COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS AT NASHVILLE PREDATORS

TV:  Bally Sports Ohio           Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)              
Radio:  105.7 FM                    Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 12-7-0, 22 pts. (4^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.42 Goals-For/3.11 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.7 Shots-For/34.3 Shots-Against

Power Play:  21.8 percent (10^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  84.2 percent (12^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.7 PIM (6^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  5-0-0 (2-0)

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

2021-22 Record: 11-9-1, 23 pts. (5^th, Central Division)

Goals:  2.71 Goals-For/3.00 Goals-Against… Shots:  28.4 Shots-For/30.9 Shots-Against

Power Play:  25.0 percent (6^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  77.9 percent (25^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  10.7 PIM (28^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 3-1-0 (1-0)

Players to Watch:  Former Blue Jacket C Matt Duchene leads the Predators in goals and points with 13-9-22 in 21 appearances this season… Nashville captain’s D Roman Josi ranks second among NHL blueliners in goals and third-T in points with 7-13-20 in 21 games… G Juuse Saros has played in 17 of the club’s 21 contests and posted a 9-7-1 record with a 2.50 GAA and .918 SV%.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 29-53-13 in 95 regular season games vs. the Predators, including 9-33-7 on the road… Of Note: CBJ went 2-5-1 (0-4-0 on road) vs. Nasvhille in 2020-21… Prior to last season, the Blue Jackets had earned points in two consecutive road games at Nashville from Jan. 10, 2019-Feb. 22, 2020 (1-0-1)… The winning team has recorded three-plus goals in 17 of the last 18 meetings, including the past three-straight… Nashville owns nine of the 14 shutouts in the all-time series but Columbus picked up the most recent one on Feb. 18, 2021 (Merzlikins, 32 saves in 3-0 W at CBJ).

This Season (CBJ, 0-0-0)

Nov. 30, 2021 – at Nashville (8 p.m.)

Dec. 30, 2021 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets had their three-game win streak snapped with a 6-3 loss at St. Louis on Saturday… The club is 5-2-0 in its past seven games… Columbus’ 12 wins are the second-most through the first 19 games of a season, only trailing the 13 victories to start the 2010-11 campaign… The Jackets have scored three or more goals in 14 of their contests this season, including the last four consecutive, and rank sixth in the NHL in goals-per-game (3.42)… CBJ are 5-0-0 in games played after regulation this season.  It’s the second time the club has started a campaign with wins in its first five games that were decided after regulation (2005-06, finished 14-1-3)… The Jackets are in a stretch of 7-of-9 games from Nov. 18-Dec. 4 and 13-of-17 from Nov. 18-Dec. 20 played on the road…  The Blue Jackets are in the middle of a stretch of five consecutive games against the Western Conference (2-1-0).  The club is 8-2-0 against the conference this season (5-2-0 in November)… The Blue Jackets have trailed in eight of their 12 victories this season… The Jackets have killed off all opponent power play attempts in 10 of the last 12 games (30-of-33; 90.9 pct.) and rank second-T in the league in PK pct. since Oct. 31… The club ranks second in goals (16; COL-20) and fifth in the NHL in points (53) by defensemen this season.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

The Blue Jackets have seen 20 different players record a goal this season, while 22-of-24 skaters have recorded at least one point… D Adam Boqvist has racked up 4-2-6 in seven games since returning to the lineup from an injury.  He is riding a three-game points streak (3-2-5) and set single game career bests in goals and points with 2-1-3 at St. Louis on Saturday… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand has points in eight of his last 12 games (3-7-10).  He leads the club in scoring and multi-point outings with 6-13-19 and five multi-point efforts in 18 contests… C Max Domi had his three-game point streak (2-3-5) snapped on Saturday but has 3-6-9 in nine games in 2021-22… D Vladislav Gavrikov saw his three-game points streak (2-3-5) snapped on Saturday.  He has 2-7-9 in the past 10 outings… C Boone Jenner has posted 6-4-10 in the past 12 games.  CBJ’s captain has already notched 10 goals this season (10-4-14, 19 GP) after scoring eight goals in 41 outings a season ago… F Gus Nyquist has posted 3-4-7 over the past nine contests after being held to 1-1-2 in his first 10 games… C Jack Roslovic has 3-2-5 in the last six appearances… F Alexandre Texier has recorded 4-3-7 in the past 10 games… RW Jakub Voracek leads the NHL with 15 primary assists this season… He leads the club in assists and ranks second in points with 1-17-18 in 19 games… D Zach Werenski has posted points in seven of his last eight games (3-6-9), including a six-game point streak from Nov. 13-24.

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is four points from 200 in his NHL career (89-107-196, 321 GP).

•     C Max Domi is seven goals from 100 and nine assists from 200 for his NHL career (93-191-284, 438 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     RW Emil Bemstrom (left oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Oct. 14) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

•     D Dean Kukan (wrist fracture; Injured Reserve on Oct. 26) is expected to miss 8 weeks

•     LW Patrik Laine (oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Nov. 5) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 57

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