6:00 PM CT – Predators (26-16-4) @ Blue Jackets (13-27-5)
Players to watch:
NSH- Jordin Tootoo
The Preds need Tootoo to be on his A-game tonight and providing energy. He has amassed 100 penalty minutes in 40 career games vs. Columbus.
CBJ- Derick Brassard
Brassard has been a bright spot of late for the Jackets, tallying 11 points in the last 13 games.
Starting goaltenders:
NSH- Pekka Rinne (2011-12 stats: 24-11-4, 2.50 GAA)
CBJ- Steve Mason (2011-12 stats: 5-16-2, 3.46 GAA)
Injury report:
NSH- Jerred Smithson (lower body, questionable), Ryan Suter (upper body, out)
CBJ- Jeff Carter (shoulder, out), James Wisniewski (ankle, out), R.J. Umberger and Radek Martinek (concussion, out), Kristian Huselius (groin, out), Mark Letestu (hand, out)
Keys to the game:
NSH- Play Predator Hockey… The Preds are looking to rebound after Tuesday’s loss, and they’ll have to do it without Suter. They just have to get back to playing Predator Hockey, simplify the defense and not give Columbus many scoring chances. If they do that, they should be able to get two points.
CBJ- Step up on penalty kill… The special teams rankings (below) make this look like a mismatch when the Preds are on the power play. But without Suter, the unit isn’t the same. If Columbus can stop them, that’ll force the Preds to win while at 5-on-5. Since Dec. 17, w when the Preds have failed to score a power play goal, they have won just twice in regulation in 10 games.
Numbers to know:
- The Preds are 12-9-1 on the road this season … Columbus is 8-12-3 at home.
- The Preds are 7-2-2 against the Central Division this season … Columbus is 2-9-1.
- This is the fifth head-to-head meeting this season. The Preds won three of the previous four meetings, including two dramatic comeback victories on Dec. 8 and Dec. 22.
- Since the start of the 2006-07 season, the Preds are 29-5-3 against the Blue Jackets.
- The Preds are 3-0 in the final game of road trips that have been three games or longer this season.
- Pekka Rinne is 12-4-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .907 save percentage in 18 career games vs. the Blue Jackets. His likely counterpart, Steve Mason, is 5-5-4 with a 2.45 GAA and .913 save percentage in 14 career games vs. Nashville.
- Shea Weber has 28 points in 34 career games vs. Columbus.
- Martin Erat has 14 points in 12 games vs. Columbus since the start of 2009-10.
- Power play rankings: Nashville (21.0%, 3rd) … Columbus (14.9%, 23rd)
- Penalty kill: Nashville (82.7%, 13th) … Columbus (77.2%, 29th)
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