7:00 PM CT – Blue Jackets (13-28-6) @ Predators (28-16-4)

Players to watch:
CBJ- Rick Nash
The Blue Jackets captain, who has struggled with consistency in 2011-12, has seven points in five games against the Preds this season.
NSH- Mike Fisher
Fisher, who has seven goals in 13 games vs. Columbus, and his linemates have been consistent this month. The team is 14-2-1 this year when Fisher tallies a point.

Starting goaltenders:
CBJ- Steve Mason (2011-12 stats: 5-17-2, 3.40 GAA)
NSH- Pekka Rinne (2011-12 stats: 26-11-4, 2.43 GAA)

Injury report:
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), Nikita Nikitin (knee, out)
NSH- Ryan Suter and Francis Bouillon (upper body, questionable)

Keys to the game:
CBJ- Stay out of the sin bin… The Preds’ penalty kill has been good all year, particularly against the Jackets. In five games, the Preds are 7-for-12 with the man advantage. Additionally, the Preds are 10-1-0 in the last 11 games that they have scored a power play goal. It’s pretty obvious the Jackets need to avoid the penalty box if they want to get a win.
NSH- Get off to a quick start… In their final home game before the break, the Preds need to feed off Saturday’s win, get off to a fast start and not give the Jackets much hope. The Preds are 19-2-3 when scoring first (3rd in the NHL); Columbus is 3-19-2 when trailing first (29th).

Numbers to know:
- The Preds are 15-7-3 at home this season … Columbus is 5-15-3 on the road.
- The Preds are 9-2-2 against the Central Division this season … Columbus is 2-10-2.
- This is the sixth and final head-to-head meeting this season. The Predators are 4-0-1 in the previous five games, with Columbus’ lone coming in Nashville.
- Since the start of the 2006-07 season, the Preds are 30-5-3 against the Blue Jackets.
- The home team has won 20 of the last 26 head-to-head meetings.
- The Preds are 4-2-0 in the front end of back-to-back’s this season; they will play in Chicago tomorrow night.
- Pekka Rinne is 13-4-1 with a 2.53 GAA and .914 save percentage in 19 career games vs. the Blue Jackets. His likely counterpart, Steve Mason, is 5-6-4 with a 2.42 GAA and .914 save percentage in 15 career games vs. Nashville.
- Shea Weber has 29 points in 34 career games vs. Columbus.
- Martin Erat has 19 points in 16 games vs. Columbus since the start of 2009-10.
- Power play rankings: Nashville (21.7%, 2nd) … Columbus (14.9%, 21st)
- Penalty kill: Nashville (83.1%, 12th) … Columbus (76.8%, 29th)

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