Columbus takes on Ottawa on 8-game slide

Ottawa Senators (21-30-11, seventh in the Atlantic Division) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (30-19-14, sixth in the Metropolitan Division)

Columbus, Ohio; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Columbus aims to break its eight-game losing streak with a victory over Ottawa.

The Blue Jackets are 22-9-10 against Eastern Conference opponents. Columbus averages just 2.9 penalties per game, the least in the league. Pierre-Luc Dubois leads the team averaging 0.4.

The Senators are 14-18-8 in Eastern Conference play. Ottawa leads the NHL with 14 shorthanded goals, led by Vladislav Namestnikov with four.

In their last meeting on Dec. 14, Ottawa won 4-3. Anthony Duclair recorded a team-high 3 points for the Senators.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dubois has recorded 44 total points while scoring 17 goals and collecting 27 assists for the Blue Jackets. Oliver Bjorkstrand has totaled four goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Columbus.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau has collected 40 total points while scoring 24 goals and totaling 16 assists for the Senators. Brady Tkachuk has totaled three goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Ottawa.

LAST 10 GAMES: Senators: 3-6-1, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.4 assists, 4.2 penalties and 12.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game with a .901 save percentage.

Blue Jackets: 2-3-5, averaging 1.9 goals, 3.4 assists, two penalties and 4.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game with a .905 save percentage.

INJURIES: Blue Jackets: Oliver Bjorkstrand: out (ankle).

Senators: Vladislav Namestnikov: out (undisclosed), Tyler Ennis: out (undisclosed), Thomas Chabot: day to day (upper-body).