Hurricanes at Blue Jackets preview
Dzingel returns to Columbus, which seeks six-game point streak
by Craig Merz / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
HURRICANES (6-3-0) at BLUE JACKETS (4-3-2)
7 p.m. ET; FS-O, FS-CR, NHL.TV
The Game
The Columbus Blue Jackets look to extend their point streak to six games when they play the Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.
The Blue Jackets won 4-3 in overtime against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday and are 3-0-2 in their past five games since a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 11.
Ryan Dzingel will play at Columbus for the first time since signing with the Hurricanes as a free agent July 12. The forward had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 21 regular-season games and one goal in nine Stanley Cup Playoff Games with the Blue Jackets last season after he was acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 23.
The Hurricanes have lost two straight games and three of four after starting 5-0-0.
Players to watch
Hurricanes forward Erik Haula has five points (four goals, one assist) during a five-game point streak.
Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo is 3-1-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in his past five starts.
They said it
"It's circled (on the calendar) just so I can come and see my family and friends that are here. I got to see them last night, which was cool. Other than that it's another game." -- Hurricanes forward Ryan Dzingel, who went to Ohio State (2011-14) and played 21 games with the Blue Jackets last season
"The biggest thing I'm proud of is that I've been able to be here and help turn this team into what I'm seeing now as an elite team that's close to challenging every year for the holy grail, so to speak." -- Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, who will become the seventh player to play 500 games with the Blue Jackets
Hurricanes projected lineup
Andrei Svechnikov -- Jordan Staal -- Teuvo Teravainen
Nino Niederreiter -- Sebastian Aho -- Warren Foegele
Ryan Dzingel -- Erik Haula -- Martin Necas
Brock McGinn -- Lucas Wallmark
Jaccob Slavin -- Dougie Hamilton
Joel Edmundson -- Brett Pesce
Jake Gardiner -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Haydn Fleury
Petr Mrazek
James Reimer
Scratched: None
Injured: Jordan Martinook (core muscle surgery)
Blue Jackets projected lineup
Nick Foligno -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Cam Atkinson
Gustav Nyquist -- Alexander Wennberg -- Josh Anderson
Alexandre Texier -- Boone Jenner -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Sonny Milano -- Riley Nash -- Emil Bemstrom
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Ryan Murray -- Scott Harrington
Vladislav Gavrikov -- David Savard
Joonas Korpisalo
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched: Scott Harrington, Jakob Lilja, Dean Kukan
Injured: Brandon Dubinsky (wrist), Markus Nutivaara (lower body)
Status report
Carolina will dress seven defensemen and 11 forwards. … Harrington replaces Nutivaara, who was injured against the Maple Leafs.
Stat pack
Teravainen has an assist in each of the past three games. … Wennberg has two goals to equal his total in 75 games last season. His power-play goal in the third period against the Maple Leafs was the Blue Jackets' first in 19 opportunities. … Bjorkstrand needs one point for 100 in the NHL. … Dubois has five points (four goals, one assist) in his past seven games. ... Columbus has played seven straight one-goal games (4-1-2).