Columbus @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 25, 2019 ) Ottawa 0, Columbus 1

The Columbus Blue Jackets are struggling to hit their best stride this season but will try to continue their mastery over Ottawa when they visit the Senators on Saturday afternoon. Columbus has won five straight meetings after a 1-0 victory Nov. 25 with Joonas Korpisalo recording 25 saves for his second career shutout, but is 1-4-1 in its last six games.

Columbus has mustered only 10 goals during that span with five coming in a victory at Washington on Monday. "I don't have any words to describe (the performance),'' Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella told reporters after his club was limited to a season-low 17 shots in Thursday's 1-0 overtime loss at Pittsburgh. "I don't know what to tell you guys. I hope you asked (the players) the questions. ... You got enough information from them? You don't need me. I hope they answered you honestly." Ottawa is 2-6-1 since reaching the NHL's version of .500 (11-11-1) on Nov. 22 but is 2-1-1 in its last four games after Wednesday's 3-2 overtime setback at Montreal. “We’ve kind of realized what kind of team we are,” Senators forward Connor Brown told reporters. “We’re going to hang around and we’re going to do things right. The guys really are buying in and understanding, and we’re getting the most out of the group.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), Sportsnet, TVA (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (12-14-5): Columbus has scored the third-fewest goals in the league with Pierre-Luc Dubois (10) the only player in double figures. Gustav Nyquist leads the club with 19 points but has recorded only an assist in the last six games. Korpisalo (12-10-2, 2.73 goals-against average, .906 save percentage) is 4-1-0, 2.41, .919 in five starts versus Ottawa.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (13-17-2): Versatile forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau paces the club with 16 goals and 23 points, and his plus-19 rating is tied for second in the league as he's gone 12 straight games without being a minus. Anthony Duclair (15 goals) had his three-game scoring streak snapped Wednesday after recording five tallies during that span while Brady Tkachuk (11 goals) scored for the second time in three contests. Thomas Chabot has registered one assist in each of the last three games, giving him a team-most 17.

OVERTIME

1. Blue Jackets D Seth Jones on Saturday is scheduled to play his 500th career game after playing his 300th with Columbus on Thursday while Ottawa D Ron Hainsey played his 1,100th on Wednesday.

2. The Senators are 2-for-13 on the power play in their last four games, raising the league's worst percentage to 9.8, while the Blue Jackets haven't scored with the man advantage in their last 16 opportunities.

3. Columbus is 5-2-1 versus the Atlantic Division.

PREDICTION: Senators 3, Blue Jackets 2