Caps come back to even series
Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and two assists, and Braden Holtby stopped 23 shots as the Washington Capitals beat the Blue Jackets, 4-1, last night in Columbus to even their playoff series at two games apiece.
Tom Wilson and Alexander Ovechkin each had a goal and an assist, and T.J. Oshie also scored for the workmanlike Capitals, who won this time in regulation after the first three games of the best-of-seven series were decided in overtime.
Game 5 is tomorrow afternoon in Washington.
Columbus had overcome multi-goal deficits to win the first two games in Washington. When the series shifted to Columbus on Tuesday, the Capitals prevailed in double-overtime.
This one lacked the intensity of the first three, and there was no comeback magic for the Blue Jackets. In fact, they were just flat through a good chunk of the first two periods, chasing pucks and flubbing passes. They finally seem to get out of the quicksand near the end of the second period after coach John Tortorella started switching up the lines.
Boone Jenner scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky had 29 saves for Columbus.
Washington led 1-0 after the opening period after Kuznetsov shoveled a carom from the right boards out to Wilson, who connected from above the circle at 6:16. The Capitals got their second halfway through the second period on a power play when Oshie flicked in a rebound. Ovechkin’s third-period goal made it 3-0.
Jenner redirected Josh Anderson’s slap shot 6:22 into the third to make it 3-1. Kuznetsov added an empty-net goal with 2:19 left in the game.
Elsewhere in the NHL — New Jersey top defenseman Sami Vatanen is being listed as day to day with an upper-body injury as the Devils prepare for a must- win Game 5 of their series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Vatanen was hurt in Tampa Bay’s 3-1 win on Wednesday when he was checked in the shoulder and head by forward Nikita Kucherov. Vatanen was knocked out of the game. No penalty was called. The NHL reviewed the hit and there was no suspension against Kucherov . . . .
The NHL suspended Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman for Game 5 against the Colorado Avalanche for an illegal check to the head of Carl Soderberg. Hartman was penalized for charging. The Predators lead the series 3-1 and can clinch tonight.
In that game the Avalanche will go with backup goaltender Andrew Hammond after starter Jonathan Bernier suffered a lowerbody injury in Game 4 . . . .
Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, Victor Hedman of Tampa Bay and P.K. Subban of Nashville are the finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman.