Final Score: Capitals 4 – Blue Jackets 2
Game Summary
It happened again, the Jackets lost another game in which they played extremely well. They had a 57.73% Corsi at 5 on 5 and in all situations outshot the Capitals 37-17. At one point between the second and third period Columbus held Washington for 20 minutes without a shot.
The Jackets however could not turn all that possession into quality scoring chances. The Caps did a really good job at keeping everything to the outside and making things a lot easier on goalie Braden Holtby.
At the other end the Capitals did a wonderful job getting into the slot. They actually out chanced the Jackets 27-20 at 5 on 5 and 10-8 at high danger. Washington showed why they have the highest shooting percentage at 5 on 5 this season. They don’t always get many chances but they score on the ones they do. They made life very difficult on Sergei Bobrovsky who had just an awful night in net. Bobrovsky stopped 13 of 17 shots for a .765 save percentage, his lowest in a game this season.
It wasn’t all on Bobrovsky the Jackets did him no favours defensively. Just look at the “coverage… on the Capitals second goal.
This is as bad as it gets as the Capitals' Kuznetsov scores just before the end of the first period.
— SB (@Sam_Blazer) February 10, 2018
2-1 Caps.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/GuhKF6lyod
There is nobody on the weak side; the Capitals have a 2-0. You can’t fault Bobrovsky for that one. The forwards have to do a significantly better job at covering here, especially late in the period, this goal was scored with under two second left in the first.
The game was back and forth for the first little bit. The Jackets fell behind 1-0 but a fortunate bounce had them right back in it.
A reallllllly weird bounce leads to a puck right in front of Pierre-Luc Dubois and he doesn't miss.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/tWNyNYmPhT
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 10, 2018
That was Dubois 11th goal of the season and 24th point. He had a bit of a slump through January going seven games without a point, but he’s been better of late with that goal giving him two points in his last three games.
The Capitals went up 2-1 on that goal shown above, but again the Jackets were able to tie it. This time it was Artemi Panarin tipping home a Seth Jones shot.
Panarin tips the shot and it is a tie game#CBJ pic.twitter.com/8XHh8xWemr
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 10, 2018
That goal came early in the second period and that was all the Jackets could get. The Caps scored twice more in the frame and that was it. Another very disappointing loss against a divisional opponent. This game knocks the Jackets out of a playoff spot for the first time in a long time.
As we approach the deadline it’s clear a shakeup is needed. This team was so good at the start of the season and I still believe they have that potential in them. If they move out a few players this deadline and bring in someone who can score goals it could be the push this team needs down the stretch. They need something to spark them and get them back on track.
Stat of the Night
Artemi Panarin had some night last night in Washington.
— Brian Hedger (@JacketsInsider) February 10, 2018
Played 22:25, highest ice time of any forward in the game, scored a goal, had eight shot attempts (the goal plus four block and three missed) and blocked a shot.#CBJ
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.
You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot