Columbus @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2019 ) Detroit 4, Columbus 5

The Columbus Blue Jackets are 2-4-2 in their last eight games with both wins coming against the NHL-best Washington Capitals and will try to maintain their focus when they visit the league-worst Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Oliver Bjorkstrand has scored in only two games during that stretch - both against Washington - after recording two goals in Monday's 3-0 victory over the Capitals, and Columbus also won at Washington 5-2 on Dec. 9.

"It's consistency,'' Bjorkstrand told FS Ohio after the game. "We just have to keep going. There's no excuse for not doing that every night." Detroit lost 4-2 to Los Angeles on Sunday, snapping a two-game winning streak after a 0-10-2 stretch solidified its spot at the bottom of the NHL standings. "I thought we got out-competed, out-executed and outworked," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill told reporters. "If you do those three things you have no chance." Columbus prevailed 5-4 on Nov. 21 in the first of three meetings this season with Cam Atkinson recording a goal and an assist, giving him 14 goals and 23 points in 25 games versus the Red Wings.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (13-14-6): Bjorkstrand has nine goals, trailing only Pierre-Luc Dubois (10) for the team lead. Josh Anderson, Sonny Milano and defenseman Ryan Murray missed Monday's game after leaving Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss at Ottawa - the third-worst team in the league - with upper-body injuries. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 30 shots Monday for his third career shutout but could yield the net Tuesday to backup Elvis Merzlikins (0-4-3, 3.41 goals-against average, .889 save percentage).

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (9-23-3): Tyler Bertuzzi paces the team with 27 points after recording a goal and an assist in his last two games. Filip Zadina has scored two of his three career goals in the last two contests and owns two goals and seven points in 10 contests this season. Andreas Athanasiou was a minus-2 on Sunday, dropping him to a mind-boggling minus-35 with teammate Valtteri Filppula a distant second in the league at minus-25.

OVERTIME

1. Detroit has the worst penalty-killing unit in the league at 73.8 percent, but is 5-for-5 in its last three games while Columbus is 0-for-20 on the power play in its past six contests.

2. Blue Jackets D Andrew Peeke on Monday recorded his first NHL point in his sixth game - an assist on Bjorkstrand's second goal.

3. Columbus coach John Tortorella won his 635th contest Monday, passing Darryl Sutter for 15th all-time.

PREDICTION: Red Wings 3, Blue Jackets 2