BLUE JACKETS (40-16-6) at SENATORS (34-22-6)
7 p.m. ET; CITY, FS-O, NHL.TV
Blue Jackets team scope
The Columbus Blue Jackets are 5-1-1 in their past seven games and have outscored opponents 23-10 in that stretch. They are in second place in the Metropolitan Division, seven points behind the Washington Capitals with a game in hand and tied in points with the Pittsburgh Penguins with a game in hand. Their past two games each ended 1-0; an overtime loss at the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday and a home win against the Central Division-leading Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Columbus has allowed three goals in its past four games, including shutouts against the Wild and the New York Islanders on Feb. 25. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has stopped 95 of the 98 shots he has faced in his past three games. He is tied for second in the NHL with 33 wins and third in save percentage (.928) and goals-against average (2.13) among goaltenders who have played a minimum of 30 games. Center Alexander Wennberg will play his 200th NHL game. Center Brandon Dubinsky needs one point for 400 in his NHL career.
Senators team scope
The Senators, 7-4-0 in their past 11 games, are second in the Atlantic Division, six points behind Montreal with three games in hand and two points ahead of the Boston Bruins with two games in hand. Coach Guy Boucher will change up his lines, flipping forwards Alexandre Burrows and Zack Smith. Smith was with Kyle Turris and Mike Hoffman, and Burrows with Derick Brassard and Mark Stone during a 2-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Hoffman assisted on each of Burrows' two goals, so Boucher is going to see if the chemistry will continue. Burrows was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. "Last game [Burrows] wasn't on [Hoffman's] line, but he assisted on two of his goals. I don't what kind of magic he did there so in the third period, I just put them together. We'll see how that looks today." Boucher said the Blue Jackets present a unique challenge. "We're playing the hardest-working team in the NHL," he said. "That's what they are. So if we want a chance to beat those guys, we have to outwork the hardest working team in the NHL. That's where it's at." Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson will set the Senators record for consecutive games played. He is tied with Chris Phillips, with 311 straight games. Goaltender Craig Anderson will start.
Blue Jackets projected lineup
Nick Foligno -- Alexander Wennberg -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Boone Jenner -- Brandon Dubinsky -- Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell -- Sam Gagner -- Brandon Saad
Lauri Korpikoski -- William Karlsson -- Josh Anderson
Ryan Murray -- Markus Nutivaara
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched: Scott Harrington, TJ Hynan, Kyle Quincey
Injured: Lukas Sedlak (oblique strain), Matt Calvert (strained oblique), David Clarkson (back)
Senators projected lineup
Alexandre Burrows -- Kyle Turris -- Mike Hoffman
Zack Smith -- Derick Brassard -- Mark Stone
Ryan Dzingel -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Tom Pyatt
Viktor Stalberg -- Chris Kelly -- Tommy Wingels
Marc Methot -- Erik Karlsson
Mark Borowiecki -- Chris Wideman
Craig Anderson
Scratched: Fredrik Claesson, Jyrki Jokipakka, Chris DiDomenico
Injured: Chris Neil (broken finger), Bobby Ryan (broken finger), Clarke MacArthur (concussion)
Status report
The Blue Jackets did not have a morning skate Saturday. ... Boucher will use the same lineup as Thursday. Turris has an injured finger, so Hoffman will take faceoffs for the first line.
Who's hot
Dubinsky has won 63.7 percent of his faceoffs in the past nine games (121 of 190) and has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past 11 games. Wennberg has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past seven games. … Karlsson has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in his past 10 games. Turris has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his past eight games. Stone has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games.
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