The Blue Jackets’ preseason is winding down, but they’ve got some ramping up to do.

Despite facing a team that dressed only a handful of NHL veterans, the Blue Jackets struggled defensively in a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Sept. 30 at Nationwide Arena and iced a lineup that may closely resemble what they’ll start the regular season with Oct. 9 in Nashville.

“There were times tonight where we had some good minutes, but obviously there’s some things we want to work on,” captain Boone Jenner said. “I think we’re giving up a little too much right now, more than we’d like.”

The Capitals scored two goals in each of the first two periods and led 4-2 starting the third, when Mathieu Olivier cut it to 4-3 for the Blue Jackets with 7:37 left. Jenner scored the first two Columbus goals on power plays in the second period.

Jet Greaves made 35 saves in net for the Blue Jackets (2-4-0), who have one exhibition game left Oct. 4 in Washington.

Here are three takeaways:

Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason wanted to see his team ‘dialed-in’ with most of the team’s NHL regulars in the lineup, but they looked the opposite for much of the first two periods. Two costly turnovers became easy goals for the Capitals, who didn’t have most of their NHL veterans with them. 

The top defensive pairing in particular, Zach Werenski and Dante Fabbro, had a tough night bobbling pucks and making ill-advised decisions in their own end. Damon Severson, another defenseman, also had an attempted pass deflect into the net off his stick as he slid backward while defending a 2-on-1 rush. 

“What we wanted to see was not playing ‘shinny’ hockey, and we didn’t play ‘shinny’ hockey … but we did play sloppy,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “We basically scored three goals in our net, right? It was just our execution tonight wasn’t there. It was just a little bit sloppy (and) we need to clean (it) up.”

Columbus Blue Jackets sharp on power plays vs. Washington Capitals

One of the good things the Blue Jackets can take from the loss is going 2-for-4 on power plays, leading to both Jenner goals in the second. 

Werenski, operating in his role as quarterback of the top power-play unit, earned two points in the game by assisting on each of Jenner’s goals. Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli also picked up assists on those tallies, as the Blue Jackets generated seven of their 38 shots on man-advantage situations. 

“We want (our power play) to be a difference maker,” Jenner said. “When you get opportunities, you want to give your team some juice and some life, and I think with the personnel we’ve got on it, we can be a really good power play.”

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko ‘banged up’

Kirill Marchenko was the only key Blue Jackets skater who didn’t play against the Capitals. Evason said he’s ‘banged up,’ but the issue isn’t something that’s thought to be a long-term concern. That’s good news for the Blue Jackets, whose top line would have a big void without him.

Yegor Chinakhov skated in Marchenko’s spot on that line with center Sean Monahan and power forward Dmitri Voronkov, and they generated a combined 13 shots between them. Chinakhov and Monahan each finished with -2 plus/minus ratings and were on the ice for the Capitals’ first and fourth goals.

Chinakhov, who requested a trade in the summer, is trying to earn a regular role in a lineup that appears largely set in stone without him as one of the top 12 forwards.

Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social