NHL Odds: Caps Playing Catch-Up With Columbus

Things have not gone according to plan for the Washington Capitals. They lost the first two games of their first-round playoff series with the Columbus Blue Jackets, both in overtime, and they’ll need to right the ship if they want to tie this series by winning Thursday’s Game 4 (7:30 PM ET, USA). Columbus was –400 to win this series heading into Game 3 on Tuesday.


At press time, it appears Washington will hand the reins to Braden Holtby (.907 save percentage) the rest of the way after Philipp Grubauer (.923 SV%) struggled in goal during the first two games. Grubauer allowed eight goals on 49 shots before being replaced by Holtby in the third period of Game 2; Holtby stopped seven shots before allowing Matt Calvert to score the game-winner in overtime.
The Blue Jackets were one of the league’s hottest teams at the end of the regular season, winning 13 of their last 17 games to eke out a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They took advantage of Grubauer by scoring two power play goals in Game 1 and two more in Game 2, erasing a Washington lead on both occasions.

NHL Odds: Man Advantage Leaves Caps Scrambling in Columbus

The Washington Capitals may have won the Metropolitan Division, but they’ve lost the first two games of their opening-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Game 4 is Thursday at 7:30 PM ET on the USA Network.


Braden Holtby has replaced Philipp Grubauer in net for Washington, after Grubauer (.923 save percentage) surrendered eight goals to the Blue Jackets on 49 shots. However, four of those Columbus goals were on the power play, and Holtby (.907 SV%) allowed the overtime winner by Matt Calvert after taking over for Grubauer during the third period of Game 2.