Washington Capitals down Columbus Blue Jackets in OT after Elvis Merzlikins boils over

Things escalated quickly Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.

Tied 2-2 midway through overtime, a scuffle between goalie Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins and Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson inside the Columbus net led to the deciding goal on the ensuing Capitals power play. Alex Ovechkin scored 1:25 later to give the Capitals a 3-2 victory before joining his teammates to chirp at the Blue Jackets’ goalie as a group.

“The whole game, we played a solid 60 minutes,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said. “We played really well. I thought we took over the game. Disappointing. Disappointing because we earned (the right) to win that game and … that incident cost us. We have to control our emotions there. So, it’s disappointing.”

Cole Sillinger and Yegor Chinakhov scored goals for the Blue Jackets, including the latter extending a point streak to six games and pushing the game to OT with a tying goal at 12:49 of the third period. Merzlikins made 29 saves in the loss, but the story of the night was his retaliation on Wilson.

“We deserved to win tonight,” Merzlikins said. “Guys played really outstanding, I think. We did really well, our jobs, so … I mean I feel guilty, but at the same time, I’m sorry, it’s an emotional game. I reacted. Maybe I should control my emotions, but I didn’t.”

Here are five takeaways:

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins says Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson ‘got what he deserved’ in OT skirmish

Merzlikins said the incident with Wilson was something that boiled over after a full game of dealing with the Capitals’ designated pest.

Wilson attempted to slew foot the Blue Jackets’ goalie on the game’s first shift, slashed at his catching glove to draw a reaction following a save and contacted Merzlikins' right leg in OT — after the Jackets' goalie made back-to-back saves on Martin Fehervary’s breakaway.

Wilson, who was helped into the net by Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson, tried to leave it before Merzlikins pushed him back in while attempting to grab his goalie stick. Wilson smacked him on the head and raked the front of his mask, which touched off a barrage of lefts and rights from Merzlikins, who looked like a boxer with his opponent pinned on the ropes.

The sellout crowd of 18,172 at Nationwide Arena went wild, as Wilson finally escaped and got in his own shot before pulling Merzlikins’ mask off. Officials separated them, but Merzlikins was assessed the only penalty. Wilson didn’t talk to reporters following the game, but Merzlikins did. He eventually accepted blame for the loss, but wasn't exactly conciliatory.

“I mean, it’s an emotional game,” Merzlikins said. “It’s an emotional game. He slew-footed me very 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 (on the breakaway), I’m pretty sure he was trying to get me hurt. So, I was just trying to get my stick. I got punched. Well, I’m gonna defend myself.”

Merzlikins contends that Wilson didn’t make an effort to avoid him.

“Watch the replay,” Merzlikins said. “He was going straight at my knee. I could be out for the rest of the season, and he got what he deserved. I don’t care. Like, seriously. I could be out for the rest of the season. He was going straight for my knee with full speed. He was driving the net. I get it, but he could avoid me. A lot of players avoid goalies. He definitely wasn’t avoiding me.”

After the collision, the Blue Jackets headed back toward the other end of the ice with a potential 3-on-2 advantage. Instead, play was stopped when Merzlikins went after Wilson.

“I was just trying to get my stick,” he said. “I put my catcher (glove) on his back. I didn’t do anything. Got punched straight in the face. He got the response.”

Columbus Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent ‘disappointed’ with goalie Elvis Merzlikins drawing costly OT penalty

Vincent didn’t stand behind Merzlikins’ retaliation.

In fact, he said it was the determining factor in the Capitals winning. Advanced statistical measures favored the Jackets, and they outshot Washington 36-32 — including 16-11 in the second and 11-5 in the third. They could’ve had a 3-on-2 with Wilson stuck in the net, but Merzlikins shoved the hulking forward back into the cage before fishing for his stick.

Both moves were unnecessary. Wilson was attempting to leave the net and the stick didn't matter with the puck at the other end of the ice. Merzlikins had just finally had enough of Wilson, and his meltdown was exactly what the Capitals hope to get whenever they send Wilson onto the ice.

“Tom Wilson’s job is to get in people’s face, in the goalie’s face, and he’s creating a lot of emotions,” Vincent said. “The emotions were high, and he did what he had to do … and we reacted. It cost us the game."

It was yet another point that slipped away from the Jackets in OT, dropping their record to 2-6 in OT/shootout finishes. Having this one triggered by retaliating against Wilson, a noted pest, left a mark to equal the mark Merzlikins’ left on the forward’s face.

“He does that to every team, every game,” Vincent said. “That’s his job and he’s one of the best in the league (at it). We know it. So, (Merzlikins) has to control his emotions. We’re going in 3-on-2 on the other side (if that doesn’t happen). … that moment, we have to get better. That’s unacceptable.”

Washington Capitals taunt Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins after Alex Ovechkin’s overtime goal

Ovechkin celebrated the 828^th goal of his NHL career and 25^th of his career against the Blue Jackets like it had just clinched the Stanley Cup. He hopped up and down, let out a primal scream and celebrated like it was a Game 7 in the playoffs.

Part of the excitement was surely the 14-game goal drought that ended, dating back to the Capitals’ victory over the Blue Jackets on Nov. 18 in Washington, but most was sparked by Merzlikins attacking Wilson.

As Merzlikins skated away, Ovechkin and the rest of the Capitals gathered to taunt him while an official escorted the goalie to the Jackets' side of the ice. Dylan Strome and Wilson led the trash talking, which capped a three-game sweep of the season series against the Blue Jackets.

Any response from Columbus must now wait until next season.

Columbus Blue Jackets struggling to kill penalties without captain Boone Jenner

How much do the Blue Jackets miss Boone Jenner?

Look no further than their penalty-kill units, which have dropped to the bottom of the NHL in efficiency since the captain sustained a fractured jaw Dec. 8 against the St. Louis Blues. After humming along at just under 90% all season, the Jackets are now only 45.5% (5 for 11) in their past five games without Jenner — whose 55.6% faceoff win percentage is sorely missed while shorthanded.

That includes the Capitals going 2 for 3 and winning the game on Ovechkin’s power-play goal. It’s not just faceoffs though. Jenner has astute anticipation skills that allow him to intercept passes with regularity. He also has the size and strength to win pucks in the defensive zone for clears that kill time.

Jenner is barely two weeks into an estimated recovery time of six weeks, so the Blue Jackets need to figure out a solution quickly. The woes killing penalties has also been hindered by assistant coach Steve McCarthy, who coordinates the PK, getting a concussion last Friday in practice from a wayward puck to the head.

He's missed games and practices.

Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren tops Columbus Blue Jackets for third straight time

Charlie Lindgren improved to 3-0-0 against the Blue Jackets this season and 4-1-2 in seven career games against Columbus. He made 34 saves on 36 shots and continued to vex the Blue Jackets with his right-handed catching style.

Most goalies catch with their left hand, but Lindgren’s right has flummoxed the Jackets in all three starts this season. Lindgren made 101 saves on 101 shots against Columbus this season for a sizzling .944 save percentage.

The Jackets will be happy not to see him again this season.

bhedger@dispatch.com

@BrianHedger

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Merzlikins' meltdown hands Capitals OT win over Blue Jackets