On Saturday night, Jake Voracek stayed home and watched his first Blue Jackets game on television. He didn't enjoy the experience.

"It was weird not to be there with the team," he said.

Voracek hopes to return to the lineup tonight against the Nashville Predators. He missed his first game of the season and just his third in two seasons because of an apparent head injury.

Boston's Michael Ryder leveled him Thursday with a thundering check that bloodied Voracek's face.

He passed a neurological test Sunday and returned to practice yesterday. Coach Ken Hitchcock said if Voracek makes it through this morning's practice, he could play tonight.

Home cooking

The Jackets play seven of the next nine games at home heading into the Olympic break. Hitchcock said the stretch gives the team an opportunity to get back in the playoff race.

He pointed to teams such as Nashville, Calgary, Detroit and Dallas -- all ahead of the Jackets in the standings -- playing .500 or worse in the past 10 games.

Of course, the Jackets are 5-5 in the same stretch.

They also have played more road games (30) than any team in the league.

"We have been on the road for what seems like two months," Hitchcock said. "This is our chance to get some energy from our fans and make a move."

Anniversary time

Twenty-five years ago, Jackets general manager Scott Howson had one of the most remarkable starts to a short-lived NHL career.

Playing for the New York Islanders, Howson scored goals on his first four shots, spanning three games.

"That's pretty amazing to do that at the NHL level," center Derick Brassard said.

Howson, a 160-pound center, had been recalled because of an injury to Pat LaFontaine and inserted on the Islanders' third line. He scored twice in his first game against Detroit on Jan. 22, 1985. Howson added a goal each against Toronto and Washington over the next four days.

"What happened after that?" Hitchcock asked jokingly.

Howson played eight games before being returned to minor-league Springfield (Mass.). He played 17 NHL games over two seasons, recording four goals and three assists.

Since 1985, only one player has equaled Howson's start -- and he's a former Blue Jacket. Jan Caloun did it in 1996 with the San Jose Sharks.

Caloun played 11 games with the Jackets in their inaugural 2000-01 season.

Slap shots

Right winger Chris Clark missed practice but expects to play tonight. Defenseman Marc Methot (flu) returned to practice. Defenseman Rostislav Klesla skated with coaches for the first time since suffering groin and abdominal tears Nov. 30.

treed@dispatch.com