Blue Jackets at Senators
The Columbus Blue Jackets look to post back-to-back victories for the first time since their franchise-record 16-game winning streak when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. Columbus was outshot badly in the final two periods Saturday but received 35 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky in a 3-2 triumph over Carolina that improved the club to 4-5-0 over the nine contests following the streak.
The Blue Jackets registered just 20 shots in the victory, but two of Scott Hartnell’s found the back of the net as the top four scorers on the team were kept off the scoresheet. The Senators will go for their second win over Columbus within a week after knocking off the Blue Jackets 2-0 on Thursday and continue to be one of the league’s biggest surprises this season. Ottawa has won three straight and five of its last six contests after rallying for a 3-2 shootout victory Saturday at Toronto. The Senators hold down second place in the Atlantic Division by two points over Boston and have five games in hand on the Bruins.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), TSN5, RDS2 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (31-10-4): Brandon Saad’s point drought reached five games while captain Nick Foligno and Alexander Wennberg have not landed on the scoresheet in any of the last four contests. Cam Atkinson went without a point Saturday but leads the team with 43 overall, and Markus Hannikainen replaced Matt Calvert up front before notching his first NHL goal. Defensemen David Savard and Markus Nutivaara were out of Saturday's lineup with undisclosed injuries, but their replacements, Dalton Prout (two) and Scott Harrington (one), combined to register three points.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (25-15-4): Right wing Bobby Ryan was scratched for disciplinary reasons on Jan. 7 against Washington but has come back strong, scoring three goals in six games since - including one on Saturday that came before he converted in the shootout. Mike Hoffman has recorded five goals in the last six games after his tally with 1:11 left in regulation Saturday tied him with Mark Stone for second on the team at 15 – one behind team leader Kyle Turris. Captain Erik Karlsson notched an assist against Toronto to push his team-best total to 38 points while fellow defenseman Mark Borowiecki sat out his second straight game due to illness.
OVERTIME
1. The Senators have won six of the last eight meetings, including a 3-0 shutout in the last game at Ottawa.
2. Bobrovsky has allowed just six goals in his last four games but could sit in the finale of the team's back-to-back set in favor of G Joonas Korpisalo.
3. Ottawa G Mike Condon has won five of his last six starts, including the 42-save shutout against the Blue Jackets on Thursday.