Mason Frustrates Caps

Capitals 0, Blue Jackets 3
Scoresheet - Wash Post

Hmm, okay. The roles are reversed in just 24 hours. The Capitals put up a goose egg as they can't seem to buy themselves a win on the road. Columbus Blue Jackets take advantage of a Caps team playing it's second game in as many nights, and the Caps can't stuff one past Steve Mason as they go on to beat the Capitals 3 - 0.

The Capitals didn't seem like the same team that posted their own shut out just 24 hours earlier. They were badly outshot by a Jackets team that jumped all over them early in the first 15 - 8. Brent Johnson actually played a good solid road game but the Caps offense just couldn't solve Columbus netminder Mason.

Alex Ovechkin and the Caps seemed to wake up in the second and third, but every offensive chance was squandered. The puck just didn't want to go in the net for the Capitals tonight. And to add to the craziness that is the Caps on the road, Karl Alzner left early with an (you guessed it) injury.

What the Caps really needed tonight were some ugly, garbage goals. Those seem hard to come bay lately for the Caps. Sometimes they were just too cute with the puck, which is fine if you end up scoring at the end of being cute. It only seemed late in the game, did the Caps drive the puck on net and went after it. Alex Ovechkin's point streak comes to a halt as the Caps road woes continue.

The injury situation is past the line of ridiculous. That now makes five injured defensemen if Mike Green, Tom Poti, John Erskine don't return by Tuesday's game versus Florida. Jeff Schultz will be out for some time with his broken digit. Sergei Fedorov and Alex Semin's status is still up in the air. The reinforcements so far have been outstanding, the 3-0 score aside.

Caps get a couple of much needed days off before playing a Southeast Divisional foe on Tuesday night. A game that is blacked out by the way, thanks to Versus evil tinkering.

Lowlights by NHL.com: