Vancouver @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2018 ) Columbus 4, Vancouver 5

Elias Pettersson provided another highlight in his amazing rookie season last time out and the 20-year-old center looks to continue his latest scoring surge when the Vancouver Canucks visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. Pettersson became the sixth rookie in NHL history to record two five-point games in a season as he scored once and set up four others in Vancouver’s 6-1 victory at St. Louis on Sunday.

“I don’t really know what to answer,” Pettersson told reporters when asked about posting 30 points in his first 26 NHL games - eight in the past three. “I’m just trying to create chances and points will come when you play good. That’s all I’m thinking of.” Pettersson’s performance, which earned him NHL First Star of the Week on Monday, and Brock Boeser’s hat trick Sunday gave the Canucks two straight wins after a 1-10-2 stretch and they will test themselves against the Blue Jackets, who sit second in the Metropolitan despite losing three of their last four contests. Columbus lost 9-6 last Tuesday against Calgary before falling 4-0 to Washington on Saturday in its last two home games, and plays the next five at Nationwide Arena. “I don’t see us doing the things necessary to win hockey games at crucial times. ...,” Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno told reporters after Saturday’s setback. “. … We were flat in the first (period) and kind of got caught watching, and that’s unacceptable.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (13-16-3): Boeser owns seven goals in his last seven games, sandwiched around a stint on injured reserve, and owns nine on the season to tie for third on the team. “It was nice,” Boeser told reporters after his second career hat trick Sunday. “Obviously, I’ve been battling through some injuries. I feel like I’ve been getting chances lately and our line has been playing solid hockey. It’s nice to get a few lucky bounces.” Boeser has been playing with Pettersson and newly-acquired Josh Leivo of late while Bo Horvat (28 points) centers another top line and boasts six points in his last five games.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (16-11-2): Right wing Cam Atkinson saw his 12-game point streak come to an end Saturday after scoring 13 times and setting up seven others during the run. Atkinson shares the team lead at 31 points with left wing Artemi Panarin, who recorded four of his team-best 24 assists in the past three contests, while center Pierre-Luc Dubois (25 points) has been kept off the scoresheet in three straight games. Defenseman Seth Jones is rounding into form after an early-season knee injury, registering seven points in his last six games to pull within two of 200 in his career.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky allowed 17 goals in his last four games and is 3-5-2 all-time against Vancouver.

2. Leivo has a goal, a plus-5 rating and eight shots on net in his first three games since coming over in a trade from Toronto.

3. The Canucks have earned at least a point in six straight meetings with the Blue Jackets (4-0-2).

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Canucks 3