Game Day: Blue Jackets vs. Preds Preview

The Nashville Predators will try for their second win in as many afternoons against the Columbus Blue Jackets when the two clubs meet again today at Bridgestone Arena. The contest is the sixth of eight meetings between the two clubs this season, and after a 2-1 victory on Saturday, the Preds hold a 4-1-0 record against the Jackets in 2021.
Preds defenseman Mattias Ekholm returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing six games due to injury, and his two goals played a large role in delivering Nashville's ninth win of the campaign.Today, the Predators have a chance at their fourth victory in five tries, a success rate Nashville has yet to see this season.
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"We're taking strides in the right way," Ekholm said following Saturday's win. "Defensively, that's where it all starts, and even coming back from the offensive zone, we're backing each other up a lot better. We're not standing, watching and then reacting, we're kind of dictating it out there more with our skating and then automatic routes. Defensively too, we've been a lot better… This is more of the game that we need to play to win on a consistent basis, so very nice to see. I think [we've] been playing a lot better since I've been out, and again tonight, we show that we can play a really good defensive game."
Prior to Saturday's game, the Boston Bruins claimed defenseman Jarred Tinordi on waivers from Nashville. During the third period of Saturday's contest, blueliner Mark Borowiecki left the game with an apparent injury and did not return.
Update:The Preds have recalled defenseman Ben Harpur from the taxi squad.

Last Time Out:
Ekholm's two goals, coupled with 29 saves from goaltender Juuse Saros, led the Preds to their 2-1 win on Saturday afternoon. The first goal on the day from Ekholm was also his 200th point in the NHL.
Filip Forsberg collected an assist on Saturday to boost his team-leading point total to 18 (9g-9a). He's followed on the stat sheet by Captain Roman Josi (2g-9a) with 11 points and then Mikael Granlund (4g-5a) and Ryan Ellis (2g-7a) with nine points each. Saros is now 4-5-0 on the season; Pekka Rinne owns a 5-6-0 record in net.

The Opposition:
Cam Atkinson scored the lone goal for Columbus on Saturday, and he continues to lead the Jackets with nine goals and 17 points. Oliver Bjorkstrand (6g-10a) has 16 points, Jack Roslovic (4g-9a) has 13 points and Boone Jenner (6g-6a) has 12 points for the Blue Jackets. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo took the loss on Saturday and is 5-6-0 on the season.
All-Time Meetings:
The Predators are now 63-21-(1)-7 all-time against the Blue Jackets, including a 38-6-(1)-3 record at Bridgestone Arena. The Preds have earned at least a point in 10 of their last 12 games versus the Blue Jackets (9-2-1), including wins in five of their last six.
In the Preds' 48 home games versus Columbus, they've only lost six times in regulation, with two of those losses coming in the first three matchups between the two teams. The Predators posted a 17-game home winning streak against the Blue Jackets that spanned five seasons from 2006-11.

Notables Versus Columbus:
Filip Forsberg notched his fifth career hat trick on April 7, 2018 versus Columbus. He has 13 points (7g-6a) in 17 career meetings with the Blue Jackets, including points in five of his last seven games. Mattias Ekholm has three points (2g-1a) in his last two games versus Columbus; following his two-goal performance, he now has 10 points (5g-5a) in 15 career meetings with the Blue Jackets.
Pekka Rinne owns a 22-8-3 record, 2.32 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 34 career meetings with Columbus. With his win on Feb. 20, Rinne passed Evgeni Nabokov for the most career wins by an NHL goaltender against the Blue Jackets.
Watch & Listen:
Coverage for this afternoon's 2 p.m. CT puck drop from Nashville begins on FOX Sports Tennessee at 1:30 p.m. CT with the Predators Live! pregame show hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Terry Crisp. Willy Daunic, Chris Mason and Kara Hammer have the call on the television side, while Pete Weber and Hal Gill will broadcast on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network. Pregame coverage on the radio begins at 1 p.m. CT. Today's game is also being shown on NHL Network. For broadcast information and channel locations throughout the country,
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Streaming Info:
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