Predators at Blue Jackets Preview

The Blue Jackets remain at home on Wednesday night, and the Nashville Predators will be their opponent once again. Nashville came away with a 4-3 win in the first meeting between the two teams and will be looking to pick up another two points.

The Predators are pulling away for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division with 60 points on the year. Dallas remains close with 56 points, but Nashville just isn’t letting them catch up.

Columbus remains in last place in the Central Division with just 44 points on the year. The Blue Jackets have been eliminated from the playoffs for a few weeks, and they are simply playing the role of spoiler. 

The Nashville Predators are -175 against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night. 

Predators Doing it All

The Nashville Predators continue to play in close games, but they always seem to find a way to get the job done. Nashville is scoring just 2.61 goals per game while allowing 2.76 goals per night, but those numbers have been trending in the right direction. 

Injuries have played a role all season long for Nashville, but this team is starting to get healthy at the right time. Defenseman Roman Josi has been the best offensive player for the Predators, leading the way with 25 assists and 33 total points. 

The Predators have struggled on special teams, and that could give the Blue Jackets a chance. Nashville is killing off just 75 percent of their penalties, but goaltender Juuse Saros has been terrific in the net. 

Blue Jackets Can’t Break Through

The Blue Jackets have had four straight games decided by just one goal, but they have been able to win just one of those matchups. This is a step in the right direction, though, as most of the losses in April came in blowout fashion. 

Columbus managed to get three goals in the loss on Monday night, and that is much better than their 2.32 goals per game average. On the other end of the ice, the Blue Jackets are allowing 3.26 goals per game, and that continues to be an issue.

The Blue Jackets have killed off nearly 80 percent of their penalties, but they have not taken advantage on the power play. Columbus will need to be sharp in all facets of the game to knock off a streaking Predators team. 

Another Tough Test For Columbus

The Blue Jackets have not played very well for much of the 2021 NHL season, but playing in the Central Division hasn’t helped matter. Columbus just continues to face off against some great competition, and this is another tough test.

The Blue Jackets were able to give the Predators a tough battle on Monday night, but they just can’t play well enough to win any games. Nashville doesn’t make many mistakes, and the Blue Jackets will have to play a near-perfect game to win on Wednesday night. 

Expect another close game between these two rivals, but Columbus has yet to prove it can beat the top teams.