Washington Capitals @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 12/21/23 Game Recap

It's hard to believe that tonight is the final time this season that the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets will face off. Tonight, the Blue Jackets would look to capitalize against the Capitals after their huge 9-4 win at the Sabers two days ago. It would take until 18:24 into the first period for a goal to come, and it would favor the Capitals. The Blue Jackets would do everything good but score. That said, Anthony Mantha would have the first goal of the game and the only one in this period, giving his team a 1-0 lead. 

The Blue Jackets would come out swinging in period two, though, and at 15:18, it would finally pay off. This goal was originally given to Emil Bemstrom, but in the third period, it was reassigned to Cole Sillinger's third goal this season. Emil Bemstrom would take the primary assist, his fifth this season, while Johnny Gaudreau would add his fifteenth. Unfortunately, Anthony Mantha would rain on the Blue Jackets' 1-1 tie at 17:24. This would be his second goal this period, bringing his team back into the lead at 2-1. The period would end with just those two goals, and the final period of regulation would remain anyone's game, with one goal separating the teams.

It's incredible how much Yegor Chinakov has grown as a player between last season and now. Coming into this game, he already had a 5-4-9 streek going throughout five games. At 12:49, he'd come through for his team in finding the equalizer. It's his ninth goal this season, and it takes him to 6-4-10 over the last six games, including tonight! Dmitri Voronkov would be the lone assist on this goal and now has eleven this season. This 2-2 tie would hold until the bitter end, and Chinakov would gift us some bonus hockey tonight. 

After playing a 200 ft. game back and forth, an incident would occur in the Blue Jackets' net as Elvis Merzlinkins would duke it out with Tom Wilson. Elvis Merzlikins would get a roughing penalty, while nothing would happen against Tom Wilson. (If you aren't happy with Merzlikins actions, go watch his postgame interview explaining his reaction.) Ultimately, this would give the Capitals a power play. Alex Ovechkin would then score the game-winning goal for his Capitals, a goal he's been waiting fourteen games to score because, funny enough, he's not been able to since beating the Blue Jackets in D.C. 

So, the Blue Jackets get a point tonight and look forward to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. It will be the last game before Christmas, and I'm sure the Blue Jackets want to gain another two points for themselves and the 5th Line. The Buffalo Sabers, who we beat 9-4 two days ago, took it to the Leafs tonight with a 9-3 beatdown. So, with the Blue Jackets unhappy about an overtime loss and the Leaf's epic loss in regulation tonight, I expect a not-so-silent night Saturday starting at 7:00 p.m.! 

Go CBJ!