Blue Jackets at Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes attempt to move one step closer to a season sweep when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Carolina won each of the first two meetings between the Metropolitan Division rivals this campaign, posting a 4-2 victory in Columbus on Nov. 4 and recording a 3-2 overtime triumph at home three days later. The Hurricanes have won four of their last six overall contests, including a 7-4 decision against Edmonton on Sunday in which they rallied from a 3-0 deficit.
Columbus is coming off its eighth loss in nine games, a 4-0 home setback against Colorado on Saturday. It marked the sixth time this season the Blue Jackets were shut out and the fourth occasion they were blanked at Nationwide Arena. The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets conclude their four-game season series on Sunday in Columbus.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (27-34-4): Columbus is hoping to have two of its defensemen back soon. Kevin Connauton has been cleared to return to the lineup from a lower-body injury while Ryan Murray is close to coming back from a sprained ankle. "It's feeling better and better every day," Murray told the team's website. "It's just a matter of getting back into game mode."
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (25-32-7): After registering only four points in his previous 11 games, Elias Lindholm broke out in a big way Sunday, recording his first NHL hat trick as part of a career-best five-point performance. The three goals matched the 20-year-old Swede's output from his previous 31 contests. Carolina scored six consecutive goals in Sunday's game, marking the first time it has accomplished the feat since April 8, 2011.
OVERTIME
1. The Hurricanes are 1-1-0 on the first of their two five-game homestands this month.
2. Columbus leads the league with a franchise-record 420 man games lost due to injury and is on pace to finish the campaign at 530.
3. Carolina D Jack Hillen will miss his second straight game due to a concussion.