Canucks at Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets will continue their search for consistency on Thursday when they begin their season-high seven-game homestand versus the Vancouver Canucks. Columbus has followed a franchise-best 16-game winning streak with up-and-down play, including victories in just seven of its last 16 contests to see a halt in its ascent in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division.
"We need to reinvent ourselves and get the chip back on our shoulder," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "We need to embrace this challenge. It's how you grow as a player. It's our home building. I think we have to get some consistency, how we start the game first of all, and make sure (Nationwide Arena) is a tough place to play." Columbus boasts an 18-6-1 mark at home heading into a tilt with a Vancouver club that has dropped 21 of 27 away from Rogers Arena. The Canucks haven't done themselves any favors by being outscored 17-6 during a four-game losing skid, with Tuesday's 4-2 loss to Nashville opening what Brandon Sutter labeled a "make or break" six-game road trip. All-Star Bo Horvat (team-leading 34 points), who set up a goal on Tuesday for his eighth point in as many games and 99th career, had an assist in Vancouver's 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus on Dec. 18.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (23-24-6): Coach Willie Desjardins is offering an opportunity for Reid Boucher to see additional ice time, providing the 23-year-old capitalizes while working with the team's second power-play unit. "That's probably his chance to find a permanent spot on the team," Desjardins said of Boucher, who has played in six games this season and one with Vancouver since being acquired from Nashville last month. "If he can become a weapon on the PP, then he might be able to earn himself a steady job." Boucher may return to the lineup versus Columbus as fellow forward Sven Baertschi (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (34-13-5): Columbus is receiving quite the contribution from its second line, as Cam Atkinson, Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner have combined for nine points (four goals, five assists) and a plus-7 rating in four games following the All-Star break. Atkinson has eight goals and 10 points in his last nine contests overall to increase his team-leading totals to 26 and 48, respectively. The 27-year-old, who is one tally and five points shy of his respective career-high totals set last season, collected a goal and an assist in the first meeting with Vancouver.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus' Seth Jones, who scored in overtime on Tuesday, is two shy of Bryan Berard's club record of 12 goals in a season by a defenseman.
2. Canucks G Ryan Miller has yielded 15 goals during his four-game losing skid and is 2-8-2 with a 3.18 goals-against average on the road this season.
3. Blue Jackets C Brandon Dubinsky has scored two goals and set up four others during his last five games.