Game Preview: Columbus Wraps Up Road Trip In Monday Night Battle Against Ovechkin, Capitals

A four-game road trip comes to an end Monday night for the Columbus Blue Jackets when they are in D.C. to battle Alex Ovechkin's Washington Capitals.

The Caps enter the game with an 11-9-2 record on the season. Their three-game winning streak came to an end Saturday night with a home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Here are five things to know before the 7:00 p.m. puck-drop:

• Despite the aforementioned loss to the Lightning, the Caps offense has scored 18 goals in their last three games. They've given up 13 in that span, so a high-scoring game certainly isn't out of the question in this one. They've also allowed a power play goal in six straight games and in their last nine games, are just 21-for-31 (65%) on the penalty kill.
   
• Elvis Merzlikins will start for Columbus and be opposed by Washinton's Logan Thompson. Merzlikins is 4-4-0 this season, has a .900 save percentage, and a 3.37 goals against average. Thompson is 8-6-1 with a .910 save percentage but a miniscule 2.24 goals against average that ranks fifth-best in the NHL.
   
• There is still nearly a week left before the calendar flips to December, but Zach Werenski has already set the record for most points by a Blue Jackets defenseman in the month of November. He has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 12 games.
   
• Adam Fantilli's heater continued Saturday with a power play goal. Since November 8th, Fantilli ranks tied for second in goals (7) and tied for fifth in points (11) in the NHL. In the 2025 calendar year, Fantilli's 33 goals trail only Rick Nash (twice), Cam Atkinson, and Scott Hartnell for most goals in a calendar year in franchise history.
   
• Kirill Marchenko left Monday morning's skate with an apparent injury, according to team reporter jeff Svoboda. His status for the game is unclear. Here are the complete projections if Marchenko is in the lineup: