Duclair, Bobrovsky propel Blue Jackets past Capitals

WASHINGTON -- Anthony Duclair scored a power-play goal 5:09 into the third period to propel the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Friday.

Artemi Panarin's shot from the right face-off circle went wide right, but the puck caromed off the end boards to Duclair, who chipped it in past goaltender Braden Holtby from outside the left post.
"I saw a little opening there," Duclair said. "I just wanted to get it up high, and it went in."
WATCH: [All Blue Jackets vs. Capitals highlights]
Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves for the Blue Jackets (9-6-1), who have won two games in a row.
"It was a good game," Bobrovsky said. "The guys in front of me played very well, the atmosphere was great, and the team against us was a really skilled team. It's fun to play here, and it's even more fun to get two points."
Holtby made 34 saves for the Capitals (7-5-3), who had won their previous two games and lost in regulation for the first time on their five-game homestand (2-1-1).

Matt Niskanen scored Washington's only goal in the second period on the power play.
"We were dangerous for some shifts, some periods of time and probably a little bit of each period," Niskanen said. "We were on the attack and had some looks, but we just couldn't get that second or third whack at one to just bury it."
The Capitals went 1-for-5 on the power play, including a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 42.9 seconds with Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard in the penalty box for hooking Jakub Vrana and Holtby on the bench for an extra attacker.
The Blues Jackets power play, which entered the game ranked last in the NHL (11.9 percent), went 2-for-3 and is 3-for-6 in the past two games.
"I think we're working harder," Duclair said. "I think we're working as a five-man unit. When we get out there, we don't have the mentality of just, 'It's the power play.' You want a mentality of, 'It's still 5-on-5.' We know the type of skill of talent we have on both units, and if we just put the work into it, I think they're going to start going in."
Duclair is tied with Josh Anderson for the Columbus lead with seven goals, including four on the power play.
"He has scored some big goals for us, has done some good things offensively," coach John Tortorella said. "He's going to have to learn how to check or he just won't get the ice time, but he has certainly scored some big goals. He's been really good for us on the power play."
Tortorella credited Bobrovsky with holding the Blue Jackets in the game in the first period, when they were outshot 15-9, until Oliver Bjorkstrand's power-play goal with 2:44 remaining gave them a 1-0 lead.

Bobrovsky made the save on 60 of 62 shots in winning his past two starts after going 3-6-0 in his first nine.
"He's finding his game," Tortorella said. "He was outstanding in the first period and played well right through the game. But the first period, although we're [leading] 1-0, we could be down 4-1. We were so sloppy."
Bjorkstrand was to be a healthy scratch for the second straight game until forward Cam Atkinson was unable to play because he was ill. He took advantage of his opportunity by taking a pass from Nick Foligno and beating Holtby from the right circle.
Niskanen tied it 1-1 7:53 into the second period when Nicklas Backstrom set him up for a one-timer from above the left circle that beat Bobrovsky over his glove. It was Niskanen's third goal of the season and first on the power play since Dec. 13, 2016, at the New York Islanders.
Niskanen was filling in at the point on Washington's first power-play unit because defenseman John Carlson was out with a lower-body injury.

They said it

"It's just very tough and a very good opponent, and it's so nice to get two points. There are some good teams where you have to be focused, where you have to be doubly aware because a little mistake, you're going to pay the price. They are one of those teams." -- Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky

"As we're getting closer to 20 games, you get to have a true analysis of what things are going on. Specials teams was a big part of tonight's game. They were able to score one more power-play goal than us, and that decided the game." -- Capitals coach Todd Reirden

Need to know

With his assist on Niskanen's goal, Evgeny Kuznetsov extended his points streak to six games (one goal, six assists). … Referee Brad Meier sustained a lower-body injury when he lost a skate edge and fell 7:32 into the first period. The remainder of the game was played with Tom Chmielewski as the lone referee.

What's next

Blue Jackets: Host the New York Rangers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, MSG, NHL.TV)
Capitals: Host the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday (5 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, FS-A, NHL.TV)