Blue Jackets at Devils
The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to complete a sweep of the five-game season series when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Sunday afternoon. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his first two NHL goals Saturday as the Blue Jackets extended their winning streak over the Devils to six games overall – four this season – with a 6-3 victory in Columbus.
Cam Atkinson and Boone Jenner each scored his team-leading 25th goal for the Blue Jackets, who have won only two of their last six contests and will attempt to snap a three-game road losing streak. New Jersey had won three of four games to give itself a glimmer of hope in the Eastern Conference playoff race, but the loss dropped the club eight points behind Detroit for the second wild-card spot. Kyle Palmieri scored twice to seize the team lead with 27 and Adam Henrique notched his 26th on Saturday for New Jersey, which has allowed 17 goals in its last three contests. Keith Kinkaid gave up 13 of those tallies and has surrendered 20 in parts of six games since Cory Schneider went down with a knee injury.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (29-34-8): Bjorkstrand was participating in his second game since being recalled and played primarily on a line with Matt Calvert and Alexander Wennberg, who each contributed a pair of assists. Atkinson leads a balanced offense with 46 points and Jenner has notched 42 after also recording an assist on Saturday. Fedor Tyutin fought off an illness and registered a plus-3 rating in his 800th NHL appearance Saturday while fellow blue-liner Dalton Prout returned after serving a one-game suspension for an illegal punch.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (34-31-7): Palmieri and Henrique each have produced career highs in goals to lead injury-plagued New Jersey, which has been without high-scoring forwards Mike Cammalleri and Patrik Elias for a good portion of the season. Travis Zajac posted a pair of assists Saturday and has recorded five points in his last five contests. John Moore had to be helped from the ice Saturday after blocking a shot but could return Sunday while fellow defenseman David Schlemko (upper body) is questionable.
OVERTIME
1. Blue Jackets LW Scott Hartnell notched an assist Saturday but has gone six games without a goal as he sits on 299 for his career.
2. New Jersey D Damon Severson has picked up an assist in three of his last four contests and leads the team’s blue-liners with 17 overall.
3. Columbus announced Curtis McElhinney will undergo season-ending knee surgery and fellow G Joonas Korpisalo was recalled.