Columbus @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 10, 2019 ) Nashville 3, Columbus 4

The Columbus Blue Jackets are streaking at the right time, winning three consecutive contests to move into a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They look to extend the string of success and improve their standing when they visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

Columbus endured a three-game winless streak (0-2-1) before posting back-to-back shutouts, which were followed by a crucial 6-2 home triumph over Montreal on Thursday. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice while Brandon Dubinsky registered a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who recorded the final five tallies to pull even in points with the Canadiens but overtake them for the second wild card by a tiebreaker. Columbus also is one point behind Carolina for the first wild-card position while Nashville is in a virtual tie with Winnipeg for first place in the Central Division after posting a 3-1 victory in Pittsburgh on Friday, but has played one more game. Craig Smith scored one goal and set up another while Viktor Arvidsson netted his 100th career tally for the Predators, who finished their 2-1-0 road trip with back-to-back wins but have dropped two of three at home (1-1-1).

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (43-30-4): Bjorkstrand has recorded five goals in as many games after scoring just once in his previous nine contests and is one tally shy of reaching 20 for the first time in his career. Artemi Panarin, who leads the team with 79 points, has scored in back-to-back games and landed on the scoresheet in six of his last eight contests (two goals, four assists). The 27-year-old Russian is three assists shy of 200 for his career and three points away from matching the personal best he recorded last season.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (44-28-6): Smith hit one milestone and moved closer to another on Friday, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the fifth time in six seasons while getting within three points of 300 for his career. P.K. Subban also recorded a goal and an assist against the Penguins to end his eight-game point drought. The 29-year-old defenseman, who had gone 10 contests without a tally, is three away from 100 in the NHL.

OVERTIME

1. Blue Jackets C Boone Jenner needs three assists to reach 100 for his career and two points to hit the plateau of 200.

2. Arvidsson, who needed 80 games to record 31 goals in 2016-17, has set a new career high in only 54 contests this season.

3. Columbus D Adam McQuaid left Thursday's game after taking a forearm to the head and did not travel with the team to Nashville.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Blue Jackets 2