Colorado @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2019 ) Columbus 2, Colorado 4

The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to climb in the Metropolitan Division standings as they put their three-game winning streak and 9-0-1 point run on the line Saturday against the visiting Colorado Avalanche. Columbus defeated Detroit 2-0 on Friday and has moved into third in the Metropolitan - two points behind second-place Pittsburgh and four clear for a playoff spot behind red-hot goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.

The rookie stepped in for the injured Joonas Korpisalo and has started all but two games since Dec. 31, going 12-2-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and .953 save percentage, and has five shutouts during an eight-game winning streak after making 16 saves Friday. Colorado has won two straight road contests by a combined 10-2 after defeating Ottawa 4-1 on Thursday and sits in second place in the Central Division, seven points clear for a Western Conference playoff spot, after winning five of its last six games. The Avalanche won 4-2 on Nov. 9 in the first of two meetings this season behind a pair of goals from Calder Trophy contender Cale Makar, who has 40 points in 44 games - tied for the most among rookies with fellow blueliner Quinn Hughes of Vancouver. Makar had a goal and an assist Thursday with teammate Nazem Kadri telling reporters about the 21-year-old: "I mean, I'm not too surprised with his play anymore. It's just kind of at the point where we expect it now. That's how good he is. He's going to bring it every single night. He holds himself to a high standard and he's definitely accountable for such a young age."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: Altitude 2, FS Ohio

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (30-16-6): Colorado continues to receive secondary scoring as Valeri Nichushkin scored his 10th of the season Thursday while Matt Nieto and J.T. Compher each tallied their eighth. Nichushkin has two goals and five of his 22 points in the last three games. Nathan MacKinnon has assists in each of the last two games and leads the club with 74 points - 34 more than Makar and Andre Burakovsky, who has four goals and eight assists during a six-game point streak.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (30-16-9): Zach Werenski scored for the second straight game and shares the team lead in goals (17) with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand while leading all NHL blueliners. Gustav Nyquist had an assist Friday, giving him 35 points - seven fewer than club-leader Dubois - and two goals and two assists in his last five contests. Matiss Kivlenieks has started a game in each of the last two back-to-back sets, going 1-0-1 in his first career contests, while Korpisalo nears a return.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado D Ryan Graves leads the league in plus-minus rating at plus-37 and has been a plus in six of his last seven games.

2. Werenski on Friday broke his own club record for goals by a defenseman.

3. The Avalanche pace the Western Conference with a goal differential of plus-41 - third in the NHL behind Tampa Bay (47) and Boston (45).

PREDICTION: Avalanche 3, Blue Jackets 2