Capitals at Blue Jackets
After hosting the 60th NHL All-Star Game, the Columbus Blue Jackets attempt to snap their three-game home losing streak when they face off against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Columbus has not won at Nationwide Arena since concluding a 3-1-1 homestand with a 3-1 triumph over Minnesota on Dec. 31, losing all three games of a stretch at home from Jan. 10-16. The Blue Jackets came up empty on their final contest before the All-Star break, dropping a 4-0 decision at Winnipeg on Wednesday.
Columbus will be without Sergei Bobrovsky, who is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a groin injury that prevented him from participating in the All-Star Game on Sunday. Washington looks to halt a slide that reached three games (0-2-1) with a 5-4 shootout loss to Edmonton last Tuesday. The Capitals improved to 2-0-1 in the season series by posting a 5-4 overtime victory at Columbus on Dec. 18.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN-DC (Washington), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (24-13-9): Captain Alex Ovechkin is riding a streak of three straight two-point performances, with two of them being two-goal efforts. The superstar has registered a tally in nine of his last 11 contests, collecting a total of 11 in that span. Ovechkin was held without a goal in Sunday's exhibition showcase, but the six-time All-Star did notch three assists for Team Foligno.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (20-22-3): Nick Foligno registered a goal and an assist while serving as captain of the losing team on Sunday, but Ryan Johansen captured All-Star MVP honors after recording two tallies and setting up two others. Bobrovsky was injured in Columbus' loss to Winnipeg, exiting in the second period after allowing three goals on 12 shots. The 26-year-old Russian also missed eight games in October with a broken finger.
OVERTIME
1. Johansen was named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday thanks to his All-Star Game performance, as he was kept off the scoresheet in both of Columbus' contests last week prior to the break.
2. Ovechkin has 27 goals this season, one behind league leaders Rick Nash of the New York Rangers and Dallas' Tyler Seguin in his quest for his fifth Maurice Richard Trophy.
3. The Blue Jackets recalled G Anton Forsberg from Springfield of the American Hockey League to serve as Curtis McElhinney's backup during Bobrovsky's absence.