Washington Capitals (33-18-10, fourth in the Metropolitan) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (31-27-3, fifth in the Metropolitan)
Columbus, Ohio; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Blue Jackets +179, Capitals -218; over/under is 6
BOTTOM LINE: Columbus heads into a matchup with Washington as winners of three games in a row.
The Blue Jackets are 8-11-0 against the rest of their division. Columbus ranks 10th in the league averaging 3.3 goals per game, led by Patrik Laine with 23.
The Capitals are 11-5-1 in division games. Washington has scored 198 goals and ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference averaging 3.2 goals per game. Alex Ovechkin leads the team with 37.
In their last meeting on Feb. 8, Columbus won 5-4. Laine recorded two goals for the Blue Jackets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jakub Voracek leads the Blue Jackets with 40 assists and has 43 points this season. Oliver Bjorkstrand has five goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Columbus.
Ovechkin has 72 total points while scoring 37 goals and totaling 35 assists for the Capitals. Evgeny Kuznetsov has four goals over the last 10 games for Washington.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jackets: 4-4-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.8 assists, 4.2 penalties and 10.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game with a .900 save percentage.
Capitals: 6-3-1, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.4 assists, 3.5 penalties and 8.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game with a .904 save percentage.
INJURIES: Blue Jackets: None listed.
Capitals: Lars Eller: out (covid-19).
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