The Columbus Blue Jackets conclude their season series in a home and home weekend of games with the Washington Capitals. Saturday afternoon, Columbus hosts with a noon-thirty start; Sunday is a six o’clock dinner time start from the nation’s capital.
With the Capitals having clinched home ice through the Eastern Conference Final and hosting the Blue Jackets on Sunday, Ovechkin may not play Saturday. Jakob Chychrun missed a 5-4 shootout win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday; if he is unavailable, Dylan McIlrath may take his spot on defense.
Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said Friday that Jake Christiansen and Merzlikins will not play; Christiansen left during the first period of a 3-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday and Merzlikins left early during the morning skate Thursday. Evason said Merzlikins did not sustain an injury while practicing.
Projected Lineups
Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin -- Dylan Strome -- Taylor Raddysh Connor McMichael -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Tom Wilson Andrew Mangiapane -- Lars Eller -- Ryan Leonard Brandon Duhaime -- Nic Dowd -- Anthony Beauvillier
Rasmus Sandin -- John Carlson Jakob Chychrun -- Trevor van Riemsdyk Martin Fehervary -- Matt Roy
Charlie Lindgren Hunter Shepard
Scratched: Dylan McIlrath, Alex Alexeyev, Ethen Frank
Injured: Aliaksei Protas (lower body), Logan Thompson (upper body), Sonny Milano (upper body)
Columbus Blue Jackets Boone Jenner -- Sean Monahan -- Kirill Marchenko James van Riemsdyk -- Adam Fantilli -- Kent Johnson Dmitri Voronkov -- Cole Sillinger -- Mathieu Olivier Zach Aston-Reese -- Sean Kuraly -- Justin Danforth
Zach Werenski -- Dante Fabbro Denton Mateychuk -- Ivan Provorov Jack Johnson -- Erik Gudbranson
Jet Greaves Daniil Tarasov
Scratched: Jordan Harris, Christian Fischer, Jack Williams, Damon Severson, Luke Kunin, Yegor Chinakhov
Injured: Elvis Merzlikins (undisclosed), Jake Christiansen (upper body), Owen Sillinger, Kevin Labanc
Players to Watch
Washington — Ryan Leonard // Alex Ovechkin — the BC quiz master had his first career goal on an empty net; but bandz a make her dance is 5 away from 900.
Columbus — Kent Johnson // Adam Fantilli — the Michigan duo must bring the offense to keep the playoff hopes alive before April 17. KJ has 4 points in previous 5; Fantilli, while second in goals with 25, only has 1 in the last 5.
Predicted Final Scores
Sat
WSH — 3
CBJ — 4
OT
SUN
WSH — 5
CBJ — 1