Preview: McDavid, Oilers visit as Jackets seek third straight win

GAME 31: OILERS (12-16-2) AT BLUE JACKETS (19-10-1)
NATIONWIDE ARENA, 7 P.M., TUESDAY
TV: FOX SPORTS OHIO/FOX SPORTS GO
RADIO: 97.1 FM & BLUEJACKETS.COM
After sweeping back-to-back games this past weekend, the Blue Jackets will get right back at it Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers, another Western Conference with a point to prove.
Just like the Arizona Coyotes, whom the Jackets defeated, 1-0, Saturday night at Nationwide Arena, the Oilers are out to show their record isn't indicative of their capability as a team. Led by captain Connor McDavid, their young captain, Edmonton has posted strong numbers everywhere but the stat column that counts most: wins.
The Oilers are young, fast and skilled up front, and have the ability to skate with any team in the NHL. They're just off to a disappointing start, after advancing to the conference finals last season.
Columbus, meanwhile, entered Monday first in the Metropolitan Division (39 points). The Blue Jackets are 10-3-0 since Nov. 11, tied for the most wins in the NHL in that span, despite a group of veteran stars still trying to overcome sluggish starts. That includes Cam Atkinson, who was scratched Saturday against the Coyotes.
Atkinson, who hasn't had a point since signing a seven-year contract extension, will return to the lineup after using the game off to hit a figurative reset button on his season.
"It's a wake-up call, and I take full responsibility," Atkinson said after practice Monday. "I know I need to be way better, and I will be."

SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (0-0-0). This is the first of two games. The Blue Jackets will face the Oilers once more, playing Mar. 27 at Rogers Place.
All-time (W-L-T-O): 21-28-3-3 overall; 14-10-3-1 at Nationwide Arena
SERIES SNAPSHOT
Recently:The Blue Jackets have won their past three games against the Oilers, and are 6-2-0 against Edmonton since moving to the Eastern Conference following the 2012-13 season. Columbus has also won the past five games at Nationwide Arena.
Last season (2-0-0): The Jackets swept both games with identical 3-1 scores, winning first Dec. 13 in Edmonton and then completing the sweep Jan. 3 in Columbus.
Sergei Bobrovsky and Cam Talbot were the starting goalies in each game, with Bobrovsky winning each for the Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky made 54 saves on 56 shots combined in the games for a .964 save percentage, while Talbot allowed six goals on 66 shots.
Alex Wennberg had three assists, and Cam Atkinson had two goals to lead the Jackets offensively. Tyler Pitlick and Oscar Klefbom scored the goals for the Oilers.
WHO'S HOT?
Oilers:Milan Lucic has five points (two goals, three assists) in the past four games, while center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has three goals in the previous six contests.
Blue Jackets: Panarin has 10 points in the past four games (two goals, eight assists), and reeled off a total of six straight primary assists split between the past two games. That includes a five-assist game Friday against the New Jersey Devils. Rookie center Pierre-Luc Dubois has eight points (two goals, six assists) in the past five games, while right wing Josh Anderson has eight points (four goals, four assists) in the past nine games.
EYES ON: THE OILERS
EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
QUOTABLES
Oilers
"Hockey is a weird game. Some nights you don't do anything, and you get one or two [points], and some nights you have your legs and you get nothing. I was happy with my game, I thought I was able to generate some chances." - Oilers captain Connor McDavid, after the Oilers' 1-0 loss Sunday to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Blue Jackets
"I'm not looking to hate players. I'm looking to run a team, and try to get the players to be the best they can be. Quite honestly, this is my responsibility, and I think I have failed a little bit in this part, where I have so many of our top guys not playing that well. That's my job, to try to help them, and I certainly have to look at myself here, and try different ways to try and help them." - Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, on making decisions to scratch veteran players like Atkinson.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
OILERS
Forwards
Milan Lucic - Connor McDavid - Jesse Puljujarvi
Patrick Maroon - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Michael Cammalleri
Jujhar Khaira - Leon Draisaitl - Ryan Strome
Anton Slepyshev - Mark Letestu - Zack Kassian
Defensemen
Darnell Nurse - Kris Russell
Oscar Klefbom - Matt Benning
Yohann Auvitu - Brandon Davidson
Goaltenders
Laurent Brossoit
Nick Ellis
Others:Nathan Walker, Drake Caggiula, Eric Gryba
Injured reserve: Andrej Sekera (undisclosed), Cam Talbot (undisclosed), Adam Larsson (undisclosed)
BLUE JACKETS
Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Josh Anderson
Nick Foligno - Alexander Wennberg - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Boone Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
Matt Calvert - Lukas Sedlak - Tyler Motte or Markus Hannikainen
Defensemen
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - David Savard
Scott Harrington - Markus Nutivaara
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Others: Gabriel Carlsson, Hannikainen or Motte
Injured reserve:Ryan Murray (upper body)