COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — The Columbus Blue Jackets, hovering near the .500 mark, will look to solidify their playoff positioning when they host the struggling Nashville Predators at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night. Columbus (29-29-0) enters the contest having earned points in three of its last four games, including a 4-0 shutout of Chicago on Feb. 4. In their most recent outing, the Blue Jackets fell 4-3 in overtime to the New York Islanders on Saturday. Mason Marchment scored a goal in that loss and has three points (one goal, two assists) in his last three games, emerging as a key offensive contributor. Nashville (27-33-0) seeks to halt a three-game skid, most recently a 4-2 home loss to Detroit on Monday. Veteran center Ryan O’Reilly, a player to watch for the Predators, recorded an assist and a team-high seven shots on goal in that defeat. He has four points (one goal, three assists) over his last five contests. The Predators have struggled on the road recently, dropping four of their last five away from home. Their last victory came in a 4-2 win over Chicago on Feb. 26. In the only previous meeting this season, Nashville edged Columbus 2-1 on Oct. 9, 2025. Statistical projections heavily favor the home team. National Statistical’s game simulator predicts a 5-2 victory for Columbus, while its ELO rating system gives the Blue Jackets a 58.1% probability of winning. A victory would push Columbus two games above .500 as they prepare for a challenging four-game homestand. Nashville aims to rediscover its form at the start of a difficult six-game road trip that will see them travel across Western Canada next week. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT at Nationwide Arena.