[7:30 PM] Blue Jackets @ Lightning

Who will WIN this matchup?

Columbus Blue Jackets (10-5-3)

@ Tampa Bay Lightning (13-7-1)

 

Starting Goalies:

Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ): Confirmed

Ben Bishop (TB): Confirmed

 

• Alex Killorn tied the game with 6:32 to go and Ryan Callahan scored 12 seconds later as Tampa Bay went on to defeat Philadelphia 4-2 for its fifth victory in six contests.

• It was the second straight setback for Columbus after a four-game winning streak and the first time it had been shut out all season. Sergei Bobrovsky lost for the first time in five starts Wednesday, but the Blue Jackets’ netminder has limited opponents to two or fewer goals in nine of his last 11 games.

• Columbus still owns the league’s top-ranked power play at 28.6 percent but has converted just three times in 24 opportunities over the last nine games. Captain Nick Foligno shares the team lead in goals with Cam Atkinson and Sam Gagner at seven and tops the Blue Jackets with 18 points while Alexander Wennberg has notched 14 assists. Defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup in the overtime loss to Colorado on Monday after a two-week absence and has registered seven shots with a minus-2 rating the last two games.

• The loss of captain Steven Stamkos (knee surgery) will require others to provide more, and Killorn has stepped up with a pair of goals and two assists in the last four games. Nikita Kucherov entered Thursday second in the league in scoring with 24 points after recording his ninth goal in 12 games this month on Wednesday. The Lightning went with seven defensemen against Philadelphia as forwards Brian Boyle and J.T. Brown sat out with upper-body injuries, while Erik Condra made his season debut after being recalled from Syracuse of the American Hockey League.

• The Lightning have won six of the last seven meetings, including all three last season by a total score of 11-3.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning

Confidence: 6/10

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