Blue Jackets at Penguins
The Columbus Blue Jackets have skyrocketed up the Metropolitan Division rankings on the strength of a franchise-best 10-game winning streak and 12-game point streak (11-0-1), which is one shy of matching the club record from May 18-April 11, 2015. The Blue Jackets look to leapfrog the first-place Pittsburgh Penguins and gain a share of the league's top point total (Chicago, 48) on Thursday when the second contest of a four-game road trip takes them to PPG Paints Arena.
Cam Atkinson scored both goals in regulation to extend his career-high point streak to seven games (six goals, six assists) and also tallied in the shootout in Tuesday's 3-2 victory over Los Angeles, but was seen wearing a walking boot the following day. "We'll see how it feels (Thursday)," Atkinson told the Columbus Dispatch. "It's precautionary, that's why I'm wearing the boot. It's not for fashion reasons. ... Personally, I'm a pretty fast healer. Hopefully, I will be able to rock and roll." Reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh is making some sweet music of late, improving its overall point streak to 10 games (8-0-2) and home point streak to eight (7-0-1) with a 7-2 rout the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The Penguins, who are 14-2-2 at PPG Paints Arena, lead the league with 3.45 goals per game, just ahead of second-place Columbus (3.30).
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL.TV, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (21-7-5): Superstar captain Sidney Crosby scored a goal and set up another versus the Rangers to increase his point total to 20 (10 goals, 10 assists) in his past 14 games. Crosby has made himself at home at Nationwide Arena, scoring four goals and setting up 10 others during a nine-game point streak in Ohio while fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin has recorded 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 14 career encounters with the Blue Jackets. Malkin collected a goal and two assists on Tuesday to increase his point total to 20 (six goals, 14 assists) in his past 13 games and an NHL third-best 37 points this season.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (21-5-4): While Atkinson is getting plenty of fanfare for his point streak, linemates Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner aren't doing too shabby in their own right. "I liked the way we played," the 30-year-old Dubinsky told the Columbus Dispatch following his first multi-point performance of the season (two assists). "We had the puck a little bit more. We forechecked better and Boone was a beast down there. He held onto pucks big time for us." Dubinsky has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past six games.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh RW Phil Kessel has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in his last 15 games.
2. Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky, who has won four of his last six career starts versus the Penguins, has won eight straight overall to seize the league lead in victories (19).
3. Pittsburgh RW Bryan Rust has nine points (six goals, three assists) in his last nine contests.
PREDICTION: Penguins 3, Blue Jackets 2