The Blue Jackets aren’t going down without a fight or two.
Needing a win Saturday afternoon to keep their faint playoff hopes going, the Jackets got exactly what they needed at Nationwide Arena with a rousing 7-0 victory over the Washington Capitals.
Scoring three goals in each of the first two periods and getting rookie Jet Greaves’ first career shutout, the Blue Jackets (37-33-9) moved to 83 points by cruising past the Capitals (50-20-9) — who didn’t have NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin (healthy scratch) or high-scoring defenseman Jakob Chychrun (illness).
The Jackets and Caps will rematch Sunday in Washington, but whether Columbus is still in the hunt for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card is contingent on the outcome of the Montreal Canadiens’ game Saturday night in Toronto. The Canadiens, who control the second wild card at 87 points, can clinch the East’s final playoff spot with a regulation win over the Maple Leafs.
The Blue Jackets made sure their elimination wasn’t from a loss to the Capitals, who started their third goalie. Hunter Shapard, and have the best record in the conference sewn up.
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Zach Werenski, Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli scored in the first period to give Columbus a 3-0 lead at the end of a contentious first 20 minutes. Fantilli, Sean Monahan and Cole Sillinger scored the next three in the first 5:14 of the second to blow the game open at 6-0, which extended the Jackets’ franchise record for scoring six-plus goals to 15 this season. James van Riemsdyk scored the seventh goal with 2:19 left to play for notch a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” with a goal, assist and fighting major.
Fantilli’s first goal, which made it 3-0 late in the first, sparked a physical game for the final two periods. After flattening Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard in the Columbus zone, he headed up ice, got the puck and ripped a shot past goalie Hunter Shepard on the short side for his 26th goal of the season.
He beat Hunter again at 2:01 of the second for his 27th goal to ignite the blowout win. The Blue Jackets also had a goal by Denton Mateychuk overturned in the first because the puck hit the skate of a lines official before sliding into the net.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at[email protected] and@BrianHedger.bsky.social
