The Blue Jackets have been on a surge lately, winning eight of their last 10 to take the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils have been the surprise of the year across the NHL, staying at or near the top of the divisional race themselves. They slot in one point behind the Blue Jackets for second place in the Metro.
The two meet twice this week – once at Nationwide Arena (tonight), and again Friday in Newark, N.J.
Tonight: New Jersey Rolls In
The Devils come to Nationwide Arena tonight for their first meeting of the season with the Blue Jackets. There's much alike between the two teams in terms of young talent making a difference, as the top four point scorers for the Devils are 26 years old or younger – and two of them are 19. On television, the game will be carried by MSG+ and Fox Sports Ohio.
Friday: Speak of the Devil...
Right after playing on Tuesday, the Blue Jackets and the Devils will board flights to New Jersey to play in Newark's Prudential Center. The Devils have fared much worse on home ice than on the road this season, with a curious 6-5-1 record at The Rock as compared to a 9-3-2 record when they are not. Puck drops at 7 P.M., and to watch, tune into MSG+ or Fox Sports Ohio.
Saturday: Howling Mad
The Blue Jackets return home to meet the Arizona Coyotes to conclude this week. It's been a struggle for the Coyotes out of the game, as they have the second-fewest wins in the NHL this season and sit 30th out of 31 teams, ahead of only the Buffalo Sabres. They've allowed the league's most goals to this point. This is another 7 p.m. start at Nationwide Arena, and the game will be carried by Fox Sports Ohio and FS AZ+.
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