Blue Jackets at Ducks
The Columbus Blue Jackets attempt to sweep their way through California when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Columbus lost 10 of its first 12 games this season before beginning a three-game trek in the Golden State with a 5-2 triumph at San Jose on Tuesday.
The Blue Jackets made it two in a row just two days later as Brandon Dubinsky scored a goal and set up another in a 3-2 victory at Los Angeles. Anaheim also is seeking its third straight win as it wraps up a three-game homestand that was preceded by a winless five-game road trip (0-4-1) during which it scored a total of five goals. The Ducks began the string at Honda Center with a 4-2 victory over Nashville on Sunday and outlasted Florida in a shootout three nights later. Columbus and Anaheim split their two meetings last season, with each club winning at home.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), Prime Ticket, FSN San Diego (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (4-10-0): Columbus was without David Clarkson on Thursday as the right wing was placed on injured reserve after suffering a back injury in the victory at San Jose. The 31-year-old has recorded one assist in eight games this season — his only point in 11 overall contests since being acquired from Toronto in February. Left wing Kerby Rychel was recalled from Lake Erie of the American Hockey League to replace Clarkson but was a healthy scratch.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (3-7-2): Corey Perry picked a perfect time to score his first goal of the season, tallying with six seconds remaining in the third period Wednesday to forge a tie as Anaheim went on to post its third straight home victory. The former Maurice Richard Trophy winner notched only three assists in his first 11 games. "There was a lot of frustration in the first couple games, and it adds up after a while," Perry said after ending his drought. "You stick with it. You keep pushing and you try not to get too frustrated."
OVERTIME
1. The Blue Jackets are 4-3-0 under new coach John Tortorella after losing their first seven games of the season.
2. Anaheim ranks first in the league on the penalty kill with a 90.5 percent success rate (38-for-42).
3. Dubinsky has recorded at least one point in six of his last seven games, collecting three goals and four assists in that span.