09 02 50 20

Preview
Predators-Blue Jackets Preview
Associated Press

The Nashville Predators continue to add the woes of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Nashville (12-4-2) looks for its third win in six days over its hapless Central Division rival as the teams meet on Monday at Nationwide Arena.

Columbus (5-12-1) is coming off a tumultuous week, falling twice to the Predators as its losing streak reached a season-high five games. Wednesday's 5-4 home loss to Nashville came two days after Blue Jackets coach Gerard Gallant was fired, spoiling the debut of interim coach Gary Agnew.

The team's next two games under Agnew were no better, losing 3-0 to Colorado on Friday before falling 4-2 in Nashville the following night.

Penalties plagued the Blue Jackets in Saturday's loss, as Nashville went 3-for-10 on the power play. Jason Arnott scored two power-play goals 48 seconds apart in the second period to boost the Predators' lead to 4-0.

"When you keep getting into penalty trouble, you are going to get burned and we did," Columbus goaltender Pascal Leclaire said. "We have got to stop making excuses and find a way to win one."

While the Blue Jackets have a league-low 11 points, the Predators are tied atop the Central with Detroit.

The Predators have only one regulation loss in 14 games (11-1-2) since opening the season with three straight losses.

Nashville coach Barry Trotz was pleased with how his team bounced back after losing 7-6 to Minnesota in a shootout on Thursday.

"I thought we came out with really good energy and purpose," Trotz said.

Part of the energy was due to Arnott, in his first season with the Predators. He ended a seven-game goal-scoring drought on Saturday, and is second on the team with 16 points.

"When they brought me in here, they wanted me to expand my role a lot more," said the 13-year veteran center. "They wanted me to do more than just score goals."

Arnott has a nine-game point streak against Columbus, with five goals and 11 assists in that span.

Like Arnott, goaltender Tomas Vokoun has gotten the better of the Blue Jackets, winning three straight starts and six of seven against them. He made 28 saves in Saturday's win after stopping 29 shots to beat Columbus on Wednesday.

Trotz, though, knows Monday's meeting with the last-place Blue Jackets will not be easy.

"They are going back to their barn for the third game, and they will show us the best they have," Trotz said.

The Blue Jackets, though, have been outscored 17-7 during their five-game skid and have been shut out twice in that stretch. Columbus has scored the fewest goals in the league with 38.

Leclaire, who has given up 13 goals in his last three starts, is winless in six of seven appearances versus the Predators with a 4.63 goals-against average.




SCHEDULE

HOME
AWAY
PROMOTIONAL

STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
Columbusbluejackets.com is the official Web site of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Columbus Blue Jackets and columbusbluejackets.com are trademarks of The Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey Club.  NHL and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and the NHL Shield and NHL Conference logos are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P.  Copyright © 2009 Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey Club and the National Hockey League.  All Rights Reserved. View the Columbus Blue Jackets Privacy Policy AdChoices NHL.com Terms of Service
Please use the feedback form if you have any recommendations or comments.