Season series: The Pittsburgh Penguins have won two of three against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with the home team winning each game. Penguins forward Daniel Winnik had two goals and five points against the Blue Jackets while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the season and assisted on a Steve Downie goal in his Pittsburgh debut against Columbus. Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin has three goals and five points. Forward Nick Foligno's two goals lead the Blue Jackets.
Penguins team scope: Malkin, who missed a 4-1 loss Wednesday to the Philadelphia Flyers with an undisclosed injury, skated again Friday but did not take line rushes. He won't play, but is possible for Sunday at Philadelphia. "I rushed [the previous injury]," he said in comments tweeted by the Penguins. "Came back a little too early and didn't feel good after back-to-back games." Injured defensemen Kris Letang and Christian Ehrhoff were the only players not at practice. Ehrhoff, who has an upper-body injury, was ruled out for the weekend. Defenseman Taylor Chorney, recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, will be in the lineup. Pittsburgh remains in contention for home ice when the Stanley Cup Playoffs open, but has currently dropped to the first wild card in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders. The Penguins have a game in hand on each.
Blue Jackets team scope: Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky will start, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The Blue Jackets are looking to set a franchise record by winning their ninth consecutive game. They rallied from two goals down in the final 10 minutes of the third period Thursday to defeat the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout. "I've found in my interaction with people in the arena and the community, you get a lot of texts from people and friends talking about the previous month and how we've played and how the team's playing now and winning hockey games. And that's what it's all about," coach Todd Richards told the team's website. Forward Ryan Johansen has four goals and eight assists during a nine-game point streak. Defenseman Jack Johnson has a goal in three straight games. Forward Brandon Dubinsky has goals in consecutive games and a point in three straight.
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