Photo: Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Sunday at Verizon Center. The loss dropped the Capitals record to 11-5-2. The Capitals next face the St. Louis Blues at Verizon Center on Wednesday. Puck-drop is 7:00 PM. 

TJ Oshie was scratched due to injury. Oshie is listed as “week-to-week”. Paul Carey was called up from Hershey on Saturday to fill in for Oshie. Lars Eller was also scratched due to injury, and is listed as “day-to-day”. Taylor Chorney was a healthy scratch.

Braden Holtby got the start in between the pipes for the Capitals. Sergei Bobrovsky got the start for Columbus.

FIRST PERIOD
Nicklas Backstrom got to work quickly with a goal at the 3:11 mark of the opening frame. The Capitals have scored first in 15 of their 18 games this season.

🚨@backstrom19‘s shot/pass hybrid surprises Bobrovsky for the first goal of the game 5th of the year for Nicky. #CapsJackets on @CSNMApic.twitter.com/XTIWfPgsjs

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 20, 2016

The Capitals continued to buzz in the offensive zone, leading in scoring chances 8-1 at the mid way point of the opening frame. The Jackets would begin to find their legs and a few scoring chances towards the end of the first period. The first period would end with the Capitals holding on to the 1-0 lead. The Blue Jackets led in shots on goal 12-9 through one period of play.

SECOND PERIOD
The Blue Jackets continued to tilt the ice in their favor at the start of the period, registering the first two shots on goal through the first five minutes of play. Brett Connolly was called for interference at 5:54 giving the Blue Jackets the game’s first power play, and the league’s best power play would capitalize. Just a few seconds into the man advantage, Nick Foligno would knock one home at 6:07 of the middle frame. The shot would actually go in off of John Carlson’s skate.

The Blue Jackets would return to the power play when Evgeny Kuznetsov was called for holding Nick Foligno at 7:15 of the second period. The Jackets power play would be short-lived as Daniel Winnik was tripped 1:32 into the Jackets man-advantage. The Capitals would finally make good on a man advantage. Alex Ovechkin would notch a power play goal at 10:31 of the middle frame, on the end of a feed from Nicklas Backstrom.

Top 🧀#CapsJackets on @CSNMApic.twitter.com/nhCDylvRIQ

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 20, 2016

The period would end with the Capitals leading 2-1. The Capitals managed just 4 shots on goal for the period, scoring on their first shot of the period (Ovechkin). Shots on goal were tied at 4-4 for the period, with the Jackets leading 16-13 through two periods of play.

THIRD PERIOD
The Blue Jackets would tie the game just 14 seconds into the final frame, when Brandon Dubinsky deked Dmitry Orlov and Braden Holtby in front of the net.

The Blue Jackets would add another power play goal with less than a minute to go in the game to take the win from Washington. Alexander Wennberg would notch the game winner at 19:06.

By Jon Sorensen

SCENES FROM VERIZON CENTER

@Capitals@CapsGameEnt Thank you #Capitals for supporting First Responders! #LetsGoCaps#RockTheRed#CapsBluespic.twitter.com/LjzH7UhD9B

— Amanda (@CapsJustice) November 20, 2016

UNLEASH THE FURY!!! Let’s Go Caps! We need a goal. #CapsJackets #Caps pic.twitter.com/Ct7H64SvpZ

— Caps Youth Hockey (@CapsYouthHockey) November 20, 2016

Pete is really into the #CapsJackets game @Capitals pic.twitter.com/y2JmZEddGn

— Mike Rucki (@MikeRucki) November 20, 2016