Columbus Blue Jackets (8-13-2, eighth in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-8-4, fourth in the Metropolitan Division)
Pittsburgh; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Kasperi Kapanen recorded a hat trick in the Penguins’ 6-2 win against the St. Louis Blues.
Pittsburgh has gone 13-8-4 overall with a 3-0-1 record against the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins have scored 88 total goals (3.5 per game) to rank seventh in the league.
Columbus is 3-4-1 against the Metropolitan Division and 8-13-2 overall. The Blue Jackets have gone 8-3-1 in games they score three or more goals.
The teams match up Tuesday for the sixth time this season. The Penguins won the last matchup 6-3. Kapanen scored three goals in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Rickard Rakell has scored 10 goals with five assists for the Penguins. Sidney Crosby has seven goals and 10 assists over the past 10 games.
Sean Kuraly has scored six goals with three assists for the Blue Jackets. Boone Jenner has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 7-2-1, averaging 3.4 goals, 6.3 assists, 3.1 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Blue Jackets: 4-4-2, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.2 assists, four penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Penguins: Kris Letang: out (illness).
Blue Jackets: Jakub Voracek: out (upper body), Zach Werenski: out (shoulder/labrum), Jake Bean: out (shoulder), Nick Blankenburg: out (ankle), Justin Danforth: out (shoulder), Adam Boqvist: out (foot).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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