Game Day #29: Jet Greaves Makes His Season Debut Between The Posts As Blue Jackets Face Capitals Thursday Night

"We had nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Those were the words from head coach Dean Evason after the Columbus Blue Jackets' 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

A chance to have something comes Thursday night, when the Blue Jackets are back on the ice to take on the Eastern conference-leading Washington Capitals.

Jet Greaves will make his season debut in net, a tall task going up against the Caps — the only team in the NHL to average more than four goals per game (4.04). 

There is one other change to the lineup: Evason announced Thursday morning that Mathieu Olivier would play but that Justin Danforth would not. Both were shaken up in Tuesday's loss and missed Wednesday's practice.

Here's what else to know when Columbus and Washington meet for the second time this season:

• RE: CAPS
  This is the third of three straight road games for the Capitals, but they're coming off four consecutive off days. ... Washington has points in seven straight games, with a 6-0-1 record and five games with more than four goals in that stretch ... Alex Ovechkin is skating again, somehow, after fracturing his left fibula November 18th. He won't play tonight, but there is optimism he could return by the end of the month ... Washington won the first meeting of the season between the two teams, a 7-2 win on November 2nd. The Caps scored five times in the first 15 minutes in that game. 
   
• BETTER EFFORT IS A MUST
  The Blue Jackets have skirted around the .500 mark all season, but even in the losses, the effort has almost always been there. That was not the case Tuesday night, and Evason was not happy about it. "Even in the games we've lost out on the road, we were still playing right, going north, playing hard," said Evason. "(Tuesday) we played south and we played soft." Expect an improved effort Thursday.
   
• JET-SET LIFE
  Greaves season debut was described by Evason as "earned." His numbers in Cleveland justify that: the 23-year-old netminder has an 8-4-4 record with the Monsters this season, posting a 3.21 goals against average and a .902 save percentage. He has nine career NHL starts (eight last season) with a 3.44 goals against average and .912 save percentage. It's unlikely that he stays in Columbus this time around — but any call-up and start is a chance to dazzle and change those plans.
   
• ...14 IN A ROW
  The Flyers connected for a power play goal in the second period Tuesday night, extending the club record in futility for Columbus: they've now allowed a power play goal in 14 straight games. The last time the Blue Jackets were perfect on the PK for a game: November 10th versus Anaheim.
   
• LINEUP CHANGES & PROJECTIONS
  Greaves will be backed up by Elvis Merzlikins; Daniil Tarasov is a healthy scratch. Jack Johnson comes in for Jordan Harris, and Cole Sillinger and Adam Fantilli have switched spots in the middle six. Mikael Pyyhtia will take Danforth's spot in the lineup.  
  
  Here are the complete projections: