Blue Jackets Face Capitals in Final Preseason Game at Home

Columbus, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Washington Capitals in their final home preseason game on Tuesday, October 3, at 7 p.m. at Nationwide Arena. The game will be available on the FanDuel Sports Network and 97.1 The Fan, while ESPN+ will cover it in outer markets.

With injuries sidelining some players, the Blue Jackets are set to showcase nearly their full NHL lineup. Defenseman Denton Mateychuk will make his preseason debut after recovering from a groin injury, as confirmed by head coach Dean Evason on Monday.

The Blue Jackets are looking to improve their preseason record, which currently stands at 2-3-0. Following Tuesday’s game, Columbus will travel to Washington for another matchup against the Capitals on Saturday, October 7, before the season opener against the Nashville Predators on October 9.

During their last outing, the Blue Jackets faced the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending in a 4-1 loss at PPG Paints Arena. Columbus took a 1-0 lead in the first period, but Pittsburgh responded with four unanswered goals, including an empty-net tally. Notably, this game marked the last appearance of NHL legend Marc-Andre Fleury, who was honored by Penguins fans.

Del Bel Belluz, who scored in the previous game, stated, “It could go down as maybe the last goal ever on Fleury. I guess I could say I have it. It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget.”

Fans are eager to see how the team will perform in their final home game before the regular season begins.