Blue Jackets (44-29-5) at CANUCKS (29-40-9) 4 p.m. ET; SN360, FS-O, NHL.TV
The Blue Jackets, who are 12-1-0 in their past 13 games, are one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Canucks have won three straight and four of the past five games after losing the previous seven (0-7-0). Vancouver has been eliminated from playoff contention.
Players to watch
Columbus forward Artemi Panarin has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his past six games.
Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom is 4-0-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average and .962 save percentage in his past four starts.
They said it
"He has given us a shot in the arm offensively on the ice, but he's done some really good things off as far as with the youth of our club and a veteran guy having conversations about certain situations." - Columbus coach John Tortorella on Thomas Vanek, who was acquired by the Blue Jackets in a trade with the Canucks on Feb. 26 "It's good to see us string together some good games here." -- Canucks defenseman Derrick Pouliot
Dubinsky (illness), skated Friday and is expected to play. … The Canucks, who did not practice Friday, recalled Demko from Utica of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis. Nilsson is ill and could miss the game, TSN reported.
Stat pack
Bobrovsky is 12-3-0 with a 1.94 goals-against average and .936 save percentage his past 15 starts. … Atkinson has eight points (four goals, four assists) during a six-game point streak. … Gagner has six points (three goals, three assists) the past seven games.
