Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets Head Coach Ken Hitchcock
Commenting on tonight's game…
"A lot of scoring chances in the game and then some poor play in our zone in the third period. It's unfortunate for Jake (Voracek) because he got hooked. We had too many mistakes in our own zone in the third period. First half of the game we played really well. We're not able to play 60 minutes in our zone at a level of intensity necessary to manage the game."

Commenting on the play of G Mathieu Garon…
"He was really good. I really feel for Mathieu because he gave us an opportunity to win the game. He played a great hockey game."

Commenting on the Torres-Vermette-Voracek line…
"Vermette's and Brassard's lines were excellent tonight. Vermette's line really had a strong start to the game well. (That line) really created and Voracek skated really well. They had good chemistry."

Commenting on the play of the team…
"Nothing is going to happen (until) you get scoring from your top six forwards. The whole thing for me in December was when the well run dry, we had to put pressure in other areas. We have to demand more and expect more from your top players. They have to guide your level of intensity."

Columbus Blue Jackets Player Quotes

Blue Jackets Right Wing Rick Nash
Commenting on tonight's game…
"We're desperate for wins, especially when we have packed houses. We want to show our fans we're a good team. It was a solid game; just some defensive errors came to bite us."

Commenting on moving forward…
"We'll go back to work tomorrow, watch some video, see what our mistakes were in the third period and have a good practice. It's a new year, new start."

Blue Jackets Left Wing Raffi Torres
Commenting on scoring more goals…
"The chances are there. We have to get a few more bounces our way. We have to do a better job of getting traffic to the net. Our ‘D’ is doing a good job of getting pucks to the net, we just have to get our sticks on them and put some pucks in the net."

Commenting on getting on a winning streak…
"We've got to start finishing. There's really nothing else about it. Capitalizing our chances will end up getting us more points in the standings and moving us up, so we have to focus in on that. Mainly, we have to get working on playing harder in the third."

Nashville Predators Quotes

Nashville Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz
Commenting on tonight's game…
"I thought (Blue Jackets goaltender Mathieu) Garon played really good. We had a power play in the second period and we were pounding pucks and he wasn't seeing them. I just said we are going to get one, let's not sell the farm here. You have to win different types of games; we knew this was going to be a tight game. They were playing well defensively so we had to play well defensively. I thought both teams had some chances, but I thought it was a pretty solid game by both teams. I knew we were going to get one at some point if we stayed with it. We were able to stay with it long enough and Joel Ward was a big factor in both goals."

Nashville Predators Goalie Dan Ellis
Commenting on tonight's game…
"You always want to end the year on a winning note. To go into the New Year with that same momentum is big for us. We have a big home stand coming up and we want to be riding on all cylinders. Getting the last two wins against St. Louis and Columbus, two division rivals, that is big for us. Every point is big for us right now."

Nashville Predators Right Wing Joel Ward
Commenting on Andreas Thuresson's goal…
"It was kind of a turnover by their 'D' man. I just happened to be there and pick it up and I saw Thurrey quickly and I just threw it in front and he made a good play to finish it off."

Commenting on David Legwand's overtime goal…
"I just saw their 'D' man fall down and I just tried to put as much pressure as I could and stay with the puck and fortunately I just threw it out in front and Legwand finished it off."