Detroit @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 17, 2019 ) Columbus 5, Detroit 3

The red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets look to avoid a letdown as they attempt to extend their point streak to 10 games Friday night when they host the NHL-worst Detroit Red Wings. The Blue Jackets are 8-0-1 during their streak and have gained at least a point in 23 of the the last 25 games (18-2-5) after defenseman Zach Werenski scored the winner in Tuesday’s 1-0 overtime victory over Florida.

“I thought it was one of our better games we’ve played offensively and defensively,” Columbus coach John Tortorella told reporters after his team outshot the Panthers 45-32. “We just kept our patience, kept our patience. It took us longer than the 60, but we found a way to win.” The Blue Jackets scored five goals each in two victories - two apiece coming from forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson - over the Red Wings earlier this season and have taken 10 of the last 11 season series. Detroit will come to town after recording its first victory in 10 games, coughing up a two-goal lead in the third period and going on to win 4-3 in a shootout at Buffalo on Thursday as center Dylan Larkin scored twice in regulation before converting in the shootout. “I thought through large parts of the game we played good hockey,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill told the Detroit Free Press. “If you never get rewarded, it’s hard to keep your confidence, it’s hard to believe in what you’re doing. The effort was great. It was good to get rewarded for a fairly good process.”

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: FS Detroit, FS Ohio

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (13-38-4): Larkin had eight shots on net Thursday and boasts 17 of his team-leading 39 points in his last 17 contests while fellow forward Tyler Bertuzzi scored club-best 18th goal in the win to push his total to 37 points. Forward Robby Fabbri, who was acquired from reigning Stanley Cup champion St. Louis in early November, registered a pair of assists Thursday to tie defenseman Filip Hronek for third on the team with 27 points. Jonathan Bernier made 29 saves for the victory at Buffalo and veteran Jimmy Howard (2-20-2, .884 save percentage) will likely be in net Friday seeking his first win since Oct. 29.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (29-16-9): Werenski notched his third game-winning goal of the season with Tuesday’s heroics and is third on the team with 32 points while leading all defensemen in the league with 16 goals. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois was kept off the scoresheet Tuesday, but had two goals and six assists in the previous four games to boost his team-leading total to 42 points - eight more than former Red Wing Gustav Nyquist (two goals, last four contests). Elvis Merzlikins posted his fourth shutout during his seven-game winning streak Tuesday and owns a .929 save percentage on the season.

OVERTIME

1. Detroit D Dennis Cholowski (eight points, 33 games) was expected to play Thursday, but ended up as a scratch because of a minor injury.

2. Atkinson is two goals from becoming the second Columbus player to reach 200, but is mired in a five-game point drought.

3. The Blue Jackets have converted only 13.7 percent of their 58 power-play chances during the 25-game surge, lowering their season number to 17.1, but have killed off 16-of-17 in the last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Red Wings 1