Preview: Jackets hope to finish regular season on key in 'Music City'

GAME 82: BLUE JACKETS (45-29-7) AT PREDATORS (52-18-11)
Location: Bridgestone Arena, 8 p.m., Thursday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio/Fox Sports Go (Jeff Rimer, Jody Shelley)
Radio: 97.1 FM & BlueJackets.com (Bob McElligott)
After punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Blue Jackets are in "Music City" for one final game before the postseason.
The stakes for their regular-season finale against the Nashville Predators dropped significantly the past couple days, after clinching a postseason spot Thursday and watching the Pittsburgh Penguins earn home-ice advantage in the first round by defeating the Ottawa Senators, 4-0, on Friday.
Columbus can still impact its first-round matchup with a win or loss but will mainly use this game to accomplish two goals - rest a few players who are "banged up," and allow others to get in the lineup.
"There will be a number of guys who sit out," coach John Tortorella said at the Blue Jackets' morning skate. "The way I look at it, there have been some guys that are nicked up here, [who] have been playing quite a bit. Also, just trying to show a little respect to the guys that have been skated [in morning skates] for the past how many weeks, and not get a sniff of a game?"

Those sitting out for the Blue Jackets include Seth Jones and his defense partner, Zach Werenski, plus left wing Artemi Panarin, right wing Cam Atkinson, center Alex Wennberg and defenseman Ryan Murray.
Sergei Bobrovsky will also get a night off and handle the backup duties while Joonas Korpisalo starts in net.
"The biggest thing I wanted to make sure of was that this did not affect anything else going on through the league," Tortorella said. "I've been in the situation where, 'If that team beats that team, we're in.' We talked about it. It doesn't affect any of that and it gives me an opportunity to rest a couple of guys that have put a lot of minutes in."
The Predators are resting forward Viktor Arvidsson, their co-leading scorer, but the rest of their lineup is expected to be the same as usual. Nashville's No. 1 goalie, Pekka Rinne, will start after getting a game off Thursday against the Washington Capitals.
The outcome of this game could play a role in determining what team the Blue Jackets face in the first round, which starts next week, but not home-ice advantage. Heading into the game, Columbus could still play the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning or Boston Bruins.
The Blue Jackets are currently third in the Metropolitan Division but could drop as far as the second wild-card spot with a loss. They're tied at 97 points with the New Jersey Devils, who hold the first wild card, and have a one-point lead on the Philadelphia Flyers - who've yet to clinch a playoff spot.
Should the Blue Jackets drop into a wild-card spot, they wouldn't play the Penguins to start the playoffs - like they've done in their past two postseason appearances (2014 and 2017). Tortorella said his lineup decisions had nothing to do with trying to avoid the Penguins.
"[Panarin] and those guys have played a ton of minutes in a bit of a grind for us to get in," Tortorella said. "That's my thinking, but once we start the game, we're trying to win. I just didn't want to affect anything in the league, because I've been on the other end."
Getting a chance to play will be defenseman Taylor Chorney, rookie forward Eric Robinson, rookie forward Alex Broadhurst, defenseman Scott Harrington, forward Josh Anderson, forward Markus Hannikainen and defenseman Dean Kukan.
"We do have some guys banged up, [who] have played through it," Tortorella said. "We've been through a little bit of a grind to find our way. I wanted to make sure we didn't affect anything else in the league. We don't. So, it gives me an opportunity to play some kids and also some guys that I think have been really good pros along the way."
SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (0-1-0). This is the finale of the series, which the Predators will attempt to sweep. Nashville won the first game, 3-1, Nov. 7 at Nationwide Arena, with rookie center Pierre-Luc Dubois scoring the Blue Jackets' goal.
All-time (W-L-T-O): 25-47-10 overall; 8-28-5 at Nationwide Arena
WHO'S HOT
Blue Jackets: Cam Atkinson has eight goals, five assists and 13 points in a nine-game point streak he extended Thursday in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The streak tied his career-long, which he set last season.
Predators: Ryan Johansen had a goal and assist in Nashville's 4-3 victory Thursday against the Washington Capitals. He has four goals, four assists and eight points in the past 10 games.
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY
Columbus
Nashville
PENALTY KILL
Columbus
Nashville
SCOUTING REPORT
EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
EYES ON: THE PREDATORS
PROJECTED LINEUPS
BLUE JACKETS
Forwards
Sonny Milano - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Josh Anderson
Eric Robinson - Boone Jenner - Thomas Vanek
Alex Broadhurst - Mark Letestu - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Matt Calvert - Brandon Dubinsky - Markus Hannikainen
Defensemen
Ian Cole - David Savard
Taylor Chorney - Jack Johnson
Scott Harrington - Dean Kukan
Goaltenders
Joonas Korpisalo
Sergei Bobrovsky
Others: Artemi Panarin, Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg, Zach Werenski, Seth Jones, Ryan Murray, Lukas Sedlak (upper body), Nick Foligno (lower body), Markus Nutivaara
Injured reserve: None
PREDATORS
Forwards
Filip Forsberg - Ryan Johansen - Scott Hartnell
Kevin Fiala - Kyle Turris - Craig Smith
Colton Sissons - Nick Bonino - Ryan Hartman
Miikka Salomaki - Mike Fisher - Austin Watson
Defensemen
Romas Josi - Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm - P.K. Subban
Alexei Emelin - Matt Irwin
Goaltenders
Pekka Rinne
Juuse Saros
Others: Anthony Bitetto, Yannick Weber (upper body), Eeli Tolvanen, Viktor Arvidsson, Calle Jarnkrok (upper body)
Injured Reserve: None