Columbus @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 31, 2018 ) Ottawa 3, Columbus 6

The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a few days to hopefully cure all that ails them, including an illness that kept Artemi Panarin out of their last contest. The Blue Jackets bid to avoid a third straight loss and get back on the right side of the playoff picture on Friday as they visit the NHL-worst Ottawa Senators, who have dropped nine of their last 12 games.

Friday's game features a bevy of attractive names ahead of Monday's NHL trade deadline, including Panarin and two-time Vezina Trophy recipient Sergei Bobrovsky for Columbus while unrestricted free-agent forwards Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and former Ohio State star Ryan Dzingel reportedly are being shopped by Ottawa. Panarin, who leads the Blue Jackets in assists (43) and points (67), sat out Tuesday's 3-2 setback in Montreal but is expected to play in his 300th career game on Friday. The same likely can't be said for Stone (team-leading 28 goals, 61 points), Duchene and Dzingel, who all were scratched prior to Thursday's 4-0 setback in New Jersey for precautionary reasons. Dzingel, who scored twice in Ottawa's 6-3 loss to Columbus on Dec. 31, reportedly is being pursued by the Blue Jackets prior to the deadline.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), TSN5, RDS (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (33-23-3): Panarin set up a pair of goals versus Ottawa on New Year's Eve to boost his point total to eight (two goals, six assists) in eight career contests against the club. Bobrovsky, who made 22 saves in that meeting, has regained his form after a disastrous January by posting a 5-2-0 record with a 2.30 goals-against average and .922 save percentage this month as Columbus sits one point behind Carolina for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Josh Anderson scored into an empty net to seal the win in the first match with the Senators and has recorded six of his career-high 21 goals over his last 10 games.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (22-33-5): After watching Anders Nilsson yield all four goals versus the Devils, Craig Anderson will attempt to snap a six-game losing streak when he gets the nod on Friday. The 37-year-old Anderson, who has overcome a concussion and an eye injury in recent months, has struggled in his last two trips to the crease as he's allowed nine goals in offensive-slugfest losses in Toronto and Chicago after permitting just eight in his previous three appearances. Anderson owns a 12-6-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.47 GAA and a .915 save percentage in 18 career encounters with Columbus.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus C Boone Jenner has registered seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last seven games.

2. Senators RW Bobby Ryan has collected 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 35 career meetings with the Blue Jackets.

3. Columbus has scored a power-play goal in six of its last eight road contests.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Senators 3