R.J. Umberger scored his second power-play
goal of the game 1:45 into overtime, lifting the Columbus Blue Jackets to a
5-4 win over the Washington Capitals in a game that saw Alex Ovechkin leave
with an injury.
Just seconds after Washington defenseman Brian Pothier was whistled for
interference, Rick Nash had the puck in the right circle and sent it to the
crease for Umberger, who redirected a shot past Jose Theodore for the victory.
"We had that never-quit attitude last year," Umberger said. "It doesn't always
have to be pretty. But this team has to dig in. We're a hard-working team,
that's our MO. We can't get into the pretty, tic-tac-toe kind of game. We're a
team that has to grind it out."
Nash finished with a goal and two assists, while Raffi Torres also scored
twice for Columbus, which had lost three in a row and five of six entering
Sunday's contest. Steve Mason stopped 32 shots in the win.
Washington got two goals from Brooks Laich, but saw star forward Ovechkin
leave with an undisclosed injury in the second period after falling to the
ice. Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau said Ovechkin is day-to-day with an
upper body injury.
Quintin Laing, who this past week was diagnosed with swine flu, picked up his
first goal of the season. Nicklas Backstrom also scored for the Capitals, who
have dropped their last two, both overtime losses. Jose Theodore gave up all
five goals on 32 shots in the setback.
The game went to overtime after a wild third period, which Columbus entered
holding a 2-1 lead.
Laich got both his goals in quick successions to put Washington on top,
with the first coming on the power play at 8:15. Just over two minutes later
he made it a 3-2 game.
Columbus got the equalizer from Torres, when, just after a faceoff, he got the
puck behind the Washington net and put a wraparound backhander past Theodore
with 6:24 to play.
The Capitals went back ahead just under three minutes later thanks to pressure
on the Columbus net. David Steckel scooped up a rebound just in front of the
creased and passed to the slot for Laing, who banged in a one-timer.
But late in regulation, Derick Brassard had the puck in the right circle and
threaded a pass through traffic to the left side, and Torres banked in the
puck with 22.4 seconds to play.
"We have to be better disciplined as a club and learn to play with the lead if
we want to win hockey games," Laich said. "If we want to be an elite team,
that has to happen."
Backstrom got the Capitals on the board when he finished off a cross-ice
series of passes between he, Tomas Fleischmann and Alexander Semin at 12:13 of
the first period.
However, the Blue Jackets got a pair of goals in the middle frame to grab the
lead. Nash evened the game at 5:03, when he skated up through the left circle,
shifted to the center as Theodore committed to a shot, then slid the puck in
the open net.
With just under a minute to play and Columbus on the power play, Theodore went
behind the net to get the puck. But the disc took an odd bounce off the end
boards and slid to the slot, where Umberger slammed home the easy score.
Ovechkin left early in the second period, and there was no official word on
his injury.
Game Notes
Columbus goaltender Mathieu Garon entered for 91 seconds near the end of
the third period. Mason returned after Torres' second goal...Jason Chimera and
Jakub Voracek each had two assists for the Blue Jackets...Semin had two
helpers for the Capitals.
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