Blue Jackets at Avalanche preview

The Blue Jackets have been outscored 19-11 during the streak, their longest since a six-game streak (0-5-1) from March 30-April 8, 2017.

Philipp Grubauer is expected to start for the Avalanche, who will attempt to end a three-game losing streak, during which they've been outscored 14-4. They've allowed four or more goals in seven of the past 11 games and have lost 13 of their past 16 (3-11-2).

Players to watch

Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin has seven points (two goals, five assists) in a four-game point streak and 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in his past 17 games.

Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his past 10 games. He's tied for fourth in the NHL with 74 points and he's third in assists with 51.

They said it

"I just think we have talked it to death. We've had two very important meetings. Rhetoric is great, you feel great about what they said. There's conflict, there's all things that go on in these meetings, but you air it out. Now you have to try and help yourself … you need to change your game to some sort of level that you're helping the team." -- Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella

"We haven't played desperate hockey, but we should be. I mean, we're out of a playoff spot. There's no panic or anything like that, but you got to get back to winning hockey. You got to put yourself back in a position to be in the postseason. We got to stop the bleeding, and we have to do that tonight." -- Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog

Blue Jackets projected lineup

Nick Foligno -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Cam Atkinson

Artemi Panarin -- Alexander Wennberg -- Oliver Bjorkstrand

Anthony Duclair -- Brandon Dubinsky -- Josh Anderson

Markus Hannikainen -- Lukas Sedlak -- Riley Nash

Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones

Dean Kukan -- Markus Nutivaara

Scott Harrington -- David Savard

Sergei Bobrovsky

Joonas Korpisalo

Scratched: Mark Letestu

Injured: Boone Jenner (ankle), Ryan Murray (undisclosed)

Avalanche projected lineup

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen

Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Matt Calvert

Alexander Kerfoot -- J.T. Compher -- Colin Wilson

Sven Andrighetto -- Sheldon Dries -- Gabriel Bourque

Ian Cole -- Erik Johnson

Nikita Zadorov -- Tyson Barrie

Patrik Nemeth -- Samuel Girard

Philipp Grubauer

Semyon Varlamov

Scratched: Mark Barberio

Injured: Vladislav Kamenev (shoulder)

Status report

Tortorella didn't have updates on Jenner and Murray, who didn't take part in an optional morning skate. Dubinsky, who has been dealing with a lower-body injury, skated and will be a game-time decision. If he plays it will be his 800th NHL game.

Stat pack

Dubois has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his past 13 games … MacKinnon has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his past 15 games.