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Game 70 Recap: The Blue Jackets win a game that they absolutely should not have. YOLO!

Posted on by Burkus Circus

After finishing off their West Coast swing, the Jackets got a bonus game on the road trip as they visited their division rivals in Washington. With the Sharks getting a loser point last night, and the Capitals in a desperate playoff push, Columbus has the wiggle room to play spoiler. Did they?

First Period

To start the game, Tom Wilson absolutely trucked Daniil Tarasov, which the refs promptly ignored, before Nick Blankenburg had to pull a trickler off the goal line to keep it scoreless. It was rendered moot shortly after, with Alex Ovechkin burying his 40th goal of the season just a hair over five minutes in. Blanks was unable to outmuscle Dylan Strome, and unfortunately had the puck bounce in off him.

CAPITALS GOAL – Alex Ovechkin from Wilson and Strome – 5:12 1st Period

A few minutes later, Washington would again CAPITALize on Columbus’ scrambling in the D-zone, with TJ Oshie deflecting a point shot past Tarasov.

CAPITALS GOAL – TJ Oshie from Fehervary and Milano – 8:10 1st Period

I mean, I don’t really know what else to say at this point. We’re not just bad, we’re predictable. Scrambling in the defensive zone. Unable to break out of our defensive zone. No sustained pressure; just a single rush per trip. It sucks. And the Capitals dominated. At one point the shots were 9-2; the period would end with the Caps up 19-12. Of course, it’d be more scrambling that led to a turnover to a guy wide open in the slot.

CAPITALS GOAL – Connor Sheary from Sandin and Protas – 16:00 1st Period

The Jackets would get a dirty goal from Eric Robinson and Matthieu Olivier, to keep it from being a complete disaster of a period, but Washington would control most of the rest of the way. 3-1 after 1.

BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Eric Robinson from Olivier – 16:45 1st Period

Second Period

After a horrific beginning to the game, the Jackets actually played pretty decently in the second! They weren’t controlling the game, but they were up 9-2 in shots halfway through the frame. Adam Boqvist would reward the team with a beautiful goal, deking around Alex Ovechkin and firing a perfect shot past Charlie Lindgren.

BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Adam Boqvist from Bemstrom and Sillinger – 6:57 2nd Period

Despite maintaining the momentum, Former Blue Jacket Sonny Milano would get one past Tarasov on a breakaway-turned-2-on-1. After an egregious missed hooking call and an obvious tripping penalty, the Jackets would respond, with a Powerplay goal courtesy of Jack Roslovic.

CAPITALS GOAL – Sonny Milano from Backstrom and Oshie – 10:36 2nd Period
BLUE JACKETS POWERPLAY GOAL – Jack Roslovic from Johnson and Blankenburg – 15:01 2nd Period

Shortly after, Erik Gudbranson and Tom Wilson would go at each other, both earning a roughing call and creating some 4-on-4 hockey. And the Capitals dominated the 4-on-4, earning 3 or 4 shots in two minutes and firmly establishing control. They’d keep that momentum through the end of the period, going on a 7-1 run in shots on goal from the start of the 4-on-4 through the end of the period. And with 7.1 seconds remaining, they’d get one past Tarasov. 5-3 after 2.

CAPITALS GOAL – Nick Jensen from Dowd and Wilson – 19:52 2nd Period

Third Period

The Capitals controlled most of the front half, at least in terms of pace, but Columbus kept getting chances. After several minutes of mostly-back and little-forth, Boqvist got his second of the night to put the Jackets within one. Just a couple minutes later, Emil Bemstrom tied it up.

BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Adam Boqvist (2) from Pederson and Robinson – 6:37 3rd Period
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Emil Bemstrom from Laine and Gaudreau – 8:35 3rd Period

Things started to even out towards the middle of the period, with the Jackets looking like they actually deserved to be there. There was even a run where the Jackets got five or six shots on goal in a row! And immediately after I noticed that fact, the Capitals scored the go-ahead goal. Nick Jensen went coast to coast and did his best Adam Boqvist impression.

CAPITALS GOAL – Nick Jensen (2) from Lindgren – 15:24 3rd Period

Now desperate, the Jackets stepped on the gas and applied some extra pressure through the last four minutes. I know, crazy idea, right? And even crazier – it worked! With the extra attacker, Kent Johnson found Captain Boone Jenner on the doorstep to tie the game and send it to Overtime. Yay?

BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Boone Jenner from Johnson and Laine – 19:13 3rd Period

Overtime

It was a grueling extra period for the Blue Jackets, as Johnny Gaudreau was stuck out on the ice for the entire 2:43. Nick Blankenburg also blocked a shot, and was in a lot of difficulty for over 30 seconds while he waited for the Jackets to clear the zone. Gassed as hell, Gaudreau was eventually able to take a turnover, turn it into a 2-on-1, and feed Roslovic for the GWG. Yay?

BLUE JACKETS OVERTIME GOAL – Jack Roslovic (2) from Gaudreau – 2:43 Overtime

Jackets win 7-6. Next game is Friday versus the Islanders.

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