The Columbus Blue Jackets hit the ice for the second night in a row in their final home game of the preseason. This game, largely devoid of star power for the Blue Jackets, featured many younger prospects and players trying to make a final impression before cuts this coming weekend.
Here’s how the Union Blue lined up:
First Period
The teams played back and forth hockey for much for the early part of the first period before the Blue Jackets were caught in a long defensive zone shift. With the Jackets unable to clear the puck, the Capitals made the most of the sustained pressure and opened the scoring with 11:46 remaining in the first.
With 7:56 remaining, the Jackets were visibly confused in the defensive zone and struggled to mark the skill of the Capitals and clear rebounds. With Billy Sweezy unable to clear a Spencer Martin rebound, Washington pounced to make it 2-0. Rinse and repeat of the first Capitals goal.
The first period ended with the Capitals leading 2-0 and dominating the run of play against the Blue Jackets’ mostly AHL lineup.
Second Period
The Jackets opened the second period on the front foot – a Denton Mateychuk shot led to a netfront scramble where Brendon Gaunce finished the play and made it 2-1 just 1:25 into the second frame.
Minutes later, Jack Roslovic nearly tied it on a breakaway, but was denied by the Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren – a nice feed by James Malatesta set it up. The Jackets earned the first power play of the game at 7:57 of the period after Nick Blankenburg was tripped. The Capitals managed to kill the power play as the Jackets never seriously threatened.
The Jackets maintained most of the possession for the second period, but were unable to find a second. The period ended 2-1 in favor of the Capitals. Mathieu Olivier fought at the end of the second period of a preseason game for some reason, that was also certainly a thing that happened.
Third Period
After a back and forth third period, the Jackets earned a power play they hoped would get them back into the game, but it ended up being the nail in the coffin. A bad breakout led to the dagger goal for the Capitals with just over five minutes remaining.
An empty netter for Washington sealed the game with 2:09 to go. Marcus Bjork pulled one back in the dying seconds to make it a 4-2 final.
Final
Washington Capitals 4 Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Up Next
The Blue Jackets’ preseason finale is in the nation’s capital on Saturday night as the CBJ visit the Washington Capitals. Faceoff is set for 7:00 PM ET.