Preview: Blue Jackets host Islanders, looking for strong rebound effort

GAME 32: ISLANDERS (17-11-3) AT BLUE JACKETS (19-11-1)
NATIONWIDE ARENA, 7 P.M., THURSDAY
TV: FOX SPORTS OHIO/FOX SPORTS GO
RADIO: 97.1 FM & BLUEJACKETS.COM
Unlike a week ago, the Blue Jackets don't get two days between games to stew over a disappointing performance on home ice.
This time, they got just one spirited practice Wednesday to prepare for their next game and first opportunity to rebound from a 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena. Despite a couple of early-season disappointments, not to mention a season-long malaise affecting a group of veterans, Columbus has 39 points and sits atop the Metropolitan Division.
"We've still found a way to keep ourselves above water here," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "I'm looking forward to this team [just playing] another game, just so we can get rid of what happened [Tuesday] night and get back playing."

They'll do it without center Brandon Dubinsky, who was injured in a fight with 1:35 left in the game against Edmonton. Dubinsky, who will miss an estimated 6-to-8 weeks with a fractured orbital bone in his face, is the Jackets' best at winning face-offs and was deployed quite a bit this season in key defensive situations.
Forward Jordan Schroeder was recalled from the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League on Wednesday, and could step right back into a role at fourth-line center that he occupied earlier. It's unclear how Tortorella will make up for Dubinsky's absence, but the answers will be revealed soon enough.
The Islanders will not make it easy.
New York, which lost, 5-2, at home to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, has a lineup topped by star center John Tavares. The Isles are also solid down the middle in their other three lines. They'll be looking to even the score in the season series with Columbus, which routed the Islanders, 5-0, to open the season Oct. 6 at Nationwide Arena.

SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (1-0-0). This is the second of four games. The next two will be played Feb. 3 and 13 at Barclays Center in New York.
All-time (W-L-T-O): 18-8-1-5 overall; 12-2-1-3 at Nationwide Arena
THIS SEASON
First game: The Blue Jackets started their season with a strong performance, topping the Islanders, 5-0, in their season-opener Oct. 6 at Nationwide Arena. Columbus got goals by five different players, and Artemi Panarin had three assists in his first game as a Blue Jacket. Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season. The Islanders' Thomas Greiss allowed five goals on 26 shots.
WHO'S HOT
Islanders:Anders Lee scored both goals against the Stars, and Tavares had assists on each one. Brock Nelson has three goals in the past six games, including the first goal in New York's 3-1 victory Monday against the Washington Capitals.
Blue Jackets: Panarin has 10 points in the past five games (two goals, eight assists), including a five-assist game Friday against the New Jersey Devils. Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and assist against the Oilers on Tuesday.
EYES ON: THE ISLANDERS

EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
QUOTABLES
"I think that's what bothers me the most, is that we still have put some wins in the bank, and I still don't think we've seen our team be the team that I think we can be. That's a very dangerous situation, a team that we can be, [that] we need to be. We always talk about potential. That's a killer. So, we're going to keep on working at it, find some solutions to it and see if we can get some good things to happen for us." - Columbus coach John Tortorella, after practice Wednesday
PROJECTED LINEUPS
ISLANDERS
Forwards
Anders Lee - John Tavares - Josh Bailey
Andrew Ladd - Mathew Barzal - Jordan Eberle
Anthony Beauvillier - Brock Nelson - Josh Ho-Sang
Jason Chimera - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Defensemen
Nick Leddy - Johnny Boychuk
Calvin de Haan - Ryan Puloch
Adam Pelech - Scott Mayfield
Goaltenders
Jaroslav Halak
Thomas Greiss
Others:Alan Quine, Dennis Seidenberg
Injured reserve: Nikolay Kulemin (upper body), Thomas Hickey (upper body), Shane Prince (lower body)
BLUE JACKETS
Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Josh Anderson
Nick Foligno - Alexander Wennberg - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Boone Jenner - Lukas Sedlak - Cam Atkinson
Matt Calvert - Jordan Schroeder - Tyler Motte
Defensemen
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - David Savard
Scott Harrington - Markus Nutivaara
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Others: Gabriel Carlsson, Markus Hannikainen
Injured reserve:Ryan Murray (upper body), Brandon Dubinsky (upper body)