Exciting is probably still not an accurate enough word to describe this epic series between the Washington Capitals, and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Three out of four games so far have gone to overtime, and the home team has lost every game. As that would sit things should go well for the Jackets in this game five in Washington. Once again this was a close game, and once again they’d need extra time to determine a winner. Braden Holtby would Get the start again for the Capitals, and Sergey Bobrovsky would hold the fort for the Jackets, and they’d be tested early this game.
There were a total of nine penalties during the course of the game. Now one would logically assume that the games first goal would come on a powerplay and you’d be right, however it wasn’t scored by the team on the powerplay. It would be Columbus’ Matt Calvert who would open the scoring shorthanded for the Jackets halfway through the first period. The Caps would respond three minutes later and it would be Nicklas Backstrom to tie the game at 1-1. The goal would come on a short side shot that would bank off of Bobrovsky and trickle in behind him. Columbus out shot the Capitals 11-7 in the first and went into the second tied, but it would last that way for long.
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In fact it would only take three minutes into the second for the deadlock to be broken. On a terrible line change by the Jackets that left Evgeny Kuznetsov all alone against Bobrovsky. He would make no mistake as Kuznetsov slid the puck under the left pad of Bobrovsky to give Washington a 2-1 lead. That lead would only last about one minute as Matt Calvert would score again, this time on a breakaway. Calvert would completely whiff of the shot but grab the puck and do a spinorama to bury the puck behind Holtby on the far left side tying the game at 2-2. Then with only three minutes to go in the period there would finally be a powerplay goal, courtesy of T.J. Oshie. Oshie would receive a beautiful dish from Carlsson and beat Bobrovsky on the one-timer high blocker side and give the Caps a 3-2 lead going into the third out shooting Columbus 13-9 in the period. Little did they know the tables would turn in the third in a big way.
It was almost like the flick of a switch and all of a sudden Washington’s offence seemed to disappear. Only two and a half minutes into the third period Oliver Bjorkstrand would tip a point shot by Cole over the right shoulder of Holtby to tie the game again 3-3. Columbus would fight hard for the game winning goal out shooting the Capitals 16-1 in the third period. Ultimately though we’d get a fourth overtime in five games between these two teams, and this one like the others would not disappoint.
It would only take one overtime this time to determine a winner. The shots were very close being 8-6 for Washington, who would ultimately walk away victorious. The goal would be another by Nicklas Backstrom, this time deflecting a point shot by Orlov five hole on Bobrovsky. The Blue Jackets out shot the Capitals 42-29 but in the end it was all for not as Washington took the game 4-3. This would be the first game in the series that the home team would win and in the post game interview with Columbus head coach John Torterella he basically guaranteed a game seven in Washington. We’ll see if that comes to fruition as game six will take place in Columbus Monday April 23rd.
