Capitals let another one slip through their fingers

The Washington Capitals jumped out to a two-goal lead once again, but Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky played the hero.

The Washington Capitals blew Game 1 at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets, so there’s no way they could find a way to lose Game 2, right? Wrong. The Capitals, in extreme Capitals fashion, let two separate two-goal leads slip through their fingers.

The Capitals blitzed the Blue Jackets for the second game in a row thanks to a deflection goal by Jay Beagle and a power-play goal courtesy of Alex Ovechkin. They went into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead.

The second period is where it all started to fall apart. Thanks to two not-so-smart penalties from Tom Wilson (roughing) and Devante Smith-Pelly (holding the stick). Both penalties led to subsequent power play goals by the Blue Jackets, and both penalties could have been easily avoided.

That’s kind of how this series has gone for the Capitals. Dumb penalties at the wrong time, and it’s 100 percent cost them so far. After trailing 4-3 entering the third period the Caps found themselves in the same spot they’re always in. A close game and heart palpitations throughout the entire Caps fanbase.

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The light clicked on in the third period fortunately. Braden Holtby replaced Phillip Grubauer, and was on point giving the team a lift. Down one, with the clock ticking the Caps caught a break thanks to a Zach Werenski delay of game minor after flipping the puck over the boards. T.J. Oshie cashed in from the slot and sent the game to overtime.

The Caps would eventually fall in overtime, but it’s not like they went down without a fight. They honestly could have and should have won this game despite the mental lapses. That is if it weren’t for Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Goalie Bob turned in a 54-save night including a crucial save after a Chandler Stephenson deflection to bounced off the post and hung around the crease for a little bit.

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They held two separate two goal leads in this game and squandered them both. That really hurts given they blew a two goal lead in Game 1, and their well noted postseason history.

A few incredible saves, a couple ringers off the post and two gut wrenching overtime games later, and the Caps are down in the series 2-0. Fortunately they finished the regular season 3-1 record against the Blue Jackets, including splitting two games in Columbus. The bad news is they can’t afford a split on the road after blowing the first two games.

If the Caps want to make it to the Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years they have to win both games in Columbus.