No night is an easy night in the National Hockey League.
And it won't get any easier tonight for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they take on a division rival in the Washington Capitals, who are winners of six-straight games.
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| WASHINGTON CAPITALS |
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22–4–5 (49 points) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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7 P.M. – MONDAY, DECEMBER 9 CAPITAL ONE ARENA WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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FOX SPORTS OHIO FOX SPORTS GO |
The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, have lost four games in a row, scoring just five goals in the process and allowing 13.
Scoring woes continue for Columbus, who has struggled heavily since an encouraging 5-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 29. The club has not won a game in December but hopes to change that note tonight.
Here's a look at tonight's projected lines for the Blue Jackets:
Forwards
Nyquist–Texier–Atkinson
Foligno–Jenner–Anderson
Milano–Dubois–Bjorkstrand
Wennberg–Nash–Robinson
Defensemen
Kukan–Jones
Murray–Savard
Gavrikov–Peeke
Goalie: Korpisalo
Scratches: Harrington
Storylines
- Stars Need to Score: Well, everyone on the Blue Jackets needs to start scoring, but especially those who have been known to do so in the past. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Gustav Nyquist have all gone scoreless in this four-game losing skid. This trio needs to find the net again, and quick.
- Next Man Up: Emil Bemstrom is the next Blue Jacket to get plagued with the injury bug. Markus Nutivaara, Zach Werenski, Kole Sherwood and now Bemstrom are all sidelined. Wennberg will draw back into the lineup due to this, as the club looks to trudge on despite losing bodies left and right.
- Andy Man?: Oh Josh Anderson, where are you? Anderson hasn't scored a goal since October and has just two points in his last 18 contests. He is currently on pace for a...drum roll please...15-point season. This, after popping off for a career-high 47 last year. Anderson looks lost and needs to get back to his playing style of north-south, bruising hockey. He's one of the more valuable Blue Jackets when on top of his game.
