Columbus @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 30, 2019 ) Columbus 5, Nashville 2

The Nashville Predators scored just once in each of their last two games and hope to get the offense cranked up when they begin a crucial five-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. The Predators had won three straight games before losing 4-1 to Carolina at home Tuesday, and suffering a 2-1 overtime setback at Chicago on Friday, to pull within two points of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Nashville has two games in hand on Calgary, which holds down the final wild card spot in the West, and will host the Flames next Thursday along with three other teams in playoff position on their homestand. The Predators lost both matchups with Columbus last season and the teams will meet again March 14 in Ohio when the Blue Jackets hope they will have found the form that led to a 10-game point streak (9-0-1) from mid January until Feb. 7. Columbus has not won in seven games since that streak, but was able to pick up four points with three overtime losses and a shootout defeat to maintain a playoff position in the Eastern Conference despite coughing up a lead and falling 4-3 to Philadelphia in the extra session Thursday. “I thought we hung in there,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella told reporters after his team lost leading scorer Oliver Bjorkstrand (ankle) for 8-10 weeks Thursday. “We played hard. We found a way to lose it in the end.”

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: FS Ohio, FS Tennessee

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (30-19-13): Bjorkstrand (21 goals, 36 points) was added to an injured list that includes right wing Cam Atkinson (41 goals last season) and All-Star defenseman Seth Jones - also with ankle injuries - and seven others. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois leads the team with 44 points, but owns just two (both assists) in his last nine games, while captain Nick Foligno scored in his 900th NHL contest Thursday. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins is 0-3-3 in his last six starts and Columbus could have Joonas Korpisalo (17-10-4) back soon as he was sent to AHL Cleveland for a conditioning stint after returning from a knee injury.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (29-23-8): Mattias Ekholm scored the only goal Friday and Nashville welcomed the return of fellow defenseman Ryan Ellis (28 points, 39 games), who has been out since New Year’s Day due to a concussion. Captain Roman Josi leads the team with 57 points, but none came in the last three games, while more is needed from forward Filip Forsberg after the 25-year-old Swede has managed just three points (all assists) in 10 games this month. Pekka Rinne (18-13-4) turned aside 36 shots in Friday’s setback and that could give Juuse Saros (11-10-4) the call after the Fin won two of his previous three starts.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus F Stefan Matteau scored in his debut for the team Thursday after being recalled from Cleveland.

2. Nashville C Nick Bonino (17 goals, 34 points) sat out Friday’s contest due to illness and is day-to-day.

3. Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski leads all defensemen in the league with 18 goals, but has just one in the last seven games.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Blue Jackets 2