Hurricanes at Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are just 3-5-0 since their historic 16-game winning streak and look to build some momentum before a difficult road trip when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. The Blue Jackets, who are fourth in the league in scoring, have been shut out twice over their last eight games - including a 2-0 loss to Ottawa on Thursday.
“When we focus on the simple plays and shots, it seems like that is when the floodgates open,” captain Nick Foligno told the Columbus Dispatch. “We’re a more direct, straight-line team, and we have to get back to that.” The Blue Jackets will try to return to basics in their third game against Carolina in a span of 12 days, as both have won on home ice. The Hurricanes are coming off a 7-1 thumping at home by Pittsburgh on Friday - their second straight loss after a four-game winning streak. Carolina coach Bill Peters benched two of his leading scorers - Jeff Skinner and Teuvo Teravainen - in the third period of the setback, which veteran center Jordan Staal told reporters was "an embarrassment."
TV: 5 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (21-17-7): Michael Leighton could get the start against Columbus after Cam Ward surrendered seven goals on 41 shots Friday - the third straight game in which he allowed at least four tallies. Skinner, who tops the team with 35 points, was limited to 10 minutes, 22 seconds of ice time versus the Blue Jackets while Teravainen (24 points) played 8:56 while posting a minus-3 rating. Viktor Stalberg snapped a 21-game goal-scoring drought with a short-handed tally against Pittsburgh, but the Hurricanes are 1-for-36 on the power play over their last 15 contests.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (30-10-4): Columbus still leads the league in power-play percentage (24.6) but has been able to convert with the man advantage just three times in 28 opportunities over the last eight games. While others have struggled a bit, leading scorer Cam Atkinson has continued to put up points, recording eight in his last 10 games to raise his season total to 43. The Blue Jackets recalled Markus Hannikainen from Cleveland of the American Hockey League, and the left wing is expected to replace Matt Calvert in the lineup, while defenseman David Savard is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
OVERTIME
1. Foligno and C Alexander Wennberg are tied for second on the Blue Jackets with 36 points apiece but enter Saturday with three-game droughts.
2. Carolina C Victor Rask, who is second on the club with 32 points, recorded a goal and two assists in a win over Columbus on Jan. 10.
3. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed four goals in his last three games, including one on 25 shots against Carolina on Tuesday.