DALLAS — The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to finish their three-game road trip with a winning record Saturday night when they face the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Columbus enters the matchup at 5-6-0 after falling 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

The Blue Jackets had won two straight overtime games before Thursday's loss, including a 4-3 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday. Columbus fell behind Carolina 3-0 before third-period goals from Denton Mateychuk and Kent Johnson made things interesting, but the comeback fell short.

The slow start proved too much to overcome against one of the NHL's best teams, and the Blue Jackets cannot afford another one against Dallas. However, the Stars have had problems of their own lately, losing their last two games by a combined score of 10-3 after winning five straight.

Dallas enters Saturday at 7-5-1 following consecutive 5-1 and 5-2 losses to New Jersey and Montreal, respectively. The Stars have struggled to keep the puck out of their own net during that stretch, giving Columbus a chance to capitalize if the Jackets can generate sustained offensive pressure and/or the Stars can't defend well.

Kent Johnson continues to lead Columbus offensively, recording seven goals and four assists through 11 games. Johnson has an active three-game point streak, including the power-play goal that brought Columbus within one against Carolina.

Zach Werenski has also being playing well, recording nine assists through his first 10 games. His ability to move the puck and create scoring chances from the blue line will be important against a Dallas team looking to get back on track defensively.

Special teams could play an important role Saturday. Dallas has killed 93.5% of opposing power plays this season, while Columbus has struggled on the penalty kill, allowing opponents to convert at a 25.7% rate. The Blue Jackets will need to stay disciplined and avoid giving the Stars anything easy.

Saturday also marks a return to Dallas for Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness, who guided the Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Bowness spent parts of four seasons behind the Dallas bench before eventually taking over in Columbus.

The Blue Jackets have won their last three meetings with the Stars, including a shutout victory by Jet Greaves in their final matchup last season. Columbus will hope to continue that success before returning home for Tuesday's matchup against Colorado.

Game Information

Prediction

Both teams have struggled defensively in recent games, but Dallas has the advantage of playing at home and has been excellent on the penalty kill. Columbus should have opportunities to score, although another slow start could prove costly against the Stars. I've had a hard time getting a read on this game, but I do believe in home-cooking and that's the only reason I think the Stars are a goal better in this one.  But I wouldn't be surprised if this went the other way. I hope it does, but in the name of objective game prediction, I have the Stars coming out on top.

Stars 3, Blue Jackets 2