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Predators face slumping Blue Jackets

Nov 18, 2006 - 5:42 PM Columbus (5-11-1) at Nashville (11-4-2) 8:00 pm EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - The Nashville Predators look to bounce back from a tough defeat Saturday when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Predators squandered a three-goal second-period lead in a 7-6 loss to Minnesota in a shootout on Thursday. The teams combined for 90 shots.

Steve Sullivan and Paul Kariya scored for Nashville in the shootout, but Josef Vacisek and Martin Erat were denied. Nashville got a rare poor performance from backup goaltender Chris Mason, who allowed six goals on 45 shots.

Sullivan led Nashville in regulation with a goal and two assists while J.P. Dumont had three assists. Six different players had goals and 13 had at least one point.

David Legwand had two goals and an assist in the Predators' 5-4 victory over the Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

The Predators have only played seven home games, the fewest in the league, but three of their next five games are on home ice.

The Blue Jackets lost their fourth consecutive game on Friday, a 3-0 setback to Colorado. Backup goaltender Fredrik Norrena stopped 25 shots and were 0-for-4 on the man advantage.

Columbus, which is 0-2 since coach Gerard Gallant was fired and replaced by Gary Agnew on an interim basis, already been shut out five times this season.