Coyotes at Blue Jackets
The Arizona Coyotes look to end their lengthy road trip on a winning note when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Arizona went 1-3-2 over the first six contests of its season-high eight-game trek before edging Montreal 3-2 on Sunday. The Coyotes trailed 2-0 after one period before Lauri Korpikoski sandwiched power-play goals around All-Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson's tally, with the winner coming at 3:17 of the third session.
Columbus returns home after going winless on its trip to the Sunshine State, dropping a 3-2 decision to Florida on Thursday before falling 3-1 at Tampa Bay two days later. All-Star Game MVP Ryan Johansen netted the lone tally in the latter contest for the Blue Jackets, who have been held to three goals or fewer in nine of their last 10 games. Sam Gagner scored twice on the power play and set up another tally during a string of five consecutive goals that erased a deficit as Arizona posted a 6-3 home victory over Columbus on Jan. 3,
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (18-26-6): Ekman-Larsson's goal against Montreal was his 14th of the season, tops among all NHL defensemen. The 23-year-old Swede is one tally away from matching his career high set in 80 games last season. Louis Domingue notched the win in his first NHL start on Sunday, allowing two goals on five shots before stopping the final 15 he faced.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (21-24-3): Defenseman Jordan Leopold was in the lineup Saturday for the first time since Dec. 13, but not at his usual position. The 34-year-old was used at left wing on the fourth line in the absence of Matt Calvert, who also could miss Tuesday's contest due to an illness. "I've had the great fortune to play a lot of hockey games in my career, and I think I understand the responsibilities of that position," Leopold told the Columbus Dispatch.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus has won five straight home meetings with Arizona since falling on Feb. 25, 2011.
2. Five of Korpikoski's six goals this season have come on the power play. Only two of the 28-year-old Finn's 62 tallies over his previous six campaigns were scored with the man advantage.
3. The Blue Jackets have killed off all 16 of their penalties over the last 14 periods.