Blues  2    Blue Jackets  5

St. Louis Blues (10-9-5) at Columbus Blue Jackets (12-9-4), 7 p.m.

Sports Network | November 30, 2009

(Sports Network) - If the Blue Jackets are to avoid their longest losing streak in over three years Monday night, they will need to break out of their current funk when facing the Blues.

Columbus seeks a victory over St. Louis tonight at Nationwide Arena in the first of six meetings between the Central Division residents this season.

The Blue Jackets welcome the Blues to town with a five-game losing streak on their backs. They haven't lost six straight since a slide of eight games endured from November 10-24, 2006.

Snapping its current skid versus St. Louis might be tough for Columbus, seeing as it lost five of six to the club last year. The Blues have also won eight of nine and 10 of their last 12 versus the Blue Jackets, taking three of their last four in Ohio.

The Blue Jackets had a chance to snap their losing streak versus the Flames on Saturday, getting second-period tallies out of Rick Nash, Jared Boll and Marc Methot to grab a two-goal edge. However, Calgary scored twice in the third period to force extra time on the way to handing Columbus a 4-3 shootout setback.

"In order to win with the lead, you have to win the board battles, not give up odd man rushes," said head coach Ken Hitchcock. "We were doing really well until we lost two big ones."

Steve Mason was beat by Jamie Lundmark on a wrist shot in the fourth round of the shootout after making 29 saves in regulation and overtime. He did help Columbus earn a point for the second time on its losing streak (0-3-2).

Mason is just 1-4-1 with a 3.62 goals-against average in his career versus the Blues, meaning the Blue Jackets could go with backup Mathieu Garon tonight. Garon is 8-2-0 with a 2.53 GAA lifetime against St. Louis.

The Blues scored at least three goals in each meeting with the Jackets last year and had won four of their last five this season before a 4-3 shootout setback to the Red Wings on Saturday.

Chris Mason made 33 saves in the setback, but allowed the game-tying marker with 56.7 seconds left in regulation to Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg.

"[Zetterberg] threw it up high in front of the net, and it went off something, and all of the sudden I saw hands in the air," Mason said. "So, that's the way it goes, that's what the team does -- they throw it toward the net, they have people there and are rewarded."

David Backes had a goal and an assist, giving him a score in each of his last three games after going 16 contests without a tally. Roman Polak and Brad Boyes also lit the lamp for the Blues.

Eric Brewer missed his second straight game with a bruised back and is questionable for tonight.

St. Louis kicks off a three-game road trip tonight and has notched a point in each of its last five road contests (3-0-2).

Mason is 13-2-1 with a 2.01 GAA lifetime against Columbus, including a 4-1-0 mark and 2.53 GAA in five contests versus the club last year.