It’s Game Night in Smashville with an interesting inter-conference matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bridgestone Arena tonight. Why so interesting as two teams heading in opposite directions clash? Well… first, because these two points are needed for Nashville to continue their ascent in the Central Division standings. The big story is the first game that Ryan Johansen and Seth Jones play against their old teams from a trade that is paying dividends for both.

Johansen being the 1C the Predators have needed since their inception and Jones being the top pair defenseman that Columbus has coveted since their early days. Both players are living up to the expectations heaped upon them when the trade first happened. Seth Jones is playing five more minutes a game since coming to Columbus and is taking the role of number one d-man seriously. It is something that couldn’t happen in Nashville with the current team configuration. Ryan Johansen has integrated into the Nashville offense after some adjustment and showing excellent chemistry with his linemates.

Columbus once again has come up short, a regular series of events for the Jackets, bad start, scramble to catch up and ultimately falling short. Head coach John Tortorella has this team going inb the right direction and with an offseason to get his team ready… I will say it right now… this Columbus team has the capability to terrorize the East next season.

Nashville has found a level of consistency in the second half of the season, stealing two points they had no business taking on Thursday night against Vancouver by feeding off the Bridgestone Arena crowd that went bonkers when James Neal scored midway through the third period… and Filip Forsberg played “Can You Top This?” by scoring before I could get the announcement of the first goal out.

The injury situation see Columbus making a call up from Lake Erie as Fedor Tyutin is not making the trip to Nashville after an sustaining an injury on Thursday night, Jack Johnson is still on IR. The Predators appear to be getting healthier as IR is clear and Paul Gaustad resumed practicing yesterday. The only non-participant in yesterday’s practice was Anthony Bitetto.

Game time is 7pm… very limited tickets remain. Coverage on 102.5 the Game, Fox Sports Tennessee and the Predators Radio Network.

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Random Notes

- “Where They Stand” – Entering tonight’s play, the Nashville Predators are 4th in the Central Division with 89 points, trailing 3rd Place Chicago by 2 points. The Predators trail 2nd place St. Louis by 8 points and 1st place Dallas by 8, with a game in hand on both. The Predators are in the first wild card slot, leading Minnesota by 6 points and Colorado by 9.

- Per SportsClubStats.com, the Predators playoff chances stand at 99.8% heading into tonight’s play. According to the site, finishing with 94 points or better will give the team a 99%+ chance on being in the playoffs.

- NHL.com should know better. The headline for the article regarding Ryan Johansen screams “Johansen wishes ‘I still was a Blue Jacket’” when the content clearly contradicts the message, Johansen talked of not expecting to be traded and the camaraderie built in Columbus in an Article with the Columbus Dispatch and also states that he “loves being a Nashville Predator.”

- The Vesey Watch is on! Jimmy Vesey’s Harvard Crimson got hammered last night by Boston College… now the wait begins.

- The Predators recorded their 31st sellout of the season Thursday night, a franchise record. Expect that record to get extended to as high as 36 as very limited tickets remain to the rest of the home slate.

- Fourteen games in the NHL today, all times central – Noon – WPG @ BUF. 1pm – PIT @ DET. 2pm – MIN @ COL. 3pm – DAL @ SJS. 6pm – BOS @ TML. NYR @ MTL, ANA @ OTT, FLA @ TBL, STL @ WSH, NYI @ CAR. 7pm – CBJ @ NSH. 9pm – PHI @ ARI, EDM @ LAK, CHI @ CGY.

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Tweets by @PredPAPaul


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Season eight of SlapShot Radio is on! Join us every Wednesday night at 7 on 102.5 the Game. Pete Weber and I preview the upcoming week and take a look back at the week that was.

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