The Washington Capitals begin their home-and-home with the Columbus Blue Jackets with a matinee today at Nationwide Arena.
The Capitals will be without Alex Ovechkin in the lineup, who is being held out of the game for rest-related reasons. Ovi didn’t even make the trip to Ohio and remained in DC.
Hunter Shepard will make his season debut in net and face Jet Greaves — a rematch from the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals that went to 7 games last year.
Puck drop for Caps-Blue Jackets is at 12:30 pm on ABC. Sean McDonough, Ray Ferraro, and the incomparable Emily Kaplan have the call.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Columbus Blue Jackets
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 1-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: Zach Werenski (21). Assists: S. Monahan (34). Time: 01:00.
Werenski beats Shep to the top corns far side with a beautiful shot. It’s Zach’s first goal in his last 18 games.
🚨 2-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: Kent Johnson (23). Assists: J. van Riemsdyk (17). Time: 04:45.
Johnson dances around Martin Fehervary and scores five hole. Nothing Shep could do there.
CAPS GOT LUCKY HERE. Denton Mateychuk scores from the neutral zone, but the goal is whistled off because his shot went directly off a linemsan and into the empty net. Shepard had gone out to play the puck behind the cage.
Adam Fantilli lights up Ryan Leonard with a big hit in the Capitals offensive zone. Leonard is leaving the ice injured.
🚨 3-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: Adam Fantilli (26). Assists: K. Johnson (32), J. van Riemsdyk (18). Time: 19:24.
Fantilli scores a layup in front of the net seconds after he injures Ryan Leonard.
Tom Wilson gets an unsportmanlike conduct minor and a 10-minute misconduct for arguing Fantilli’s hit. The hit looked both clean and legal.
At intermission: The Blue Jackets are dominating the Capitals 3-0. The Blue Jackets are outshooting the Capitals 10 to 6.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Capitals kill the Wilson penalty.
🚨 4-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: Adam Fantilli (27). Assists: K. Johnson (32), J. van Riemsdyk (18). Time: 19:24.
Shortly after the minor ends, Fantilli scores his second of the night as Shepard can’t track the point shot that beats him short side.
🚨 5-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: Sean Monahan (19). Assists: K. Marchenko (41). Time: 04:37.
Monahan scores on a layup off a rebound in front.
🚨 6-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: Cole Sillinger (10). Assists: D. Voronkov (24). Time: 05:14.
Voronkov picks up the puck and feeds Sillinger left wide open in front of the net.
The Capitals defense has been horrendous, giving up constant and unending high-danger chances against a young Columbus team that needs to win in regulation to stay alive in the playoff race. The team needs to button their play up quick or they’re not making it out of the first round.
Ryan Leonard leaves Blue Jackets game for concussion protocol after big hit from Adam Fantilli
Ryan Leonard, who seems to be targeted by the Blue Jackets, fights Sean Kuraly after a big hit along the sideboards.
Tempers are flaring. Tom Wilson wants to go with someone.
Rasmus Sandin fights James van Riemsdyk.
Wilson and Olivier are having a long discussion.
At intermission: The Blue Jackets lead 6-0. Shots are 16 to 11 Blue Jackets.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Both teams are basically playing this one out with the rematch coming tomorrow.
🚨 7-0 Columbus Blue Jackets. CBJ Goal: James van Riemsdyk (16). Assists: M. Olivier (14)). Time: 17:41.
And the extra point is good.
Blue Jackets shut out the Capitals 7-0. Burn the tape!
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