{coyotes} BLUE JACKETS (11-19-3) at COYOTES (14-14-2)

Wednesday 16 December 2015

{coyotes} BLUE JACKETS (11-19-3) at COYOTES (14-14-2)

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Thursday, December 17, 2015

9:00 PM ET

BLUE JACKETS (11-19-3) at COYOTES (14-14-2)

TV: FS-O, FS-A

Season series: The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-2 on Nov. 14. William Karlsson scored two goals for Columbus, and Boone Jenner had a goal and two assists. Arizona forward Anthony Duclair had two goals.

Blue Jackets team scope: Goaltender Curtis McElhinney might play after Joonas Korpisalo started his first two NHL games Monday and Tuesday. Columbus has one win in nine games (1-5-3), has lost five in a row and has the fewest points in the NHL. "It's an unforgiving league," coach John Tortorella said after a 5-1 loss at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. "When they know they get you and they think you're down, it just piles on you. You have to have enough moxie and mental toughness to say, 'OK, lick our wounds here but we have to get back at it for Arizona.'" Tortorella benched forward Ryan Johansen for the third period in Dallas. Johansen played a season-low 11:03. The Blue Jackets did not practice Wednesday.

Coyotes team scope: Goalie Anders Lindback (4-5-1, 2.92 goals-against average, .900 save percentage) started eight of the first 30 games but will play a lot more after it was announced Monday that Mike Smith will miss at least two months following abdominal surgery. "We have to play well in front of the goalie no matter who it is," coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes website Wednesday. "That's our mission right now. We have to play well in front of the goalie and give him the best chance to be successful." Arizona has lost six of its past seven (0-5-1). Center Martin Hanzal (lower body) has missed three games, but Tippett said there's a chance he could return Thursday. Hanzal skated between Max Domi and Anthony Duclair at practice.