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Blue Jackets look to end three-game slide

Nov 23, 2007 - 2:35 PM Columbus (9-8-4) at Minnesota (11-8-2) 2:00 pm EST

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - The slumping Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping to end a three-game losing streak on Friday when the Minnesota Wild come calling.

Netminder Pascal Leclaire continued his struggles between the pipes, as the Blue Jackets dropped a 5-2 decision Wednesday at home to the Florida Panthers.

After starting the campaign with an impressive 7-2-0 mark, the 25-year-old Leclaire has gone just 1-3-1 since with a 3.57 goal-against average. Nonetheless, he leads all goalies in the All-Star Game balloting with 37,574 votes in the Western Conference.

While Columbus tries to get things right, Minnesota aims for its fourth win in five games at the Xcel Energy Center.

Goaltender Josh Harding surrendered two critical third-period tallies as the Wild saw their three-game home winning streak come to an in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Vancouver.

The loss marked the return of Minnesota's Sean Hill, who made his season debut after serving a 20-game suspension for testing positive for steroids while playing with the New York Islanders last season.

Known as a hard-nosed defender, the 37-year-old Hill finished third in the league with 252 hits and sixth with 202 blocked shots.