COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS

TV:  Bally Sports Ohio           Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)              
Radio:  105.7 FM                    Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 7-3-0, 14 pts. (5^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.10 Goals-For/2.80 Goals-Against… Shots:  29.6 Shots-For/34.8 Shots-Against

Power Play:  21.4 percent (14^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  82.4 percent (14^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.6 PIM (11^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-0-0 (1-0)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

2021-22 Record: 6-2-4, 16 pts. (3^rd, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.50 Goals-For/2.67 Goals-Against… Shots:  31.7 Shots-For/27.1 Shots-Against

Power Play:  18.6 percent (19^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  78.8 percent (21^st, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.3 PIM (6^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 0-4-0 (0-0)

Players to Watch:  LW Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals and ranks third in points in 2021-22 with 11-10-21 and his 741 career goals are fourth-T all-time… D John Carlson has collected 3-6-9 in 12 games this season and registered three consecutive seasons of 68 points or more from 2017-20… G Vitek Vanecek has posted a 3-2-3 with a 2.51 GAA and .906 SV% in nine games in 2021-22, starting the last four-straight for the Capitals.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 17-18-8 in 43 all-time meetings vs. Washington, including 10-9-3 at home… Of Note: The clubs did not meet in 2020-21… The Blue Jackets have posted points in five-straight games against the Capitals since Jan. 12, 2019 (4-0-1) and have collected points in seven of the last eight meetings of the series dating back to Feb. 26, 2018 (6-1-1)… CBJ have won two consecutive games in the series at Nationwide Arena and three of the last four in Ohio (3-1-0)… The winning team has recorded two goals or less in three of the last seven meetings, including a 2-1 OT victory for the Capitals in the most recent meeting on Dec. 27, 2019… Columbus owns four of the six shutouts in the all-time series, including the most recent one by Joonas Korpisalo on Dec. 16, 2019 (3-0 win at CBJ).

This Season (CBJ, 0-0-0)

Nov. 12, 2021 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)

Dec. 4, 2021 – at Washington (7 p.m.)

Mar. 17, 2022 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)

Apr. 28, 2022 – at Washington (7 p.m.)

HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT

The Blue Jackets will host the club’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night, in partnership with OhioHealth, during Friday’s game against the Capitals.  Among the elements planned for this special night include the conversion of all in-arena static and LED dasher board advertising to lavender.  In game features will include Dr. Yvonne Efebera, Medical Director of the OhioHealth Blood and Marrow Transplant Program and Nichole E. Dunn, President and CEO of Flying Horse Farms.  The Blue Jackets Foundation will be raffling off autographed official warmup jerseys worn by the players on the ice prior to the game and auction off warmup sticks and Hockey Fights Cancer themed items.  More information is available at bluejackets.com/hockeyfightscancer.

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets won their third consecutive game – and swept a home-and-home set in the process – with a 4-2 victory over the Avalanche on Saturday… The home-and-home set were the club’s only games during the first 11 days of November… CBJ (1-0-0) continue a four-game homestand on Friday.  The team has posted a franchise-best five wins and 10 points in its first six home games this season… The Blue Jackets have equaled the franchise’s mark for wins and points in the first 10 games of a season (2017-18)… Friday’s game kicks off a stretch of three games in four days and 10 games (5H, 5 A) over the month’s final 19 days… CBJ have posted a league-high four victories when trailing entering the third period this season (4-2-0) and have recorded a win when trailing heading into the final 20 minutes in each of the past three games.  It’s the first time in club history and the 25^th instance in NHL history a team has won a game when trailing after the second in three consecutive games… The Blue Jackets are 4-0-0 in games decided after regulation this season (3-0-0 in OT, 1-0 in SO).  Last season, CBJ went 3-9 in OT and 3-3- in SO… Columbus had the youngest season-opening roster in average age at 25.71.  New Jersey (25.74) was the only other team to have an average age of its roster younger than 26-years-old… CBJ also had the most diverse roster to open the season with 10 countries represented.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

The Blue Jackets have had 12 different players record goals this season, while 19-of-23 skaters have recorded at least one point… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand has a point in three-straight contests (2-2-4) and leads the club in scoring and multi-point outings with 5-8-13 and four multi-point efforts in 10 games… C Boone Jenner stretched his point streak to three consecutive outings (2-1-3) with an assist on Saturday and leads the team in goals with 6-1-7 in 10 GP.  He scored eight goals in 41 outings a season ago… G Joonas Korpisalo has won two consecutive games from Oct. 31-Nov. 3, while G Elvis Merzlikins is 5-1-0 on the campaign following Saturday’s 4-2 victory… C Cole Sillinger (18-years-old) is the youngest player in the NHL and has points in two-straight games (3-1-4).  He ranks fourth among NHL rookies in goals and seventh-T in points with 4-2-6 in 10 GP… RW Jakub Voracek, who has assists in three consecutive games (0-5-5), is seventh-T in the NHL in power play assists (5) and eighth-T in assists (10)… D Zach Werenski (2-4-6, 10 GP) ranks fourth-T in the NHL in time on ice (26:13 avg.) including a career-high 33:03 at New Jersey on Oct. 31.

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is 10 points from 200 in his NHL career (88-102-190, 312 GP).

•     C Alexandre Texier is three games from 100 in his NHL career (14-18-32, 97 GP).

•     D Zach Werenski is five points from 200 for his NHL career (67-128-195, 345 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•     RW Emil Bemstrom (left oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Oct. 14) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

•     D Adam Boqvist (lower body) is day-to-day

•     D Dean Kukan (wrist fracture; Injured Reserve on Oct. 26) is expected to miss 8 weeks

•     C Max Domi (COVID Protocols on Nov. 1)

•     LW Patrik Laine (oblique strain; Injured Reserve on Nov. 5) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 26

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