Columbus Blue Jackets @ Washington Capitals: Season 25 Game 27

The Washington Capitals are 1st in the Metropolitan Division of the NHL, but tonight, the Columbus Blue Jackets kept pace with them. It's impressive as the Blue Jackets played at home last night, against the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, losing in Overtime 7-6. Playing a full game plus before flying to another state for a game the following night is no small feat, but the Blue Jackets managed it well. 

The Blue Jackets and Capitals would close out the opening period tied at 0-0. The Blue Jackets would lead in scoring for the first twenty minutes, topping the Capitals 12-9. In Period 2, the Capitals would get the puck past Jet Greaves after Jakob Chychrun scored number eleven of his season. The primary assist gives Tom Wilson his fifteenth this season, while the secondary assist gives Anthony Beauvillier his fifth of the season. The Blue Jackets would prevent any further scoring for the second period, but the Capitals would prevent the Blue Jackets from tying the game as well. The Capitals would lead the second period in scoring, 19-11, and carry that 1-0 lead into the final regulation period. 

Period 3 would have the most action of the game. First, the Blue Jackets would have a four-minute power play after Brendan Gaunce found himself on the bloody end of a Hendrix Lapierre' high stick at 9:25. Thankfully, Brendan Gaunce would be okay and stay in the game. Unfortunately, although the Blue Jackets had several great shots on goal, Logan Thompson wouldn't let one past him in his home net. At 13:53, Blue Jackets' Brendan Gaunce would trip Ethen Frank of the Capitals, and many Capitals' players and fans thought that the team had gone up 2-0, but it would be called a 'no goal' after video showed the puck never got past the visiting Blue Jackets' goal line. With just over two minutes left to tie the game, the Blue Jackets would elect to pull Jet Greaves from the goal, but A Protas would add goal ten of his season at 18:34. Martin Fehervary would have the only assist on this goal, his eighth this season. The Capitals would then kill the clock, winning 2-0 for their goalies' 100th in the NHL. The Blue Jackets would win the shots on goal battle in the final period, 16-10. 

I will say, truthfully, the Blue Jackets played better than the score reflects. Logan Thompson is just that good, and there is a reason the Capitals are 1st in this division. This team may be Alex Ovechkin's, but this team is far from being only Alex Ovechkin. He wasn't even on the scoresheet, and his team still pulled off the shutout.   

The Blue Jackets' defence wasn't lacking in this game, either. This is proven by Jet Greaves getting the Third Star of the Game with a .973 save percentage after he iced 36 of the Capitals' 37 shots on his visitors' net. 

With the game-winning goal, Jakob Chychrun gets the Second Star of the Game. 

With his 100th NHL win and the result being a shutout, Logan Thompson gets the First Star of the Game. He would prevent the Blue Jackets from scoring on the 39 shots he faced. 

The Blue Jackets will take the ice again on Tuesday as they travel from Washington to North Carolina to face the Hurricanes. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be shown on ESPN+ and Hulu, so plan accordingly to view or listen to the game, 5th Line!  

Go CBJ!       






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ottawa Senators @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 2024-25 NHL Season Game 76

A few special moments before we begin the recap tonight. First, congratulations to Meredith Gaudreau, her children, and the extended Gaudreau family on the birth of Carter Michael Gaudreau. I sigh in relief, knowing that he is here and both mom and baby are doing well. I love seeing the photos of him with his big sister, Noa, and brother, Johnny Jr. In addition, the fact Carter was the same size and weight as his dad when born could move you to tears, it has me.  Another big moment tonight as the puck dropped; congratulations to Erik Gudbranson on game 800 of his NHL Career! He would have a point tonight, too, but I'm getting way ahead of myself!  Yes, the cannon still works at Nationwide Arena, and it got a workout tonight! After being shut out at home and on the road, back-to-back, you can only go up, and the Blue Jackets rose to the occasion out of necessity tonight. Dimitri Voronkov would add goal twenty-one to his season, giving the Blue Jackets their first goal in three ...
Read more

Zach Werenski Adds Another Achievement to His 2024-25 NHL Season

Normally, I have to share articles by the NHL because I'm usually working when this kind of news is announced, but today, I'm not! Zach Werenski is proving to doubters that this NHL Season will go down as one of the best in his career. Today, we learned of another achievement he's added to the long list of record-breaking moments, point streaks, and team-leading assists and total points. Zach Werenski, across the league, has added the Third Star of January to this list now, too. Aside from his spectacular goal last night to clench the win for his team in overtime at the Utah Hockey Club, the man has poured on the points in the first month of 2025. His total for just 31 days was six goals and eleven assists for a grand total of seventeen points. He accomplished this over the span of just fourteen games. Keep in mind he averages a little less than playing half the game in every game. The Columbus Blue Jackets have several great defensemen and young ones showing promise, but Z...
Read more

Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau: One Year in Memoriam

I've never lied to my readers, and I won't start now; I do not want to write this post. Then again, who would want to? It's been one year since we all learned the devastating news that an 'alleged' drunk driver had killed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau while riding their bikes. Honestly, 'devastating' doesn't feel like a strong enough word for how I still feel, and how I know many of you all do, too. It had been the evening before their sister's wedding. We already knew that Matthew's wife, Madeline, was expecting their first child, a son later named Trip, but at the funeral, we'd also learn that Johnny's wife, Meredith, had been expecting their third child, another son they named Carter. The fact that both women had healthy babies amid the stress of losing their partners is nothing short of a prayer answered. The strength of these two women is incredible, as they don't just raise their combined four children without the loves of their l...
Read more