On Friday night in Washington, DC, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Anthony Duclair struck on the power play to give the Jackets a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish in defeating the Capitals.
“I saw a little opening there,” Duclair said. “I just wanted to get it up high, and it went in.”
It was Duclair’s seventh of the campaign.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves in win over Caps Friday – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“He (Duclair) has scored some big goals for us, has done some good things offensively,” coach John Tortorella said. “He’s going to have to learn how to check or he just won’t get the ice time, but he has certainly scored some big goals. He’s been really good for us on the power play.”
Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves to backstop the win as the Jackets improved to 9-6-1.
“It was a good game,” Bobrovsky said. “The guys in front of me played very well, the atmosphere was great, and the team against us was a really skilled team. It’s fun to play here, and it’s even more fun to get two points.”
Matt Niskanen had the only Caps’ goal in the loss.
“We were dangerous for some shifts, some periods of time and probably a little bit of each period,” Niskanen said. “We were on the attack and had some looks, but we just couldn’t get that second or third whack at one to just bury it.”
With the loss, the Caps dropped to 7-5-3.
Oliver Bjorkstrand also scored for the Jackets on the power play to give Columbus a 1-0 lead.
Columbus was 2-for-3 on the man advantage.
“It’s just very tough and a very good opponent, and it’s so nice to get two points. There are some good teams where you have to be focused, where you have to be doubly aware because a little mistake, you’re going to pay the price. They are one of those teams., Bobrovsky said after the game.
[WATCH:Â All Blue Jackets vs. Capitals highlights]
Braden Holtby made 34 saves for the Caps in loss.
“As we’re getting closer to 20 games, you get to have a true analysis of what things are going on. Specials teams was a big part of tonight’s game. They were able to score one more power-play goal than us, and that decided the game,” Caps head coach Todd Reirden said after the loss.
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