The Blue Jackets said it early Thursday that their game against the Washington Capitals – a Metropolitan Division opponent that was equal in points – was a must-win.
For the second straight game against the Capitals, the Blue Jackets racked up five goals and built a three-goal lead early in the second period. They got a shorthanded goal and four even-strength goals, went 7-for-7 on the penalty kill and limited NHL leading goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin to just two shots on those power play chances.
The end result: a 5-2 victory behind 30 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky, who was excellent between the pipes for Columbus.
You’d think it all went pretty well for the Blue Jackets, too, but they stumbled a bit out of the gate but settled down after a terrific play while shorthanded. RJ Umberger blocked a pass along the wall from Washington defenseman John Carlson, which allowed Derek MacKenzie to break in alone and score his fourth goal in five games – a goal that seemed to settle the Blue Jackets down and get back to their game.
Ryan Johansen scored his first of two goals with 3:02 left in the first period, burying a rebound off a shot that was deflected on the way in by new line mate Boone Jenner. That goal, Johansen’s 20th of the season, made it 2-0 Columbus headed to the first intermission.
On the first shift of the second period, Brandon Dubinsky rifled a 50-foot slap shot past Braden Holtby to bump the lead to 3-0. Johansen’s second made it 4-0, but the Capitals would close to 4-2 on a shorthanded goal by Joel Ward (late in the second period) and an early third-period goal from Eric Fehr.
Cam Atkinson had a huge response, netting his 17th goal of the season and second in as many games to make it a 5-2 game. Bobrovsky was solid from there on in, making a handful of key stops in the third period to preseve his 10th win in his last 12 games.
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