NHL

Washington Capitals vs Columbus Blue Jackets prediction

Washington Capitals7–4–0 · Home Columbus Blue Jackets5–5–0 · Away08:00 PMDec 26

Lines

Lines from the last game · may change

Washington Capitals

Last game: Oct 28

1st line

9:46 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
25	Jordan Kyrou LW	14:27	4	6	10
17	Dylan Strome C	14:53	3	9	12
89	Alex Tuch RW	17:01	9	2	11

33 points this season

JS34SourdifLW

22JennerC

9LeonardRW

2nd line

8:43 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
34	Justin Sourdif LW	13:14	1	1	2
22	Boone Jenner C	14:30	4	1	5
9	Ryan Leonard RW	12:15	4	4	8

15 points this season

21ProtasLW

80DuboisC

43WilsonRW

3rd line

8:38 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
21	Aliaksei Protas LW	13:43	1	2	3
80	Pierre-Luc Dubois C	11:10	1	5	6
43	Tom Wilson RW	14:02	2	3	5

14 points this season

8OvechkinLW IP62ProtasC

72BeauvillierRW

4th line

6:30 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
8	Alex Ovechkin LW	10:34	1	3	4
62	Ilya Protas C	9:45	1	4	5
72	Anthony Beauvillier RW	8:56	1	1	2

11 points this season

3RoyD

6ChychrunD

1st pair

11:53 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
3	Matt Roy D	17:31	0	1	1
6	Jakob Chychrun D	17:29	1	7	8

9 points this season

42FehérváryD

27LiljegrenD

2nd pair

11:23 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
42	Martin Fehérváry D	19:55	0	2	2
27	Timothy Liljegren D	14:42	1	0	1

3 points this season

44HutsonD JI29IvanyD

3rd pair

10:58 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
44	Cole Hutson D	16:08	2	3	5
29	Jack St. Ivany D	12:47	0	0	0

5 points this season

Power play unit 1

2:29 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
17	Dylan Strome F	14:53	3	9	12
25	Jordan Kyrou F	14:27	4	6	10
43	Tom Wilson F	14:02	2	3	5
8	Alex Ovechkin F	10:34	1	3	4
6	Jakob Chychrun D	17:29	1	7	8

39 points this season

Power play unit 2

1:26 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
89	Alex Tuch F	17:01	9	2	11
9	Ryan Leonard F	12:15	4	4	8
80	Pierre-Luc Dubois F	11:10	1	5	6
62	Ilya Protas F	9:45	1	4	5
44	Cole Hutson D	16:08	2	3	5

35 points this season

Penalty kill unit 1

0:47 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
89	Alex Tuch F	17:01	9	2	11
21	Aliaksei Protas F	13:43	1	2	3
6	Jakob Chychrun D	17:29	1	7	8
27	Timothy Liljegren D	14:42	1	0	1

23 points this season

Penalty kill unit 2

0:45 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
22	Boone Jenner F	14:30	4	1	5
43	Tom Wilson F	14:02	2	3	5
42	Martin Fehérváry D	19:55	0	2	2
3	Matt Roy D	17:31	0	1	1

13 points this season

Goalies: Logan Thompson #48 (Projected) · Charlie Lindgren #79 (Backup)

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last game: Oct 27

1st line

8:56 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
89	Matthew Knies LW	15:29	2	3	5
3	Charlie Coyle C	16:55	1	6	7
24	Mathieu Olivier RW	15:37	2	1	3

15 points this season

91JohnsonLW

19FantilliC

43NichushkinRW

2nd line

7:17 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
91	Kent Johnson LW	12:20	6	3	9
19	Adam Fantilli C	16:49	3	2	5
43	Valeri Nichushkin RW	15:35	1	5	6

20 points this season

4SillingerLW

23MonahanC

83GarlandRW

3rd line

6:43 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
4	Cole Sillinger LW	13:44	3	2	5
23	Sean Monahan C	14:51	1	2	3
83	Conor Garland RW	13:33	0	0	0

