• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Struggling Nash, Blue Jackets host Oilers

Nov 5, 2008 - 11:39 AM Edmonton (6-4-1) at Columbus (4-6-2), 7:30 pm EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rich Nash has been silent, and so has his team lately.

Losers of five of their last six games, the Blue Jackets and their struggling superstar hope to generate a spark when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

Nash has failed to score a goal in his last six games after totaling five in the season's first six contests. His fortunes could change in this game, however, as he has 10 goals and six assists in 19 career games against Edmonton - including a hat trick on December 31.

Columbus' record in its recent skid is a bit misleading, considering every game has been decided by two goals or less.

The Blue Jackets are coming off a deflating 4-3 overtime loss to the lowly New York Islanders on Monday. They erased a three-goal deficit with an outburst in the third period but fizzled in the extra session, falling to 1-3-2 in their last six games overall.

Columbus has received encouraging play from center Derick Brassard, who was the NHL's top-scoring rookie in October with four goals and five assists in 10 games. The sixth overall pick in the 2006 draft has four tallies and 11 points in 11 games overall.

Having played only three games at home thus far this season, Edmonton is in the middle of its longest road trip of the campaign. The Oilers play the fourth of their seven-game road trip Wednesday and hope to extend their winning streak to three.

Prior to defeating the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers over the weekend, they dropped five straight, scoring just five goals in that span.

After watching Dwayne Roloson start two consecutive games and three of the last four, goaltender Mathieu Garon could be back in net for a favorable matchup. Garon is 6-1-1 with one tie and a 2.31 goals-against average in nine career contests against the Blue Jackets.

Columbus was 1-1-2 last season and 2-2-0 in 2005-06 against Edmonton but never has won a season series between the teams.