Blue Jackets at Bruins
The Columbus Blue Jackets have earned points in five straight games and attempt to extend that streak when they visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday. Columbus has a quick turnaround as it improved to 4-0-1 during its run on Wednesday with a 3-2 overtime triumph at home over Anaheim, squandering an early 2-0 lead before rookie defenseman Zach Werenski scored the first game-winning goal of his career 1:21 into the extra session.
Alexander Wennberg has struggled to score this season, recording just one goal, but he leads the team with 13 points after notching his 12th assist - eighth in five games - Wednesday as the Blue Jackets completed a sweep of their two-game season series with the Ducks by posting their fourth straight home victory. Boston, which is seeking its second consecutive home win after dropping three in a row at TD Garden, looks to bounce back from a 3-2 loss at Montreal on Tuesday. The Bruins are hoping David Pastrnak remains hot as the 20-year-old Czech enters the matchup against the Blue Jackets with a five-game goal-scoring streak. Pastrnak netted his first two tallies of the season on Oct. 13, when Boston posted a 6-3 victory at Columbus.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (6-3-2): After a slow start to the season, Brandon Saad has heated up nicely, registering four goals and five assists over his last seven games. The 24-year-old left wing, who netted a tally and set up another in Wednesday's victory, notched just one assist in his first four contests. With fellow defenseman Seth Jones shelved for three weeks with a fractured foot, Dalton Prout returned to the lineup Wednesday for the first time since the triumph in Anaheim on Oct. 28.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (7-6-0): Brad Marchand leads the team with 15 points and enters Thursday with a five-game point streak during which he has recorded two goals and three assists. Marchand and Pastrnak combined for four goals and five assists in last month's win over the Blue Jackets, with the former matching his career high with five points. Tuukka Rask will be back in net versus Columbus after rookie Zane McIntyre made his second career start on Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. The Bruins have registered four power-play goals in their last two games after netting three over their first 11 contests.
2. Columbus C Brandon Dubinsky, who has yet to score a goal this season, missed Wednesday's game with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.
3. Boston C Noel Acciari could miss his second straight game after suffering an undisclosed injury in Monday's victory over Buffalo.