Blue Jackets at Predators
The Nashville Predators are riding high with a three-game winning streak, but coach Peter Laviolette can see areas that need attention. The Predators look to address those points when the reeling Columbus Blue Jackets pay a visit to Music City on Saturday. "There's definitely room for improvement with regard to our start (in Thursday's 1-0 overtime victory over Edmonton) and making sure we respect any opponent that we play," Laviolette said. "Anybody's capable of beating anybody."
Columbus' play of late may beg to differ as it dropped a 5-0 decision to Vancouver on Friday for its fifth straight loss (0-4-1) and 14th in 16 contests (2-12-2). "I see a team that's frustrated ... that's searching," Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. Former Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky is searching to regain his previous form after yielding at least three goals for the eighth time in his last nine starts.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (6-14-2): Columbus' woe-begotten stretch has landed it in the cellar of the Metropolitan Division with the fewest points in the NHL. "You hear the fans' (displeasure) and you're trying to do all the right things," said Nick Foligno, who leads the Blue Jackets with 10 goals and tallied twice in his last meeting with Nashville. "We have to show them there's no quit in this locker room." Ryan Johansen, who has a club-best 16 assists and 24 points, has scored two goals and set up two others during his last four contests.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (15-5-2): Pekka Rinne recorded his then NHL-leading 15th win in scintillating fashion, highlighting his 37-save performance versus the Oilers by stopping Jordan Eberle on a penalty shot in overtime. "He keeps us in games that we shouldn't be in. I can’t even count how many times he’s done that already this year," said rookie Filip Forsberg, who scored in overtime on Thursday. "We're just so happy he plays on our team and not against us.” The 32-year-old Finn is a blistering 9-1-1 at home with a rail-thin 1.84 goals-against average and owns a 15-7-2 career record with two shutouts versus Columbus.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville C Mike Fisher logged 12:44 of ice time on Thursday in his season debut after injuring his Achilles tendon in early July.
2. Columbus LW Scott Hartnell has been held off the scoresheet in each of his last eight contests.
3. The Predators are 0-for-13 on the power play but have killed off all nine short-handed situations during their winning streak.