Columbus Blue Jackets breakdown: Gaudreau sits, Capitals make two early goals stand up
WASHINGTON — The start of the Blue Jackets’ first multi-game road trip was a tough one to swallow.
Despite playing a strong first period, getting a shining performance from goalie Elvis Merzlikins and pushing hard at the end, the Jackets just couldn’t catch up with Washington Capitals in a 2-1 loss Saturday night at Capital One Arena.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets: Gaudreau's benching tops 4 things we learned in loss to Capitals
"I thought our best period was the first period," Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said. "We came out really hard and we're down 2-0 after the first, but that was our best period. Then, second period, we're going to find a way to get better, and in the third there was a push, absolutely, and I thought we were coming back. Elvis was outstanding too."
Tom Wilson and former Blue Jackets forward Sonny Milano scored goals in the first period for the Capitals (5-4-1), who got their own outstanding goaltending performance from Charlie Lindgren (35 saves).
Merzlikins made 25 saves in defeat but kept the Jackets in the game with numerous key stops, including one to deny Wilson on a penalty shot. The Blue Jackets (4-5-2) killed all three Capitals power plays, but went 0 for 4 on their own man-advantage situations. They made a strong push in the final 10 minutes of the third, seeking an equalizer, but Lindgren kept them at bay with big saves against Kirill Marchenko, Cole Sillinger and others with good looks.
Vincent opted not to use star forward Johnny Gaudreau on two power plays in the third period and said it was about his sluggish performance.
"I'm coaching a team and the guys that are going are going to play," Vincent said. "Everything's earned and when the game starts it's not about your name. It's about what's in front of the jersey and who we believe are going to give us a chance to win. We know Johnny can make a difference when he's skating and when he's involved, and tonight I felt he wasn't there. It doesn't matter who you are ... It's about the Blue Jackets and I didn't like his game."
The Jackets conclude the trip Monday against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Florida.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals: turning point
Despite the Blue Jackets outplaying the Capitals for most of the first period, they went into the first intermission down 2-0 after the goals by Wilson and Milano five minutes apart. Columbus clawed one of them back in the second but never pulled even in the final 40 minutes.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals: play of the game
Ovechkin couldn’t believe his luck early when the puck slid right to him alone between the circles in the Blue Jacket’ zone early in the third. It looked like he was about to give the Capitals a two-goal lead by pulling one goal closer to Wayne Gretzky, but Merzlikins got his glove on a wrist shot to deflect the puck over the net. It was one of several huge saves by Merzlikins that kept the Jackets close.
"It wasn't about the breakaway," Merzlikins said. He is the greatest player in the world, right? Me, as a goalie, You don't want to (let) him score. I was really serious with myself against him for ... all night long. He had a lot of chances today and he didn't beat me. So, for me, that's a good thing and I'm happy that I won this battle between me and him."
Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals: Dispatch 3 stars
First star
Charlie Lindgren, Capitals, goalie
Made 35 saves while not allowing a goal against 13 shots in the first period and 15 in the third to earn his first victory of the season.
Second star
Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets, goalie
Made 25 saves and kept his team in the game with numerous key saves to thwart prime scoring chances for the Capitals.
Third star
Sonny Milano, Capitals, left wing
The former Blue Jackets forward scored what turned out to be the winning goal to give Washington a 2-0 lead late in the first period.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals: notes
― Gaudreau didn’t travel with the Blue Jackets to Washington because of a personal situation that kept him out of practice Friday in Columbus. He traveled on his own and joined the team Saturday, as expected. Gaudreau skated just 11:55 and wasn't used on two power plays in the third period due to a coach's decision.
— Yegor Chinakhov played 17:46 in his first NHL game since Dec. 19, 2022 against the Dallas Stars, when he sustained a fractured ankle and high-ankle sprain that knocked him out for the remaining 52 games of last season. Chinakhov’s rookie season in 2021-22 was also halted by an upper-body injury and a back strain this summer sidelined him from training camp, all preseason games and the first two weeks of the regular season. He had three goals, one assist and four points in four AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters prior to being recalled to the NHL on Friday.
― Chinakhov’s return juggled the Blue Jackets’ forward lines. He was slotted into center Cole Sillinger’s third line, while Kirill Marchenko and rookie Dmitri Voronkov were promoted to the second line as wingers for rookie center Adam Fantilli. Voronkov had 2-1-3 in four games prior to facing the Capitals and Marchenko scored his first goal of the season Thursday in a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
— Other than Chinakhov joining the lineup, the Blue Jackets didn’t make any other lineup changes. That kept forward Mathieu Olivier plus defensemen Andrew Peeke and Adam Boqvist out as healthy scratches.
— Lindgren started for the first time since returning from a six-game absence with an undisclosed injury. He was the fourth backup goalie the Blue Jackets faced in the past six games and second in a row. The Lightning started backup Matt Tomkins in the Jackets’ 4-2 comeback win Thursday. Columbus has faced backups in five of their first 11 games.
― The Capitals won their 1,000th home game in franchise history and improved to 8-1-1 against the Blue Jackets in the past 10 meetings between the Metro Division foes. The teams will only play two more times this season: Nov. 18 in Washington and Dec. 21 in Columbus.
Columbus Blue Jackets lineup at Washington Capitals
Forwards
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Jack Roslovic
Dmitri Voronkov – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
Yegor Chinakhov – Cole Sillinger – Emil Bemstrom
Alexandre Texier – Sean Kuraly – Justin Danforth
Defensemen
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched: F Mathieu Olivier, D Andrew Peeke, D Adam Boqvist
Injured: C Patrik Laine (upper body)
Injured/non-roster: G Daniil Tarasov (knee)
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets push Washington Capitals to brink, Gaudreau sits
