Big Yikes: Capitals Score Five Times In The First, Rout Blue Jackets 7-2

	1	2	3	F
	0	2	0	2
	5	1	1	7
CBJ GOALS:  Severson (P2, 0:49) Labanc (P2, 14:36) CBJ ASSISTS:  Aston-Reese, Fantilli, Monahan

The Washington Capitals scored on their first two shots as part of a five-goal opening period to defeat Columbus 7-2 on Saturday evening, handing the Blue Jackets their worst defeat of the season for the second consecutive day.

The five-goal loss eclipsed Friday's four-goal loss, a 6-2 home defeat at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets. 

The Blue Jackets ended up with a large advantage in most statical categories, as the Capitals first period meant they were able to spend large chunks of the final two periods in a safe, unaggressive offense after. But despite those advantages on the stat sheet, this game was never in doubt for Washington, who won for the eighth time in nine games.

Here are the details, if you dare:

1st Period:

(0:56, 1:42, 7:28, 14:34, 14:58 — WSH Goals): No doubt about it, this was the worst period of Blue Jackets so far this season. Aliaksei Protas stared the scoring less than a minute in on a goal that frustrated Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson, who was tripped by Protas just before the goal without a call. "The guy stuck his stick in my skate and tripped me, or else they don't score there," said Severson after the game. 

The Capitals would score again less than a minute later and make it 3-0 at the 7:28 mark of the period. The Capitals would score twice in less than a minute for the second time in the period at 14:34 and 14:58, with Ovechkin scoring the games' fourth goal and Trevor van Riemsdyk getting the assist on the fifth goal. Trevor is the brother of Blue Jackets forward James van Riemsdyk, who was a healthy scratch for the game.

2nd Period:

(0:49 — CBJ Goal): The puck trickles through the five-hole of Logan Thompson in what would be one of the only breaks of the game to go Columbus' way. Adam Fantilli wins the faceoff and pushes it to Severson, who gets it on net and underneath Thompson to put the Blue Jackets on the board.

Damon Severson's goal to get the #CBJ on the board. pic.twitter.com/jS2SynT16c

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 2, 2024

(4:51 — WSH Goal): It wasn't going to happen, but any chance of a wild Blue Jackets comeback gets tempered a beat just 4:02 after Severson made it a 5-1 game. Connor McMichael, who scored the second goal in period one, gets his second of the game to make it 6-2 Capitals. 

(14:36 — CBJ Goal): One of the stranger goals of the season. David Jiricek slaps it towards the net just to keep the puck in and Thompson has some trouble playing it. There's chaos in front of the net and no goal call initially, but the play goes to a review where it's determined that the puck did cross the line before any whistle blew, and that Labanc was the last Blue Jacket to touch it before it went in.

Kevin Labancs first goal with the #CBJ to make it 6-2 Caps.

Thats where we remain through two periods. pic.twitter.com/aJZQqvZcxe

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 2, 2024 

3rd Period:

(18:34 — WSH Goal): A little odd that Ovechkin and the Capitals top line was still on the ice with 90 seconds left in a 6-2 game, but they were, and Strome gets the seventh goal of the game for Washington.

Up Next:

The first extended road trip of the season continues Tuesday night with a 10:30 p.m. faceoff against the San Jose Sharks. It will be Columbus' only game of the workweek.