The Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-0 on Saturday night, but then there were still two periods left to play. By the end of regulation time, the Caps were victorious by even more.
We started in the first minute, when breakout star Aliaksei Protas finished a give-and-go with Dylan Strome. The second minute belonged to Connor McMichael and his fadeaway. Nearly five endless minutes passed before Andrew Mangipane got a rebound on Jakub Vrana’s shot. We’re more than halfway through the first period goals; stay with me. Alex Ovechkin was next with a one-timer set up by Strome and screened by Protas. The final goal of the period was a rush goal from Nic Dowd.
Logan Thompson allowed Damon Severson to sneak one through the wickets to make it 5-1 early in the second period. Connor McMichael responded with his second of the night and seventh of the season – a bank shot off a Blooj. Kevin Labanc lucked into a goal as the referees refused to whistle down a dead play under Logan Thompson.
Dylan Strome owned the lone goal of the final frame at the tail tip of tic-tac-toe pretty passing precedure that conclusively cremated Columbus.
Caps win 7-2.
- The Washington Capitals had three goals before Columbus, who played (and lost badly to Winnipeg) last night, had a single shot on the board.
this is so funny pic.twitter.com/579UruI1qZ
— mol 🧸 (@molfully) November 2, 2024
- The first period featured goals from all four lines. It was their first time getting five goals in a first period since a 10-3 win over the Bruins on March 3, 2008.
- Lumbus goalie Daniil Tarasov (who has been on The List for a few years) got lit up early, but considering that Elvis Merzlikins got lit up for six on Friday, there wasn’t much of an appetite to switch goalies.
- Alex Ovechkin has six goals in 10 games. He’s on pace. If he keeps getting support like this from his linemates, he’ll do it.
the greatest goal scorer ever decided he wanted to get in on the scoring today pic.twitter.com/y2p3P6GBr6
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 2, 2024
- I don’t know if Kevin Labanc deserved that goal, but I can admire the officials’ pity. They could have blown the play dead a bunch of seconds before the puck trickled south of the splayed-out Logan Thompson. Perhaps they should have. But they chose kindness, and we need more kindness in this world.
- Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael are busting out. We’ll get into it more tomorrow morning – with the first Sunday snapshot of the season.
- The Caps low-key sucked in the second period. The nerds say Columbus generated 2.4 expected goals compared to 0.7 for Washington – so that’s like 23.6 percent. The Caps stabilized in the third period, and that’s all I really ask for in a blowout situation like this.
- Hendrix Lapierre returned to the lineup for the first time since the loss to Tampa on October 26. He got a secondary assist on the Mangiapane goal.
Normal, non-trap suit for a normal, non-trap game #joebsuitofthenight pic.twitter.com/8aopzySrJ2
— RMNB (@rmnb) November 2, 2024
Early in the afternoon I was convinced we were heading for a Josh Hartnett late-career renaissance Trap game tonight. I was so wrong. I was the anti-J. Ann Selzer of this hockey game, but my wrong thinking didn’t last two minutes. The Jackets weren’t washed, and they still aren’t washed, but by the time they got into this game earnestly the outcome was already decided. Sometimes, that’s the way you gotta win: without mercy or honor, with coldcocks and sacktaps, using belts and roads.
In my mind, which is a dreary place, all we’ve done is scooted the disappointment back 24 hours. (Or is it 23 hours with daylight savings? Or is it 26 hours? I don’t understand daylight savings. Do not explain it to me in the comments.) Right now the Caps are headed to Raleigh to play the rested Hurricanes. That’s going to be very difficult. My advice to the team is try to score three goals before the opponents get their first shot on net.
