The Blue Jackets were ready to play last night in a 4-1 loss to Montreal, but it wasn't the result the team was hoping for. Columbus put 35 shots on Habs goalie Carey Price but only one found the net, and it seemed like the team was just an inch off on everything it did.
"We tried tonight," said Oliver Bjorkstrand, who scored the team's only goal of the game. "I think there were some good things. There were probably some bad things, too, but we battled hard and just couldn't get it done."
Even as Columbus has won 12 of its last 17 games, the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference have tightened. Columbus sits ties with Washington in second place in the Metro, one point behind the New York Islanders and one ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"These are important points," Pierre-Luc Dubois said after the loss to Montreal. "It's not easy. Tomorrow's game is a big game to get the two points we didn't get tonight."
Know the Foe
Columbus catches Minnesota in the midst of a hectic stretch for the Wild, who will be playing their eighth game in 13 days. Minnesota holds a 3-4-0 record in the first seven games of that stretch and is in fifth place in the Central Division, tied for the last wild card spot in the Western Conference.
The Wild is just 26th in the league in scoring with 2.77 goals per game, while the team allows 2.89, 11th in the league. Special teams are strong, with Minnesota's power play at a 21.3-percent clip (12th) and the penalty kill working at an 85.1-percent mark (second in the NHL).
Veteran Zach Parise leads the way with 19 goals and 41 points, both team highs, while Mikael Granlund is right behind with a 12-27-39 line. Eric Staal adds 14 goals and 30 points, while Ryan Suter (5-25-30), Jared Spurgeon (7-20-27) and Matthew Dumba (12 goals) add offense from the blue line. In net, Devan Dubnyk (17-16-3) has started 37 games with a 2.64 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Alex Stalock (6-5-0, 2.91, .894) is the backup.
The teams played Nov. 29 in Columbus, with the Blue Jackets taking a 4-2 victory.