Blue Jackets want to protect late leads better with Sharks on tap

Holding onto third-period leads has been a struggle for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season. They've lost six of 18 games when leading at the start of the third period, the second-worst winning percentage in the NHL in that situation.

The Blue Jackets hope to get another chance to buck that trend when they play the San Jose Sharks in the opener of a four-game West Coast trip on Tuesday night.

Columbus has earned at least a point in five of the past six games (4-1-1), but surrendered...