Three Things: Back-To-Back Clunkers, The Great Chase, Signs Of Life

By Will Chase on November 3, 2024 at 8:15 am
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) celebrates with Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) and Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) after their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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November is off to a cruel start.

Two goals on two shots 46 seconds apart and 1:42 into the first period set the tone early and often for the Washington Capitals on Saturday as they beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-2 at Capital One Arena behind a five-goal first-period.

Connor McMichael scored twice. Alex Ovechkin scored his 859th career goal and had a three-point night with two assists. The Capitals had 14 players register at least one point and four players had multi-point nights. The loss snapped a string of six straight one-goal games between these clubs dating back to Jan. 8, 2003.

Washington has won seven straight at home and is 9-1-1 in their last 11 games against the Blue Jackets. The Capitals have scored six goals in a game four times this season and have now done so consecutively after beating the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Oct. 31.

Back-To-Back Clunkers

Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason and his players have talked plenty about the importance of getting off to fast starts. Especially following Friday's 6-2 loss to the league-best 10-1-0 Winnipeg Jets.

Eager to see how the Blue Jackets would respond in their first back-to-back of the season, the anticipation soured right off the opening puck drop. The Jackets have been outscored 13-4 in consecutive days.

Washington had three goals before Columbus had their first shot on net in what turned out to be a five-goal opening frame.

The Great Chase

Among the six different goal scorers for the Capitals included Ovechkin whose goal at 14:34 of the first period made it 4-0 D.C. With 859 career tallies, he's 35 goals behind Wayne Gretzky's all-time mark of 894.

Ovechkin leads the Capitals with 13 points, is tied for second with six goals, and is off to one of the best starts for any player in NHL history aged 39 years or older.

For what it's worth Columbus outscored the Capitals 2-1 in the second period with goals by Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc, who scored his first goal with the Jackets.

Severson’s goal was assisted by Adam Fantilli.

Labanc’s goal was assisted by Zach Aston-Reese and Sean Monahan.

Logan Thompson made 34 saves for Washington. The Jackets had the edge in shot attempts 74-44, scoring chances 28-27, and expected goals 3.75-2.49 at 5v5 per Natural Stat Trick.

Left Coast

The Blue Jackets are back at it on Tuesday, Nov. 5 when they take on the San Jose Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET from SAP Center. San Jose is 3-1-0 in its last four games after starting the season 0-7-2.

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