Washington Capitals at Columbus Blue JacketsDec 31, 2026

Time TBDThursday, Dec 31, 2026

away

Washington CapitalsWSH

at

home

Columbus Blue JacketsCBJ

Preview

Probable goalies, start odds, schedule edge and each team's lines from its last game.

Schedule Edge

Edge: CBJ +9.3 pts

WSHaway−9.3 pts

Back-to-back · 791 km travel

B2B vs rested CBJ −9.3 pts

CBJhome+9.3 pts

1 day rest · 985 km travel

WSH on a B2B +9.3 pts

CBJ has the schedule edge (+9.3 pts net win probability): wsh on a b2b, b2b vs rested cbj.

· Every game this week →

Washington Capitals

Goalie: Starter not announced
Start probability: Logan Thompson52%
Charlie Lindgren49%
Schedule: Second of a back-to-back
Last game: W 5–2 at CAR · Oct 2

L1Jenner – Beauvillier – Sourdif
9:20
L2Kyrou – Protas – Protas
8:28
L3Ovechkin – Strome – Leonard
6:22
L4Wilson – Tuch – Dubois
5:59
D1Roy – Chychrun
10:48
D2Desharnais – Hutson
9:27
D3Liljegren – Fehérváry
7:08
PP1Ovechkin – Wilson – Strome – Chychrun – Dubois
1:50

Projected WSH lines →·WSH goalies →·Goalie start planner →

Columbus Blue Jackets

Goalie: Starter not announced
Start probability: Jet Greaves84%
Cam Talbot16%
Schedule: Rested
Last game: W 6–3 vs BUF · Oct 1

L1Coyle – Olivier – Sillinger
10:18
L2Johnson – Knies – Fantilli
10:17
L3Heinen – Garland – Lomberg
6:28
L4Monahan – Nichushkin – Voronkov
6:19
D1Werenski – Mateychuk
15:16
D2Soucy – Andrae
8:50
D3Gudbranson – Christiansen
5:17
PP1Coyle – Werenski – Johnson – Knies – Fantilli
2:18

Projected CBJ lines →·CBJ goalies →·Goalie start planner →

Game day: all games on Dec 31.

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Methodology

Shot locations come from the NHL play-by-play, normalised so each shooter attacks the same way, then flipped so the home team attacks right. On-ice stats and lines come from the shift charts: a unit is the exact set of skaters sharing the ice, and CF% is the share of all shot attempts while they were out. Head-to-head cells are 5v5 time against each opponent. Expected goals and the Pressure Index appear as their models are released.