The Nashville Predators are in town Sunday in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ last game before a 5-day break of Hockey. The Jackets have won two straight games. A win this evening would make a week without hockey a little more bearable.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off a spirited affair against the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday night. The game ended with a Brandon Dubinsky overtime goal that sent 19,000+ home happy.
Sunday evening will most likely not be as intense of a game as Friday’s. A victory against an old Western Conference foe would still go a long way in cementing the CBJ in the top three of the Metropolitan division.
The Nashville Predators are coming off a 5-2 loss against the Western Conference leading Minnesota Wild on Saturday. The Predators find themselves in the thick of the wild card race in the West. Nashville is tied atop the wild card with Calgary at 62 points. Former Jacket Ryan Johansen lead the Preds in points with 40.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Return of Hartnell
Scott Hartnell will make his return to the Jackets lineup. Scott missed two games due to a lower body injury he sustained on Monday in the game against the New York Rangers.
Hartnell went hard into the boards in the first period and cut his right calf with the blade of his left skate. Hartnell will most likely join the line of Sam Gagner and Matt Calvert now that Lukas Sedlak is day to day with a lower body injury.
Sunday’s game is the six of a seven game home stand. Columbus has earned six of the available 10 points through the home stand. A win against the Predators would be the third in a row for the CBJ.
With a full week without games a win Sunday feels vital in banking points. The puck drops at 6pm, see you all at Nationwide.