Preview: Needing more offense, Jackets look to rebound from Buffalo

GAME 46: CANUCKS (16-21-6) AT BLUE JACKETS (25-17-3)
Location:Nationwide Arena, 7 P.M., Friday
TV:Fox Sports Ohio/Fox Sports Go
Radio:97.1 FM The Fan & BlueJackets.com
The search for offense is ongoing for the Blue Jackets, who are looking to split a back-to-back before their mandatory five-day bye.
Columbus, which dropped the front end of its 11th back-to-back Thursday, will host the Vancouver Canucks just 24 hours after losing, 3-1, to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. The Blue Jackets are 3-3-0 in their past six games, but have just nine goals in that stretch.
They've won largely because of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and the top forward line of Artemi Panarin, rookie center Pierre-Luc Dubois and Josh Anderson - who produced the only goal for Columbus on Thursday in Buffalo.
Panarin scored it with a wicked backhand after a display of elite skating and stickhandling, but the Jackets' offensive hopes began and ended with him and his line. In fact, coach John Tortorella leaned heavily on that trio in the final 5:40 of the third period in Buffalo, including a two-minute shift to end the game.
"I have to use them," Tortorella said. "I've got to get more from other people. I'm trying to win the game that we're playing, so if I have to use them, I use them. That's the way it's going right now until we get some other guys going."

It's a frustrating situation, because Bobrovsky is back to the top of his game. He's started the past five games, and Columbus has only allowed 10 goals, including an empty-netter by Sabres center Jack Eichel on Thursday.
The Blue Jackets did get center Alex Wennberg back in Buffalo, after an eight-game absence caused by a back injury, but they still have three key players on injured reserve: forward Cam Atkinson (foot fracture), center Brandon Dubinsky (orbital bone fracture) and defenseman Ryan Murray (upper body). Rookie forward Sonny Milano (upper body) is also day-to-day.
"We were pushing," Tortorella said, referring to the Blue Jackets outshooting the Sabres 34-14 in the final 40 minutes of the game. "I didn't like our first period, but our second and third periods, the guys tried. I had no problem with their effort there. I thought we were going to tie it up. [Panarin] hits a crossbar a couple shifts after he scores his goal, we had a couple opportunities … didn't score."
SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (0-0-0). This is the first of two games. The Canucks will host the Blue Jackets on Mar. 31 at Rogers Arena in the second game.
Last season:They split the two games, with the road teams winning each game to continue a trend. The visiting team has won six straight games in the series, which has been split the past four years. Last season, the Blue Jackets won, 4-3, in overtime Dec. 18, 2016 at Rogers Arena. The Canucks earned the series split with a 3-0 victory Feb. 9 at Nationwide Arena.
All-time (W-L-T-O): 19-27-2-7 overall; 10-13-2-3 at Nationwide Arena
WHO'S HOT
Canucks: The Sedin brothers have three-game point streaks going, after combining to create Daniel Sedin's 10th goal in Vancouver's 3-1 loss Tuesday to the Washington Capitals. Henrik Sedin assisted on the goal, which was his brother's fourth point (two goals, two assists) in the past three games.
Blue Jackets: Artemi Panarin has scored a goal in the each of the past two games, and has a three-game points streak (two goals, one assist; Defenseman Seth Jones also has a three-game point streak (five assists).
EYES ON: THE CANUCKS
EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
PROJECTED LINEUPS
CANUCKS
Forwards
Thomas Vanek - Sam Gagner - Brock Boeser
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Markus Granlund
Sven Baertschi - Michael Chaput - Nikolay Goldobin
Loui Eriksson - Nic Dowd - Jake Virtanen
Defensemen
Ben Hutton - Alex Biega
Alexander Edler - Troy Stecher
Michael Del Zotto - Erik Gudbranson
Goaltenders
Jacob Markstrom
Anders Nilsson
Others: Derrick Pouliot, Chris Tanev, Brendan Gaunce
Injured reserve: Bo Horvat (foot fracture), Brandon Sutter (undisclosed)
BLUE JACKETS
Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Josh Anderson
Boone Jenner - Alexander Wennberg - Nick Foligno
Matt Calvert - Lukas Sedlak - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Tyler Motte - Jordan Schroeder - Markus Hannikainen
Defensemen
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Markus Nutivaara - David Savard
Scott Harrington - Jack Johnson
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Others:Sonny Milano
Injured reserve:Ryan Murray (upper body), Brandon Dubinsky (fractured orbital bone), Cam Atkinson (fractured foot)