Washington @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2018 ) Columbus 2, Washington 1

The Washington Capitals make their first visit to Columbus since wrapping up a first-round playoff series with a six-game victory over the Blue Jackets last season. Columbus won the first matchup of the season with a 2-1 victory at Washington a month ago but emotions still should be high at Nationwide Arena when the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division clash Saturday night.

"Two teams fighting for first place in the division and two teams that play a pretty similar style of aggressive and skilled hockey," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. "So it should be fun." Columbus averted a third straight defeat despite blowing a two-goal lead at Philadelphia, getting a goal from defenseman Seth Jones 10 seconds into overtime. The Capitals also ended a two-game slide in which they were torched for 11 goals, scoring twice in the final minutes for a 4-2 victory at red-hot Arizona. "It was good for us to have a really solid third period," Washington coach Todd Reirden said. "That cost us the last couple of games and something we addressed and spread out some of the ice time so we could be a little stronger as the third period went on."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (16-9-3): With forward Tom Wilson sidelined due to a concussion, Reirden elevated Andre Burakovsky to the No. 1 line and he responded by delivering the tiebreaking tally with 4:42 to play. It was the fifth goal of the season for Burakovsky and offered a moment of redemption after he committed a turnover that led to Arizona's opening goal. "He has that ability," Reirden said. "We've seen him score some big goals. He wasn't happy with his play on that first goal against, and I wasn't ether. But you have to believe in your players and put them in situations to succeed."

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (16-10-2): An alarming pattern was developing for Columbus, which squandered a multiple-goal lead for the third straight game before Jones quickly ended the suspense in overtime. "We got nervous. You could see it," assistant coach Brad Larsen said. "We just blew two games in a row with having leads. … To me that's the biggest thing. We stopped the bleeding. We got the win. We got the two points. Sometimes that's what it takes. You take a breath." Forward Cam Atkinson assisted on the decisive goal to extend his point streak to a career-best 12 games.

OVERTIME

1. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has nine goals during his 10-game point streak.

2. Atkinson, who is one shy of tying Ryan Johansen's team-record point streak, has nine goals and 16 points in 22 games against Washington.

3. Capitals G Braden Holtby is 14-5-2 with a 2.60 goals-against average versus Columbus.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 3, Capitals 2