Considering how well Washington has fared against Columbus this season, a visit from the Blue Jackets might help the struggling Capitals get off to a strong start after the All-Star break.
Hopeful that superstar captain Alex Ovechkin will be available, the Capitals can avoid a season-high fourth consecutive home loss by beating the Blue Jackets for the third time in a row on Tuesday night.
Washington seems firmly entrenched in a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, albeit in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals are 5-7-2 in their past 14 games overall and have been outscored 30-19 during a dismal 2-5-1 stretch at home.
After winning back-to-back road contests, Washington dropped its third straight game at home with a 5-3 setback to Edmonton on Wednesday. The Capitals last endured four consecutive regulation home defeats in 2007-08.
Washington squared off against the Oilers without Ovechkin, who tested positive for COVID-19 before that game. He also missed the weekend’s All-Star festivities.
“Things change all the time,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. “We’ll reset. Our guys will come back, and we need to get back to winning some games.”
Assuming he passes all necessary requirements, Ovechkin could be out of COVID protocol and able to play Tuesday. He recorded two goals with an assist to help Washington win the first two meetings with Columbus this season. Meanwhile, teammate Garnet Hathaway has posted three of his seven goals on the season against the Blue Jackets.
Washington’s Ilya Samsonov stopped 43 of the 47 shots he faced to record both victories vs. Columbus in 2021-22. Teammate Vitek Vanecek saved 77 of 80 shots while winning two of his previous three games before leaving a little less than seven minutes into Wednesday’s contest due to an upper-body injury.
Although Columbus is directly behind Washington in the Metropolitan Division, 18 points separate the clubs. The Blue Jackets are 8-16-1 since Nov. 2 but have won two straight on the road.
Columbus, however, continues to have trouble keeping the puck out of its own net. The Blue Jackets’ 158 goals allowed this season are among the most in the NHL. They’ve yielded an average of 4.6 while losing five of the last eight and will try to rebound from an 8-4 home defeat to Florida on Jan. 31.
“Just be mentally prepared and get some wins that we need,” said Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine, who has two goals in each of the last two games and six points (four goals, two assists) over the last three.
“(Personally) it’s great to score. … It doesn’t matter if you have six goals or seven goals if you still lose.”
Laine missed both games with Washington due to an oblique injury. Teammate Elvis Merzlikins also has not faced the Capitals this season, but he’s dropped three straight starts in net and allowed 13 goals in his last two.
Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves in a 4-3 home loss to Washington on Nov. 12.
Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov has three goals and nine assists over his last 12 games.
–Field Level Media
