Final Score: Blue Jackets 3 – Capitals 2
Game Summary
The Blue Jackets remain red hot this November with a big come from behind victory over the Washington Capitals. As has been the common theme this month, the Jackets played a high powered offensive team and managed to shut them down.
The Jackets held Washington to just 21 shots, tied for the lowest total Washington has registered in a game this season. The Jackets have successfully held Washington under 23 shots twice this season which is very impressive considering Washington averages about 30 a game. The key in this one much like it was last time these teams met was special teams. The Jackets took just one minor penalty, keeping the dangerous Washington power play on the bench. The Capitals did score on their lone power play, but again the Jackets did extremely well to only give them once chance.
The Jackets were also able to get their league leading power play three chances, converting on two of them. Nick Foligno scored the first Jackets goal early in the second, on the power play.
Foligno was a huge part of this game, scoring that goal, assisting on the game winner, and drew a controversial penalty call late in the game, giving the Jackets the power play they would ultimately win the game on. The two points for Folingo extend his team leading total to 18, and his goal ties him with Sam Gagner for the team lead with seven.
The Jackets trailed 2-1 entering the third period, but Brandon Dubinsky tied the game up just 14 seconds into the period. The puck was bouncing around in front of the net and no one could really get a handle on it, except Dubinsky who made a nice move in tight to beat Braden Holtby.
For Dubinsky, that is only his second goal and fifth point on the season, but he's started to pick it up of late. He has both of his goals, and three points in his last four games. Dubinsky has had his issues this season; he has the fifth lowest Corsi on the team at 45.36%. His line with Cam Atkinson and Boone Jenner have played against some tough competition, lining up against Alexander Ovechkin and his line in this game, but they have not been anywhere near as effective as they were last season. That was the Jackets top line last year, they need to figure out how to get them going, because players like Alexander Wennberg and Foligno are not going to be this good all season.
The Jackets won the game in part due to a controversial penalty call on Folingo. Foligno had the puck and Nicklas Backstrom got his stick up near Foligno’s face and Foligno snapped his head back, drawing a high sticking penalty. Looking at the replay it was clear that Backstrom’s stick did not touch Folingo at all and a penalty should not have been called.
The Capitals have a right to be upset that call definitely cost them at least a point. The refs easily could have called Foligno for embellishment and given the Capitals a power play. To make matters worse for the Capitals, Foligno assisted on the game winning goal.
Stat of the Night
Stats courtesy of
Natural Stat Trick and
Hockey-Reference.
You can follow me on Twitter
@PaulBerthelot
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»