FINAL: Blue Jackets 2, Capitals 1

In a Metropolitan showdown with big standings implications, the Columbus Blue Jackets (26-15-3) scored early, gave one up late, then tallied in overtime for a 2-1 victory against the division-leading Washington Capitals (27-13-4) in our nation's capital.
Game in a Paragraph
Columbus led just 60 seconds into the game on a breakaway goal by Cam Atkinson, and that 1-0 score held through two periods thanks to strong goaltending on each side, in particular from goalie Joonas Korpisalo. Washington pushed in the third and finally scored with 1:06 left when Evgeny Kuznetsov tallied with an empty net. In overtime, the Blue Jackets earned a power play and Artemi Panarin ripped a shot in for his second straight winner.

Quote of the Night
Atkinson: "I thought it was a huge win. I think we deserved to win that game. They're obviously a really good team where it doesn't matter how late it is in a game, they're always going to be pushing to get their opportunities. I thought Korpi did a really good job tonight. Special teams was real good for us, both power play finishing it there with Bread and the PK blocking shots. It was a good win for us."
CBJ Notables
Quick Recap
Columbus needed exactly one minute to get on the board with a goal by Atkinson, his team-best 25th of the year. A picture-perfect stretch pass up the ice by Markus Nutivaara hit him in stride, and Atkinson deked to the backhand before rounding Braden Holtby to make it 1-0.
"I could see the whole play develop, and I was hoping that when he picked his head up he'd see me," Atkinson said. "He made a great play, and it's a nice goal."

Korpisalo made a big save with about five minutes left in the period on a 2-on-1. Devante Smith-Pelly fed Nic Dowd, but the goalie moved left to right and made the stop. Korpisalo also made a pair of nice stops on John Carlson on a late first-period power play, including a pad save on a blast from the left circle.
Columbus controlled the first half of the second period, and a scary moment came 8:43 into the period when Atkinson's stick inadvertently got caught in the mask of Holtby. The Capitals goalie left the game and was replaced by Pheonix Copley.
Just like the first, the Caps gained traction as the frame went on, but Korpisalo was strong again as the period wound down, making stops look easy on open shots from Lars Eller, Jakub Vrana and Devante Smith-Pelly.
Washington's top line turned the screws early in the third, but Korpisalo again stood tall, denying Evgeny Kuznetsov 1-on-1 and getting some help as Zach Werenski knocked a rebound away from Alex Ovechkin.
Columbus was able to put together some solid counterattacks, including a breakaway created by the speed of Lukas Sedlak, but Copley turned aside his try with the left pad.
Finally, the dam broke with 1:06 left as Washington tied the game at 1. After an icing call, the Capitals won the draw and Kuznetsov drilled in a blast from the top of the right circle off a pass from John Carlson.
In overtime, the Blue Jackets earned a power play when Boone Jenner crashed the net, and Panarin won the game at 3:30 with a one-time slap shot past Copley from the left circle on a pass from Seth Jones.
"I told him it's about time he starts scoring on that one-timer because he only practices it 100 times every day in practice," Atkinson said. "It's good to see it paying off."
By the Numbers
Columbus won the previous matchup in DC by a 2-1 score Nov. 9. ... Ovechkin is eight points shy of passing former Blue Jacket Sergei Fedorov for the most points in NHL history by a Russian-born player. … The Capitals entered having won 19 of their last 25 games overall and 13 of their last 16 vs. Columbus … Columbus stopped both Washington power plays and now has killed 32 of its last 35 penalties. … The Blue Jackets are 5-1 in their last six against the Metro and have won four straight overtime games. ... The Blue Jackets had 22 shots on goal, 20 more missed the net and 13 more were blocked.
Roster Report
Panarin became the 21st player in NHL history and second in 2018-19 to score at least four overtime goals in a single season. The NHL record is five. ... Columbus made three changes to the playing roster from Thursday's home win vs. Nashville. Forward Kevin Stenlund made his NHL debut after he was recalled Friday in place of Eric Robinson, Dean Kukan went into the lineup in place of ill defenseman Ryan Murray, and Sergei Bobrovsky returned to the active roster in place of Jean-Francois Berube.
Up Next
The Blue Jackets return to Nationwide Arena on Sunday evening for a 6 p.m. game vs. another Metropolian Division rival, the New York Rangers (Fox Sports Ohio, Fox Sports app, 97.1 The Fan).