8 points this season

94LombergLW LB93BelluzC

10VoronkovRW

4th line

6:45 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	A	P
94	Ryan Lomberg LW	8:43	0	0
93	Luca Del Bel Belluz C	7:56	0	0
10	Dmitri Voronkov RW	7:44	2	2

2 points this season

8WerenskiD

78SeversonD

1st pair

15:49 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
8	Zach Werenski D	24:05	0	8	8
78	Damon Severson D	22:06	1	4	5

13 points this season

DM5MateychukD

2ChristiansenD

2nd pair

12:49 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
5	Denton Mateychuk D	19:46	3	1	4
2	Jake Christiansen D	14:51	1	1	2

6 points this season

44GudbransonD

15FabbroD

3rd pair

10:27 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
44	Erik Gudbranson D	15:08	0	1	1
15	Dante Fabbro D	12:15	0	0	0

1 points this season

Power play unit 1

1:06 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
19	Adam Fantilli F	16:49	3	2	5
89	Matthew Knies F	15:29	2	3	5
23	Sean Monahan F	14:51	1	2	3
83	Conor Garland F	13:33	0	0	0
8	Zach Werenski D	24:05	0	8	8

21 points this season

Power play unit 2

0:54 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
3	Charlie Coyle F	16:55	1	6	7
43	Valeri Nichushkin F	15:35	1	5	6
91	Kent Johnson F	12:20	6	3	9
8	Zach Werenski D	24:05	0	8	8
78	Damon Severson D	22:06	1	4	5

35 points this season

Penalty kill unit 1

1:06 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
3	Charlie Coyle F	16:55	1	6	7
24	Mathieu Olivier F	15:37	2	1	3
5	Denton Mateychuk D	19:46	3	1	4
44	Erik Gudbranson D	15:08	0	1	1

15 points this season

Penalty kill unit 2: No such unit in that game.

Goalies: Cam Talbot #33 (Projected) · Jet Greaves #73 (Backup)

Swipe the rink to switch units

How we read the lines

From the NHL’s shift charts, the three forwards and the two defencemen who shared the most 5-on-5 ice time, ranked by time on ice. Coaches shuffle lines often, so treat them as a guide until puck drop. Power-play and penalty-kill units: the five (on the power play) or four (on the penalty kill) skaters who were on the ice together the longest in that situation. TOI: ice time in that game. G, A, P: goals, assists and points this season.

Photo credits (34)

Jordan Kyrou · Jfvoll, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dylan Strome · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Alex Tuch · Sandro Halank , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Boone Jenner · Hugh Lee from Edmonton Alberta, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Ryan Leonard · Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Aliaksei Protas · All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0
Pierre-Luc Dubois · Winnipeg Jets, CC BY 3.0
Tom Wilson · All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Alex Ovechkin · Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0
Anthony Beauvillier · Acsport79, CC BY-SA 4.0
Matt Roy · Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Jakob Chychrun · Jenn G, CC BY-SA 2.0
Martin Fehérváry · All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0
Timothy Liljegren · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Cole Hutson · Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Logan Thompson · Jenn G., CC BY-SA 2.0
Charlie Lindgren · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Matthew Knies · Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Charlie Coyle · Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mathieu Olivier · Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kent Johnson · Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Adam Fantilli · Jenn G., CC BY-SA 2.5
Valeri Nichushkin · Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cole Sillinger · Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sean Monahan · Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0
Conor Garland · Sandro Halank , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ryan Lomberg · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Dmitri Voronkov · Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Zach Werenski · Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
Damon Severson · Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Jake Christiansen · Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
Erik Gudbranson · Pens Through My Lens, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dante Fabbro · CloutsnChara Sports Cards, CC BY 3.0
Cam Talbot · Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Goalie duel

Projected

Projected from recent starts · confirmed at puck drop

Logan Thompson WAS

.903 save percentage

2.78 GAA · 5–3–0 · 8 starts

Cam Talbot COL

.894 save percentage

2.83 GAA · 3–2–0 · 5 starts

Teams do not name their goalie before the game. We expect the No. 1 unless his team played the night before, when the back-up usually starts; last season that call was right about two times in three. Our win chances do not depend on it.

Photo credits (2)