(My Sportsbook) - The Colorado Avalanche will try to post four straight victories for the first time in nearly three months when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Nationwide Arena.

The Avalanche picked up their third consecutive win Saturday against Pittsburgh, and another victory tonight will give Colorado its longest winning streak since rattling off five in a row from October 16-25.

Colorado notched a 5-3 decision over the visiting Penguins on Saturday. David Jones scored a pair of goals and assisted on another, while Andrew Raycroft posted his seventh straight win with 21 saves.

Raycroft has been in net for all three wins, taking over the reins after starter Peter Budaj allowed a total of 11 goals over Colorado's three-game slide that preceded the team's current hot streak.

Raycroft is 9-0-1 in 10 starts this season and should be back between the pipes tonight

Ryan Smyth, Wojtek Wolski and Cody McLeod registered a goal and an assist each in the win over the Penguins.

Colorado, which is just 9-11-1 as the guest this year, is playing the first of two straight on the road tonight. The Avs will visit St. Louis on Thursday before returning to Denver for a season-high eight-game homestand, which begins Friday against Edmonton.

The Blue Jackets have won two straight and six of their last eight games, but will play without leading scorer and team captain Rick Nash for a third straight game because of a lower-body injury.

Nash was placed on injured reserve, a move that is retroactive to January 6, and he is not eligible to return until at least Wednesday. Nash was named to the Western Conference All-Star team last week. He leads the team with 17 goals, 22 assists and 39 points in 40 games this season.

Nikita Filatov's first career hat trick helped Columbus to a 4-2 home victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. The 18-year-old Filatov, the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft, has notched four goals in his first six NHL games.

Derek Dorsett scored the other goal while Jakub Voracek added three assists for the Blue Jackets. Steve Mason made 21 saves in the win.

Columbus, which is 12-6-1 as the host this year, is playing the middle test of a three-game homestand tonight. The Jackets have won seven of eight on home ice and will close their current residency Friday against New Jersey.

The Blue Jackets are 2-0 against the Avs this year, winning both matchups on the road. Columbus has taken four of the last five meetings between the clubs, including the last two encounters at Nationwide Arena.