The Columbus Blue Jackets complete their All Star break with a return to the ice in DC with a battle with the Washington Capitals. This is the beginning of their makeup games from the COVID outbreak earlier in the season.
Columbus had a tough January, and it looks like February is beginning that way with Alexandre Texier, Eric Robinson, and Jake Bean all joining the injury reserve list. Forwards Brendan Gaunce and Trey Fix-Wolansky has been recalled from the Monsters on an emergency basis. The former first rounder had been with the farm team all year after a couple years in Europe. TFW has been with the Monsters all season after an off-season injury delayed his start to the 2021-2022 season.
Washington is riding the return of Ovi, while Dennis Cholowski has been placed on waivers, after joining the Capitals as a waiver claim from the Seattle Kraken. Phoenix Copley will be starting in the net for the Caps.
Projected Lineups
Washington Capitals
Alexander Ovechkin—Evgney Kuznetsov—Connor Sheary Joe Snively—Nicolas Backstrom—Tom Wilson Connor McMichael—Lars Eller—Daniel Sprong Carl Hagelin—Nic Dowd—Garnet Hathaway
Martin Feheravy—John Carlson Dmitry Orlov—Nic Jensen Trevor van Reimsdyk—Justin Schultz
Phoenix Copley Ilya Samsonov
Scratched— Aliaksi Protas, Michael Kempny, Matt Irwin Injured— TJ Oshie, Vitek Vancek, Anthony Mantha
Columbus Blue Jackets
Patrik Laine—Boone Jenner—Gustav Nyquist Jakub Voracek—Cole Sillinger—Oliver Bjorkstrand Yegor Chinakov—Sean Kuraly—Max Domi Trey Fix-Wolansky—Jack Roslovic—Brendan Gaunce
Zach Werenski—Andrew Peeke Vladislav Gavrikov—Adam Boqvist Gavin Bayreuther—Dean Kukan
Elvis Merzlikins Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched— Gabriel Carlsson
Injured— Justin Danforth, Nathan Gerbe, Daniil Tarasov, Jake Bean, Alexandre Texier, Eric Robinson, Emil Bemstrom
Players to Watch
Washington— Ovi— Always seems to pull a highlight reel goal against Columbus. With his first game back from COVID, definite guy who will score tonight.
Columbus— Trey Fix-Wolansky. Definite feel good story in his first career NHL game.