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Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals Preview

By Aaron Winland |
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 23: Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a second period save on a shot by Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) on March 23, 2017, at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shootout. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 23: Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a second period save on a shot by Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) on March 23, 2017, at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shootout. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets /

For the second night in a row, the Columbus Blue Jackets play an opponent for the first time this season. Tonight, they are playing the Washington Capitals in Capital One Arena.

After a chippy, physical home win over the Anaheim Ducks last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets look to carry that momentum into Washington to take on the Capitals. The Capitals lost their last game Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 5-2.

Other than the streak ending game, the Jackets played well in Washington last season, winning the first contest and losing the last in a shootout.

With Sergei Bobrovsky resting last night, he should be the starter in the Jackets net tonight. I expect Washington’s star goalie, Braden Holtby, to be in their net. Look for tonight’s contest to be a goalie battle.

Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin /

The Washington Capitals have plenty of weapons at their disposal, including their captain, Alex Ovechkin.

The Capitals top six forwards are difficult to stop. Alex Ovechkin currently leads not only his own team but all of the NHL in goals (18).  He has five goals in the last five games.  The Blue Jackets must limit Ovechkin’s shot opportunities to win the game.

If the CBJ are successful in limiting Ovechkin, they have to deal with T.J. Oshie (10) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (8).  Kuznetsov leads the team in total points with 28, five coming in the last five games. Ovechkin has 25. Oshie has 22 points.

If the team has a weakness, it is their defense. They are currently allowing 3.1 goals per game (21st in the NHL). Their top defensive line of Brooks Orpik and John Carlson are -6 and -10 respectively using the plus-minus statistic.

That is until you get to get to their goalies.  Holtby has been struggling some this season. However, the last few seasons, he has been in the race for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the season.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets /

This will likely be another highly physical game tonight. Who will fight just enough to be victorious?

With Washington being a Metropolitan Conference foe, the Columbus Blue Jackets will need their top lines to come out and play hard and secure the crucial divisional playoff points tonight.

As an added bonus, the Blue Jackets have activated forward Matt Calvert off IR. After being on the shelf for many weeks, I expect Calvert to play his normal, hard-working game right from the start of his first shift.

I also expect the Artemi Panarin – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Josh Anderson line to continue their dominant play tonight. In the last five games, Anderson has 7 points, Dubois has 4, and Panarin has 4.

I believe this game will be a low scoring goalie battle between Bobrovsky and Holtby.

Final Score: Columbus Blue Jackets 2, Washington Capitals 1 in OT

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