Opening Night: How to Watch, Live Stream Blue Jackets vs. Preds

We've missed you, Predators hockey.
For the first time since Aug. 7, 2020 - a span of exactly 160 days - the Preds will play a game as they open the 2020-21 NHL season against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Bridgestone Arena.
This evening's meeting is the first of eight between the two Central Division foes this season; all of Nashville's games will come against opponents in the division, and they will each be played in two-game segments with Columbus also scheduled to play at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday night.
\[View: Virtual, Interactive Preds Press\]
\[Read More: Preds Projected Lineup vs. Blue Jackets\]

Tonight's contest marks the first of 56 games on the regular-season schedule for Nashville in this shortened campaign being played amidst the ongoing pandemic. But, with protocols in place, and a burning desire from players and fans alike to get back to the game they love, the puck will drop once more, and the motivation couldn't be greater.
"Everyone's just eager and ready to go and start playing again," Preds defenseman Dante Fabbro said. "It's been a long time coming to get this thing back on track here, and finally, we get to play again tonight]. The excitement level is very high in the locker room, and personally, I just can't wait to get back out there and start playing again."
Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson missed Wednesday's practice after leaving Tuesday's session early. However, Preds Head Coach John Hynes said Arvidsson only "tweaked" something, and he anticipates the winger being in the Nashville lineup tonight.
[The Preds set their Opening Night roster yesterday afternoon with 21 players
- 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. Five additional players were added to the team's taxi squad.

The Good Guys:
On Wednesday, the Preds hosted their final session of training camp.
Preds Captain Roman Josi is coming off a Norris Trophy campaign that saw him lead the team in scoring with 65 points. Josi was followed by Filip Forsberg with 48 points, Matt Duchene with 42 points and Ryan Ellis with 38. Forsberg tallied 21 goals for the Predators in 2019-20, Josi did so 16 times and Ryan Johansen had 14 goals.
Goaltender Juuse Saros went 17-12-4 in net for the Preds last season and also started all four games of Nashville's Stanley Cup Qualifier series against Arizona last August. Netminder Pekka Rinne begins his 13th full NHL season - all with Nashville - and was 18-14-4 in 2019-20.
The Opposition:
The Blue Jackets will begin their season tonight in Nashville after advancing to the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020. Columbus added forward Max Domi and a third-round pick during the offseason in a trade for Josh Anderson; Domi had 17 goals and 44 points with the Canadiens last season.
Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois led the Jackets in scoring in 2019-20 with 18 goals and 49 points, followed by forward Gustav Nyquist with 42 points and defenseman Zach Werenski with 41 points. Fellow blueliner - and former Preds defenseman - Seth Jones had 30 points for Columbus. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo went 19-12-5 last season in net for the Jackets, while Elvis Merzlikins posted a 13-9-8 record.

All-Time Meetings:
The Predators are 59-20-(1)-7 all-time against the Blue Jackets, including a 35-6-(1)-3 record at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville has earned at least a point in seven of their last eight games versus the Blue Jackets (6-1-1). At home, Nashville has won five of its last six meetings with Columbus.
The Predators posted a 17-game home winning streak against the Blue Jackets that spanned five seasons from 2006-11. In the Preds' 45 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. Nashville and Columbus were originally both part of the Central Division from the 2000-01 season through the 2012-13 season.
Notables Versus Columbus:
Filip Forsberg notched his fifth career hat trick on April 7, 2018, versus Columbus. He has nine points (4g-5a) in 12 career meetings with the Blue Jackets.
In addition to posting 18 points (7g-11a) in 27 career games against Columbus, Matt Duchene played in 23 games for Nashville's new Central Division foe in 2018-19, recording 12 points (4g-8a).
Roman Josi is one of two players on the Predators (Duchene) to tally at least 10 career points versus Columbus; he's picked up 12 points (2g-10a) in 21 contests against the Blue Jackets.
Pekka Rinne owns a 21-8-3 record, 2.33 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 33 career meetings with Columbus.

Watch & Listen:
Coverage for Opening Night from Nashville begins on FOX Sports Tennessee at 6 p.m. CT with the Predators Live! pregame show hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Terry Crisp. Willy Daunic, Hal Gill (filling in for an absent Chris Mason) and Kara Hammer have the call on the television side, while Pete Weber and J-P Dumont will broadcast on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network. Pregame coverage on the radio begins at 6 p.m. with Darren McFarland. For broadcast information and channel locations throughout the country,
click here
.
Streaming Info:
Listen to a Live Radio Feed
(only active during the game broadcast window).
Watch a Live Stream of the game
on the Fox Sports Go App or
Watch on NHL.TV