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Blue Jackets hope to build winning streak versus Maple Leafs

Dec 30, 2010 - 3:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to post consecutive wins for the first time in over a month when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Air Canada Centre.

The Blue Jackets, who are currently last in the Central Division with 39 points, ended a two-game slide with Monday's shootout victory over the visiting Minnesota Wild. However, Columbus is just 4-9-3 over its last 16 games and the club hasn't recorded two victories in a row since a five-game winning streak from Nov. 17-24.

Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs have lost four of their last five games and are coming off Tuesday's close regulation setback against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. Toronto is just 5-9-1 in its last 15 games and is currently last in the Northeast Division with 30 points.

Toronto posted a 6-3 win at Columbus in the only meeting between the clubs last season. The Maple Leafs have won four of the last five encounters in this series overall and Columbus has just one win in five all-time trips to Toronto.

The Blue Jackets notched a 4-3 win over the Wild on Monday, as Kristian Huselius scored to cap a perfect shootout for Columbus. Rick Nash and Kyle Wilson also tallied in the shootout, while Derick Brassard, Fedor Tyutin and Andrew Murray scored regulation goals for the Blue Jackets.

Steve Mason made 36 saves in regulation, four more in overtime and stopped one of the two shots he faced in the shootout to earn the victory.

"He really played well for us tonight," said Brassard.

Columbus has lost its last seven games on the road and tonight the Jackets are beginning a stretch of five away tilts in six games. The Blue Jackets, who last earned a road triumph on Nov. 24 against the New York Islanders, are 8-6-2 as the visiting club this year.

Toronto has lost two straight and three of its last four home games and Ron Wilson's club is 8-8-3 as the host this season.

The Maple Leafs were dealt a close loss on home ice this past Tuesday, losing a 4-3 decision to the Hurricanes. Patrick Dwyer deflected home a Tim Gleason shot with 5:11 left in the third period to lift Carolina past Toronto.

Phil Kessel notched a pair of goals, while Mikhail Grabovski added a marker for Toronto. Jonas Gustavsson made 23 saves in defeat.

With Jean-Sebastien Giguere out with a groin injury, Gustavsson has made the last five starts in net for Toronto, but rookie James Reimer could get his first NHL start this evening. Reimer's lone NHL experience came on Dec. 20 against Atlanta when he stopped all four shots he faced in relief of Gustavsson.

Forward Nazem Kadri certainly won't be in the lineup for the Leafs tonight, as the former first-round pick has been sent down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies. The 20-year-old Kadri, who was the seventh overall pick of the 2009 draft, has six assists in 17 games with the Leafs this season.