Jackets lose in preseason home finale
1st Period
I expected the two teams to come out playing like two teams who were scrapping for a roster spot, but it seemed slow at the start.
8:14 into the first after a small flurry of activity in front of Spencer Martin, the Caps struck first. Beck Malenstyn was credited with the goal, assisted by Alexeyev and Sutter.
At 12:04, Aliaksei Protas scored to make it 2-0, assisted by Chase Priskie. Spencer Martin has played pretty well despite the score. He's been peppered with shots to this point. The period would end with the Caps owning a 2-0 lead. The Caps outshot the Jackets 18-4.
2nd Period
1:24 into the second, Brendan Gaunce scored for the CBJ, making it 2-1, Justin Pearson and Denton Mateychuk had the helpers. The Jackets had a powerplay but couldn't convert. The Caps had some good chances but couldn't extend their lead. We did see a fight, Mathieu Olivier vs. Dylan McIlrath. Caps lead 2-1 at the end of 2.
3rd Period
For the first 10 minutes, there wasn't a lot of action to speak of. The Caps had a powerplay but that was it. Spencer Martin did make some excellent saves, including an Ovi bomb from just beyond his office. CBJ fans got a little anxious when Nick Blankenburg blocked a shot with his left leg. But in typical Blankenburg fashion, he didn't miss a shift.
The Jackets were awarded a powerplay when Trey Fix-Wolansky drew a slashing call against Hardy Haman Aktell, but the Caps would score instead. While short-handed, and while the CBJ had the puck, Adam Boqvist slung it backward across the ice toward his bench, but no one was home. The Caps picked it up, and within just a few seconds, and after a few shots, they were able to bury the puck. A costly error that all but ended the game. The Jackets pulled Martin and the Caps scored easily with 2:09 left in the game making it 4-1. The CBJ's Marcus Bjork would score on a very nice individual play to make it 4-2 with 1:09, but it was a little too late. The Caps take this one 4-2.
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The Jackets are now done with the preseason at home and will travel to Washington on Saturday to finish the preseason schedule. Will that game be filled with NHL-ers who will be priming themselves for the opener next week? Or will there still be some decisions to be made going into that game? THN will let you know as soon as those decisions are made.
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