The capital city team is not used to losing at the moment, and has believed in the top of the NHL for a while. But when Columbus came to visit on Monday night, the match picture became unusual.
Gustav Nyquist played until Cam Atkinsons 1-0 for the visitors in the first period, and Ryan Murray diluted the lead in the second.
Only in the third period did Washington get its first puck in goal. Bäckström, who made a comeback after eight matches' absence, played until Alexander Ovetjkin's 21st hit for the season.
But then Columbus extended the lead with two more goals, of which Alexander Wennberg got an assist for the first.
Bäckström was responsible for the last attempt to turn the game around, with Washington's second reduction goal. But then it was only two minutes left, and seconds later Atkinson in Columbus with his second goal of the evening could nail the final result.
Even the table-borne Boston fell for the sake of unusualness on Monday. Anders Nilsson in the Ottawa goal with 38 saves got a lot of the honor for the stable victory with 5-2.