Blue Jackets bring losing streak into home matchup against the Sharks
San Jose Sharks (16-42-7, eighth in the Pacific Division) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (22-33-11, eighth in the Metropolitan Division)
Columbus, Ohio; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Columbus Blue Jackets take on the San Jose Sharks after losing three in a row.
Columbus has gone 12-17-5 at home and 22-33-11 overall. The Blue Jackets have a -44 scoring differential, with 192 total goals scored and 236 conceded.
San Jose is 16-42-7 overall and 6-23-4 on the road. The Sharks have gone 9-22-4 in games their opponents commit fewer penalties.
The matchup Saturday is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Blue Jackets won 4-3 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kirill Marchenko has 17 goals and 15 assists for the Blue Jackets. Alexander Nylander has six goals and two assists over the last 10 games.
Mikael Granlund has scored nine goals with 33 assists for the Sharks. Fabian Zetterlund has two goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jackets: 4-5-1, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.3 assists, 3.1 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
Sharks: 1-7-2, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 4.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Blue Jackets: Justin Danforth: out (concussion), Yegor Chinakhov: out (upper-body), Sean Kuraly: out (lower body), Kent Johnson: out for season (shoulder), Patrik Laine: out (collarbone), Adam Boqvist: day to day (upper-body), Adam Fantilli: out (leg).
Sharks: Jacob MacDonald: day to day (illness), Jan Rutta: day to day (lower-body), Ty Emberson: out (undisclosed), Matt Benning: out for season (lower body), Vitek Vanecek: out for season (lower body), Logan Couture: out for season (groin), Mike Hoffman: day to day (upper body), Mackenzie Blackwood: out (groin).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
