COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS AT WASHINGTON CAPITALS

TV:  Bally Sports Ohio           Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)              
Radio:  97.1 The Fan              Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)

THE MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

2021-22 Record: 12-9-0, 24 pts. (5^th, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.19 Goals-For/3.24 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.1 Shots-For/34.5 Shots-Against

Power Play:  20.3 percent (12^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  83.9 percent (11^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.9 PIM (8^th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  5-0-0 (2-0)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

2021-22 Record: 14-4-6, 34 pts. (1^st, Metropolitan Division)

Goals:  3.54 Goals-For/2.50 Goals-Against… Shots:  30.8 Shots-For/28.3 Shots-Against

Power Play:  18.1 percent (18^th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  82.5 percent (14^th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  6.6 PIM (3^rd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  0-5-1 (0-1)

Players to Watch:  LW Alex Ovechkin ranks second in the NHL in goals and third in points in 2021-22 with 19-19-38 and his 749 career goals are fourth all-time… D John Carlson ranks second-T among NHL blueliners in points and third-T in assists with 5-17-22 in 24 contests this season… G Ilya Samsonov has started six of the last eight games for the Capitals (5-1-0) and is 9-1-1 with a 2.52 GAA and .915 SV% in 12 contests in 2021-22.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 17-19-8 in 44 all-time meetings vs. Washington, including 7-9-5 on the road… Of Note: The clubs did not meet in 2020-21… The Blue Jackets had posted points in five-straight games against the Capitals prior to a 4-3 defeat at Columbus on November 12… The club has collected points in seven of the last nine meetings of the series dating back to Feb. 26, 2018 (6-2-1)… CBJ have recorded points in four consecutive meetings at Washington (3-0-1) with three of the four games ending in 2-1 decisions (one in OT)… The Jackets have killed off 18-of-19 Capitals power play attempts in the last seven games of the series… 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, 0-1-0)

Nov. 12, 2021 – WSH 4, at CBJ 3

Dec. 4, 2021 – at Washington (7 p.m.)

Mar. 17, 2022 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)

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

CBJ TEAM NOTES

The Blue Jackets fell for the third-straight game with a 3-2 loss at Dallas on Wednesday… The team has suffered three consecutive losses for the first time this season… CBJ play their third of 16 back-to-back sets on Saturday at Washington and Sunday vs. San Jose… Columbus’ 12 wins are tied for the third-most through the first 21 games of a season (14, 2010-11; 13, 2017-18)… The Jackets have scored three or more goals in 14 of their contests this season and rank ninth in the NHL in goals-per-game (3.19)… The Blue Jackets are in the middle of a stretch of 13-of-16 games played against Western Conference teams from Nov. 18-Dec. 18. The club’s only games against the Eastern Conference over that span is Nov. 22 at BUF (7-4 W), Saturday at Washington and Tuesday at Toronto… CBJ are 5-0-0 in games played after regulation this season.  It’s the second time the club has started a campaign with wins in its first five games that were decided after regulation (2005-06, finished 14-1-3)… The Jackets are in a stretch of 7-of-9 games from Nov. 18-Dec. 4 and 13-of-17 from Nov. 18-Dec. 20 played on the road… CBJ have trailed in eight of their 12 victories this season… The Jackets have killed off all opponent power play attempts in 11 of the last 14 games (34-of-38; 89.5 pct.) and rank third in the league in PK pct. since Oct. 31… The club ranks third-T in goals (16) and seventh in the NHL in points (55) by defensemen this season.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

The Blue Jackets have seen 20 different players record a goal this season, while 22-of-24 skaters have recorded at least one point… D Adam Boqvist has racked up 4-3-7 in nine games since returning to the lineup from an injury… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the club in scoring and multi-point outings with 6-13-19 and five multi-point efforts in 21 contests… C Max Domi has 3-6-9 in 11 games in 2021-22… D Vladislav Gavrikov, who has 2-8-10 in the past 12 outings, has posted four multi-point efforts this season… C Boone Jenner has posted 7-4-11 in the past 14 games.  CBJ’s captain ranks fourth in the NHL in power play goals and 12th in goals with 11-4-15 and five PPG in 21 games this season… G Elvis Merzlikins is 4-2-0 with a .915 SV% and 2.86 GAA in his last six starts… F Gus Nyquist has posted 3-4-7 over the past 11 contests after being held to 1-1-2 in his first 10 games… C Jack Roslovic has 3-2-5 in the last eight appearances… G Daniil Tarasov set the CBJ record for most saves in his NHL debut after stopping 34-of-37 shots on Thursday at Dallas… F Alexandre Texier has recorded 5-3-8 in the past 12 games and set a new single-season career high with his seventh tally on Thursday at Dallas… RW Jakub Voracek leads the NHL in primary assists (14) and ranks third-T in power play assists (9) and 14^th-T in assists (17)… D Zach Werenski has posted points in seven of his last 10 contests (3-6-9) and ranks third in the NHL in TOI/GP (26:16).

MILESTONES

•     RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is four points from 200 in his NHL career (89-107-196, 323 GP).

•     D Adam Boqvist is 10 games from 100 for his NHL career (10-26-36, 90 GP).

•     C Max Domi is seven goals from 100 and nine assists from 200 for his NHL career (93-191-284, 440 GP).

•     C Sean Kuraly is nine games from 300 for his NHL career (27-46-73, 291 GP).

•     LW Gustav Nyquist is nine games from 600 for his NHL career and nine games from 100 in his CBJ career (150-207-357, 591 GP; 19-32-51, 91 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

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

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

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

•     G Joonas Korpisalo (illness; Injured Reserve on Dec. 1)

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 64

COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS