The Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets played a game before Christmas break that got extra spicy at the tail end of the night.
In overtime, Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins blew his top and earned a roughing penalty after trying to fight Tom Wilson.
“It’s an emotional game,” Merzlikins said to reporters afterward. “[Wilson] slew footed me my first shift. And he was after me all game long. So I was trying to grab my stick, I got punched in the head. Before that, I’m pretty sure he was trying to get me hurt. I was just trying to get my stick. I got punched. Enough. I’m going to defend myself.”
The penalty led to the game-deciding goal, Alex Ovechkin’s 828th career tally, as the Capitals won 3-2.
It also led to one of the funniest photos of the 2023-24 NHL season so far as nearly the entire Capitals team stared down Merzlikins as he skated off the ice afterward.
HANG IT IN THE LOUVRE pic.twitter.com/yCwmtKF9P0
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 22, 2023
On the telecast, Dylan Strome could be seen chirping at Merzlikins as the dejected netminder departed for the Columbus locker room.
"THE #GR8 WAIT IS OVER!" 🙌@ovi8 called game!@Capitals | @JoeBpXp | @Laughlin18 | #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Xhz1Q03BSc
— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) December 22, 2023
But he wasn’t the only one. Another angle provided to RMNB by Caps fan Ginny appears to show that Wilson got in some parting words as well.
After celebrating the goal with his teammates, Wilson emerged from the lorge goal hug as Merzlikins skated by. Wilson could be seen yelling and making his way towards the Blue Jackets bench before eventually circling back towards his teammates. An NHL official approached Capitals players with his arms outstretched to keep the team away from the goalie.
Nic Dowd looked particularly upset with Merzlikins as well putting his arms out as if to say WTF, mate.
“It is important to me that y’all know it wasn’t just a glare but a continued bashing from the whole team the entire time Elvis passed,” Ginevra Bridges wrote on X.
Ah, the game within the game. Sometimes it’s more entertaining than the game itself!
Sadly, these two Metropolitan Division rivals are done playing each other this season so any of us hoping for a carryover from this game will be left wanting.
Screenshot: Ginevra Bridges/X
