[7:00 PM] Penguins @ Blue Jackets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Pittsburgh Penguins (21-7-5)

@ Columbus Blue Jackets (21-5-4)

 

Starting Goalies:

Matt Murray(PIT): Likely

Sergei Bobrovsky(CBJ): Confirmed

 

• The Columbus Blue Jackets have skyrocketed up the Metropolitan Division rankings on the strength of a franchise-best 10-game winning streak and 12-game point streak (11-0-1), which is one shy of matching the club record from May 18-April 11, 2015. The Blue Jackets look to leapfrog the first-place Pittsburgh Penguins and gain a share of the league’s top point total (Chicago, 48) on Thursday when the second contest of a four-game road trip takes them to PPG Paints Arena.

• Superstar captain Sidney Crosby scored a goal and set up another versus the Rangers to increase his point total to 20 (10 goals, 10 assists) in his past 14 games. Crosby has made himself at home at Nationwide Arena, scoring four goals and setting up 10 others during a nine-game point streak in Ohio while fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin has recorded 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 14 career encounters with the Blue Jackets. Malkin collected a goal and two assists on Tuesday to increase his point total to 20 (six goals, 14 assists) in his past 13 games and an NHL third-best 37 points this season.

• While Atkinson is getting plenty of fanfare for his point streak, linemates Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner aren’t doing too shabby in their own right. “I liked the way we played,” the 30-year-old Dubinsky told the Columbus Dispatch following his first multi-point performance of the season (two assists). Dubinsky has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past six games.

• Pittsburgh RW Phil Kessel has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in his last 15 games.

• Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky, who has won four of his last six career starts versus the Penguins, has won eight straight overall to seize the league lead in victories (19).

• Pittsburgh RW Bryan Rust has nine points (six goals, three assists) in his last nine contests.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins

Confidence: 5/10

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