Position by position we are breaking down the Caps and Columbus Blue Jackets first round matchup.
Defense wins championships. If that old phrase holds up the Columbus Blue Jackets are well on their way to at least a first round series win over the Capitals.
The top pair for the Columbus Blue Jackets is one of, if not, the best pairs in the league. Seth Jones and Zach Werenski have the second highest combined corsi and highest combined goals scored of any pair in the NHL.
The two have been dominate all year long and should be fully rested by Thursday. Jones and Werenski have been dealing with nagging injuries all season but will have almost a full week off by the time game one rolls along.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Thats not to say that Washington’s top pair is not impressive. John Carlson carries the water for the entire defensive corps in Washington quite frankly. Carlson is having a Norris caliber year. His offensive numbers, 15 goals and 53 assist, are downright gaudy. He did this while starting more than half his shifts in the defensive zone.
Still the combination of Werenski and Jones is far superior when you consider Carlson’s partner is Michal Kempny. A fine defensman but no where near the All-Star caliber pair the Jackets can roll out.
2nd and 3rd Pairs
The second the only pair where the speed is somewhat close in the defensive pairings. That might give the Capitals 2nd pair a slight advantage on the Jackets. Dmitry Orlov and Matt Niskanen are a solid second pair that provides more scoring that the Jackets pair. The two have combined for 60 points so far this season.
Ian Cole and David Savard, while not as offensively prolific, are an above average second pair as well. They have turned into the shutdown pair for the Jackets and have taken on the top offenses in the league and proven themselves. They will be tested for at least four games trying to stop Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin, and Nicklas Backstrom.
I think the edge in the third pair goes to the Capitals but just by a shade.
The third pair is by far and away an advantage for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara are almost as good as the Capitals, or any other NHL team’s, second pair. The two are fast, they move the puck up the ice quickly, drive offense and rarely make defesive mistakes.
Related Story: Nutivaara and Foligno Returning to the Lineup
A healthy Nuitvaara returns to the lineup after missing the final four games. Nuti replaces Jack Johnson who, although he has had a poor season, is still an above average 7th defenseman to come in when needed.
Overall the edge goes to the Jackets in the back end. They are more sound defensively, drive more offense and are quicker than the Caps at almost every spot one through six on the blue line.