Florida @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 7, 2019 ) Columbus 1, Florida 4

The Columbus Blue Jackets try to extend their point streak to 11 games Tuesday night, but will have to do it without injured No. 1 goalie Joonas Korpisalo when the Florida Panthers pay a visit. Korpisalo, who has played a big role in the Blue Jackets’ 6-0-4 run, suffered a knee injury during the shootout in Sunday’s 3-2 setback against Chicago and is expected to be out multiple weeks.

Columbus recalled Matiss Kivlenieks from AHL Cleveland and will team with Elvis Merzlikins (0-4-4) between the pipes for the time being with Korpisalo (6-2-3, 932 save percentage in December) out of action. Coach John Tortorella was enraged over a timing issue late in overtime during Sunday’s game that could have given the Blue Jackets precious seconds to earn a victory, but his injury-plagued team will have to recover quickly if it is to turn back the surging Panthers. Florida, which snapped a seven-game losing streak against Columbus with a 4-1 win on Dec. 7, has scored 29 goals while winning five of its past six contests after Sunday’s wild 6-5 triumph against Montreal at home. “We’d rather not be giving up five goals every game,” Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson told reporters after the win. “I think there’s a lot of positivity to take out of it. It’s a great team we were playing in a big game for our division. At the same time, we’ll look back and learn from our mistakes, too.”

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

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (20-13-5): Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau continues to make a strong case he should be picked for the All-Star Game with five goals in five games and 16 points in his past six contests. Huberdeau leads the team with 16 goals and 53 points while captain Aleksander Barkov registered five points in the past two contests to push his total to 45 and Noel Acciari scored his eighth goal in six games Sunday. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (14-10-4) turned aside 38 shots in the victory over Montreal and boasts a .922 save percentage in December after finishing the first two months with an .884 mark.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (17-14-8): While Korpisalo was added to a crowded injured list for Columbus, forwards Cam Atkinson (ankle), Emil Bernstrom (ribs) and Sonny Milano (concussion) along with defenseman Scott Harrington (illness) practiced Monday. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois has recorded three goals and six assists in his past eight games to lead the club with 27 points - one more than fellow forward Gustav Nyquist. Center Riley Nash scored his third goal of the season Sunday and Russian defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov has scored twice while setting up another in the past four contests.

OVERTIME

1. Florida D Aaron Ekblad (five goals, 23 points) returned to the lineup Sunday after missing one game with a shoulder injury.

2. Columbus D Zach Werenski has two goals and two assists with a plus-4 rating in six games this month.

3. The Panthers have scored seven power-play goals and allowed seven in the past six contests.

PREDICTION: Panthers 5, Blue Jackets 2