FEB. 20, 2021 II vs. NASHVILLE PREDATORS II NATIONWIDE ARENA II 7 PM ET

CBJ BROADCAST INFORMATION

TV:  FOX Sports Ohio   Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)     

Radio:  97.1 FM             Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Record:  8-6-4, 20 pts.  (5^th, Discover Central Division) 

Goals:  2.89 Goals-For/3.28 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.1 Shots-For/31.6 Shots-Against

Power Play:  15.6 percent (22^nd, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  73.7 percent (25^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  6.5 PIM (2^nd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  1-3-1 (1-1)

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Record:  6-10-0, 12 pts. (7^th, Discover Central Division)

Goals:  2.19 Goals-For/3.44 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.7 Shots-For/29.6 Shots-Against

Power Play:  14.3 percent (24^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  67.8 percent (30^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  9.9 PIM (25^th-T, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  3-0-0 (1-0)

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 28-50-1-11 in 90 regular season games vs. the Predators, including a 19-19-0-5 mark at home… Of Note: The clubs competed as Central Division rivals over 12 seasons from 2000-13… The winning team has scored three-plus goals in 13-straight meetings, including four or more goals in ten of those outings…Columbus is 3-2-0 in the last five games vs. Nashville at Nationwide Arena… The Predators have won eight of the last 11 games in the series since Mar. 26, 2016 (CBJ; 3-7-1)… Columbus has killed off all 12 Nashville power play attempts in the past six meetings… Goals:  CBJ – 200, NSH – 272… CBJ PP:  54-of-335 (16.1 pct.)…CBJ PK:  315-of-382 (82.5 pct.).

This Season (CBJ, 1-2-0)

Jan. 14 – at Nashville 3, COLUMBUS 1

Jan. 16 – at Nashville 5, COLUMBUS 2

Feb. 18 – at COLUMBUS 3, Nashville 0

Feb. 20 – at COLUMBUS

Feb. 27 – at Nashville… Feb. 28 – at Nashville

May 3 – at COLUMBUS… May 5 – at COLUMBUS

2019-20 Results (CBJ, 0-0-1)

Feb. 22, 2020 – at Nashville 4, Columbus 3 (SO)

Mar. 14, 2020 – Cancelled

CBJ TEAM NOTES

Columbus has recorded points in four of its last five games (3-1-1) following a 3-0 victory over Nashville on Thursday.  The result was the first shutout for the club in 2020-21… CBJ in the middle of a four-game homestand and five-of-seven games at Nationwide Arena from Feb. 18-Mar. 2 (5-2-2 at NWA in 2020-21)… The Blue Jackets have scored the game’s first goal in a League-high 14 of their 18 games (6-4-4), including the last seven-straight (4-2-1)… The club has outscored the opposition 22-10 in first period play and lead the league in goal differential in the opening 20 minutes of play… Columbus is 6-1-4 in one-goal games… CBJ have recorded points in each of the last two Saturday contests (1-0-1).

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Cam Atkinson tallied a goal in his fifth-straight game (5-4-9) on Thursday vs. Nashville.  It’s the second-longest goal streak of his career, trailing a franchise-best seven-game goal streak from Nov. 10-25, 2018 (tied with Geoff Sanderson from Nov. 5-17, 2002)… D Vladislav Gavrikov has registered assists in three-straight games at Nationwide Arena and four of the last five outings in Ohio… D Seth Jones has recorded points in five-straight home contests (1-5-6) and has collected 1-7-8 in the past eight games overall… RW Patrik Laine collected an assist on Thursday and has a four-game point streak (1-3-4) as well as 4-3-7 in his last seven games with the club… G Elvis Merzlikins stopped all 32 shots for his first shutout of the season on Thursday.  His six shutouts since 2019-20 are tied for second-most in the NHL (Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck) and trail only Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury (7)… C Jack Roslovic had posted points in seven of the last nine games (4-6-10), including points in a career-best six consecutive contests from Jan. 31-Feb. 11 (4-5-9)… C Kevin Stenlund has collected points in five of his seven games played this season (3-3-6).

MILESTONES

•     F Max Domi is seven games from 400 in his NHL career (84-174-258, 393 GP).

•     D Scott Harrington is five games from 200 in his NHL career (7-29-36, 195 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•       LW Gus Nyquist (shoulder surgery on Nov. 3; Injured Reserve) is expected to miss five-to-six months.

•       D Zach Werenski (lower body) is day-to-day.

                       o TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST:  45.

GAME PREVIEW COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS