Lindgren makes 34 saves, Capitals hold off Blue Jackets

WASHINGTON -- Charlie Lindgren made 34 saves, including 14 in the third period, to help the Washington Capitals defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

Lindgren, who missed six games with a lower-body injury, was playing his second game of the season and first in 22 days.

"Being back in the pipes tonight felt good," Lindgren said. "It’s been, I think, over three weeks since I played, and to get a big win against Columbus was pretty awesome."

Tom Wilson and Sonny Milano scored for the Capitals (5-4-1), who have won four of five.

Washington, which has scored 19 goals in 10 games this season, had a season-high 25 blocked shots.

“We did enough to get it done tonight,” Wilson said. “I thought we did a lot of good stuff in the [offensive] zone. If we keep doing that the bounces will come. That being said, we did a good job, sacrificed, did the little things in the third.”

Dmitri Voronkov scored for the Blue Jackets (4-5-2), who have lost five of six. Elvis Merzlikins made 25 saves, including stopping Alex Ovechkin at 2:35 of the third period after the forward skated in on him alone.

“Yeah, he’s been great,” Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov said of Merzlikins. “I think tonight he kept us in it, and when we needed it, he came up huge for us.”

Columbus was 0-for-4 on the power play. Washington was 0-for-3.

Lindgren made a point-blank save on Cole Sillinger at 10:00 of the third and a diving stop on Kirill Marchenko with 4:57 left.

“I thought he was exceptional,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said of Lindgren. “Just some of those saves, especially late, because a lot of goaltending is timely saves in big moments. … There were some really, really quality saves when we’re protecting a one-goal lead.”

Wilson was hooked from behind by Damon Severson on a breakaway at 6:17 of the first period and awarded a penalty shot, but Merzlikins made a pad save.

“The penalty shot, we all know it’s either my luck going or his luck going, right?” Merzlikins said. “So, it was on my side, but still a save is a save and it makes you feel good, and it makes you keep going in the game.”

Wilson, however, gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 12:21 of the first. He picked up a loose puck in the left face-off circle, cut to the slot and scored with a shot that deflected off Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski's stick and went over Merzlikins’ left shoulder.

It was the second time this season that Washington scored first.

Milano made it 2-0 at 17:21 when he was left alone near the left post and scored into an open net off Nick Jensen’s shot-pass from the right circle.

“I was hoping no one saw me sneak behind [the net] besides ‘Jense,’” Milano said. “And no one did and I had a wide-open net.”

Voronkov pulled the Blue Jackets within 2-1 at 1:38 of the second period when he deflected Marchenko’s point shot past Lindgren.

“We came out really hard and we’re down 2-0 too after the first, but that was our best period,” Columbus coach Pascal Vincent said. “And then the second period, we’re going to find a way to get better and the third period, there was push, absolutely, and I thought we were coming back.”

Washington defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk left the game midway through the first period with a lower-body injury after his left leg hit the end boards while he was pursuing a puck against Columbus forward Justin Danforth. Carbery did not have an update after the game.

NOTES: Columbus forward Johnny Gaudreau did not play the final 16:07. He was minus-1 with no shots on goal in 11:55 of ice time. … Voronkov, a rookie forward, has two goals and an assist in his past three games. … Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner won 15 of 22 face-offs. … It was the 1,000th home win in Capitals history. Washington’s record as the home team is 1,000-655-96 with 153 ties in 1,904 games. … The Capitals have killed 12 straight penalties over their past five games. … Washington is 8-1-1 in its past 10 games against Columbus.