Nashville heads to Columbus for non-conference matchup

Nashville Predators (19-11-1, third in the Central) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (14-13-1, seventh in the Metropolitan)

Columbus, Ohio; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

LINE: Blue Jackets +104, Predators -124; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: Columbus and Nashville square off in a non-conference matchup.

The Blue Jackets have gone 9-3-1 in home games. Columbus serves 6.9 penalty minutes per game, the least in the league. Cole Sillinger leads the team averaging 0.7.

The Predators have gone 10-6-1 away from home. Nashville averages 11.8 penalty minutes per game, the second-most in the Western Conference. Mark Borowiecki leads the team serving 67 total minutes.

Nashville took down Columbus 6-0 in the last meeting between these teams on Nov. 30. Filip Forsberg scored four goals for the Predators in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Gregory Hofmann leads the Blue Jackets with a plus-six in 24 games this season. Alexandre Texier has three goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Columbus.

Roman Josi leads the Predators with 29 points, scoring 10 goals and adding 19 assists. Mikael Granlund has seven assists over the last 10 games for Nashville.

LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jackets: 2-7-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.8 assists, 2.4 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game with an .890 save percentage.

Predators: 8-2-0, averaging 3.4 goals, six assists, 5.1 penalties and 14.2 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game with a .924 save percentage.

INJURIES: Blue Jackets: Joonas Korpisalo: out (covid-19), Eric Robinson: out (covid-19), Boone Jenner: out (covid-19), Oliver Bjorkstrand: out (health protocols).

Predators: Thomas Novak: out (health protocols), Roman Josi: out (health protocols), Colton Sissons: out (health protocols).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by