Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher (12) shoots against Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason (1) in the first period of an NHL hockey game on Friday, April 8, 2011, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo)NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Patric Hornqvist scored two goals and had an assist, and the Nashville Predators clinched their sixth playoff berth in seven seasons with a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night in their final home game of the regular season.
Matt Halischuk and Sergei Kostitsyn also scored to help Nashville extend the NHL's longest active home winning streak against one team with its 17th straight over Columbus. The Blue Jackets haven't won in Nashville since April 3, 2006.
The Predators will wrap up the regular season Saturday night in St. Louis with a chance to earn the Western Conference's fourth seed and start the playoffs at home -- where they went 24-9-8 this season. Washington and Vancouver are the only other NHL teams with fewer than 10 regulation losses at home.
Derick Brassard scored for Columbus, which lost its fifth straight.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
