ESPN NHL

San Jose (3-3-1) at Columbus (1-5-0), 7:00 pm EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping a return to familiar surroundings will result in a reversal of fortune.

After playing five of their first six games on the road, the Blue Jackets open a five-game homestand Friday when they take on the San Jose Sharks.

Columbus is off to a difficult start with a league-low 11 goals and is one of three teams without a home victory. Rick Nash, who scored 41 times in 2003-2004, remains sidelined with a sprained right ankle.

Nikolai Zherdev scored his first goal of the season for the Blue Jackets, who failed to convert on seven power-play opportunities and dropped their third straight contest Sunday, a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

San Jose surrendered five third-period goals and lost the second contest of a season-long six-game road trip Wednesday, a 6-1 defeat against the Minnesota Wild.

Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov has dominated Columbus, posting an 11-2 record with a 1.48 goals-against average in career 13 meetings.

San Jose, which has one victory in five road contests, recorded a 4-1 triumph over Columbus in their last meeting October 12. Wayne Primeau scored twice and Jonathan Cheechoo added two assists.