Streak buster
Capitals stop Blue Jackets’ 16-game winning streak with a shutout at home,
The Columbus Blue Jackets will not be part of NHL history.
They fell one win short of the longest winning streak in NHL history after a 5-0 loss to the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center on Thursday, ending their team-record 16-game run. The Blue Jackets’ first loss since Nov. 26 means they won’t equal the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins’ record 17-game streak.
The attention paid to the Blue Jackets at Game 37 has been unlike anything customary at this point of an 82-game regular season. Both teams had extra motivation, and the media descended on Washington like it were a playoff game.
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said the run had extra meaning for him, too: “I just addressed the team. I usually don’t go in the room — win or lose. All year long I haven’t been there. I’d be remiss if I didn’t. That is one helluva run by a hockey team. They should feel really good about it.”
Tortorella cited two factors critical to sustaining this level of success: goaltending and luck. The Capitals had more of it, with their first goal by forward Daniel Winnik coming off a rebound with traffic in front of the net and the second a redirect off of defenseman John Carlson’s skate, both in the first period. Washington goalie Braden Holtby made 29 saves.
Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled early in the third period — for only the second time this season — after giving up five goals on 23 shots.
“We have climbed on his back from Day 1,” Tortorella said of Bobrovsky, whose 2.03 goals-against average and .934 save percentage rank near the top of the league. “He has started his play from the World Cup; you could see where he was mentally after an off year last year. He’s a big reason why we go on this run.”
Entering Thursday, the Blue Jackets’ winning streak met or exceeded 10 teams’ total wins for this season. Even though good fortune was needed, the Blue Jackets did not do it with smoke and mirrors: They ranked sixth in possession and fourth in scoring-chance percentage and had given up three or more goals just three times. It’s that well-rounded play that has given them the best record in the league (27-6-4) and put them on the map as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
“In this league, to do what they just did is very impressive,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said.
Tortorella is intrigued by his team’s response because he’ll be able to define it after adversity. “I think they have a dynamic in the room that — we talked about this: Don’t hope you’re going to win, know you’re going to win,” he said. “I think we’ve crossed that bridge. We know we’re a good hockey club. Not one game is going to deter how we feel about ourselves.”
Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said the streak was important because the team’s expectations of itself has elevated.
“I think that’s something that hasn’t been the case here on this team for a long time,” Foligno said. “We’re building that (winning) culture and identity.”