postseason picture is even bleaker for the Blue Jackets, who are a dozen points behind Boston despite winning three of their last four games. Columbus also has to try and make a run without starting netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who suffered a groin injury on Jan. 21 and is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks. The Blue Jackets have won 10 in a row against Florida, including a sweep of a home-and-home series in early November.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Florida
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (21-22-3): Riddled by injuries earlier in the season, Columbus could get a pair of key players back for the two-game road trip through the Sunshine State. Center Artem Anisimov, sidelined for the past 23 games with a torn left triceps, was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and could be back in the lineup along with defenseman Ryan Murray, who has been limited to three games this season due to a knee injury. Forward Jeremy Morin, who was hospitalized Tuesday with an accelerated heartbeat, was placed on injured reserve.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (20-15-10): With his team in a 1-for-23 slump on the power play, coach Gerard Gallant shuffled the unit in Tuesday's game and went with a four-forward alignment in a 5-4 loss to Detroit. The result was a season-high three goals with the man advantage for the Panthers, although they also surrendered a short-handed tally on a breakaway. "They moved the puck and they looked confident last night," Gallant said Wednesday. "You can put whatever system you want in there, and last night it seemed to fit what they were doing."
OVERTIME
1. Panthers F Shawn Thornton, out since Dec. 12 with a groin injury, could be back in the lineup Thursday.
2. Blue Jackets C Ryan Johansen has nine goals in his last 12 games.
3. Panthers G Roberto Luongo is 11-6-6 with four shutouts against Columbus.