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Capitals end Blue Jackets winning streak at 16 games

By Dave Stevenson

Jan 5, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 5, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Columbus Blue Jackets’ winning streak is over after 16 games following their 5-0 defeat to the Washington Capitals

Winning consistently is very hard to do in the NHL. So when the Columbus Blue Jackets’ winning streak started approaching 12 games, all eyes turned to them. Would they tie the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins record of 17 straight wins? It turns out Columbus won’t, as the Washington Capitals beat them 5-0 to end an impressive bid at history.

It’s not surprising the Caps were the team to end the winning streak. After all, before Thursday, even though the Capitals had lost to Columbus twice, they had the lead after 40 minutes in both games. Getting leads is what winning teams do. Also, Washington is still an excellent team. While they aren’t quite on their President’s Trophy pace from last season, they rank fourth in the NHL in point percentage.

Pour one out for the Blue Jackets. What a remarkable attempt at history. Even if the history books won’t list them, they’ve been a blast to watch during the winning streak. Their underlying numbers suggest this won’t change one bit.

One could argue Columbus’ 16-game winning streak is more impressive than the 1992-93 Penguins. Sure, the Jackets have the advantage of having a shootout, something Pittsburgh didn’t. Keep in mind their winning streak ended on a tie. But Columbus doesn’t have Mario Lemieux, nor do they have Ron Francis, Larry Murphy, or even Jaromir Jagr. However, they do have Cam Atkinson, Brandon Saad, Alexander Wennberg, and Zach Werenski. That’s good enough for them.

Must Read: NHL Power Rankings: CBJ enters 2017 on top

The Blue Jackets will attempt to start a new winning streak on Saturday when they face the New York Rangers. What’s important is Columbus doesn’t lose focus on their ultimate goal – the Stanley Cup. Maybe they needed this winning streak to prove to themselves and to everyone else they’re capable of making a postseason run. Columbus might not have the winning streak, but they succeeded in winning everyone’s respect.

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