Should we be concerned after the Capitals' blowout loss to Columbus on Saturday?

The Blue Jackets are putting up a fight as their playoff hopes hang by a thread. On Saturday afternoon, they delivered exactly what was needed, an emphatic 7-0 win over the Washington Capitals at Nationwide Arena to stay in the hunt.

With three goals in both the first and second periods, and rookie Jet Greaves earning his first NHL shutout, the Blue Jackets (37-33-9) cruised to victory, reaching 83 points. The Capitals (50-20-9) were without all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin (healthy scratch) and top defenseman Jakob Chychrun (illness)

The Blue Jackets ensured their playoff hopes didn't end with a loss to the Capitals, who had already locked up the conference's best record and were starting third-string goalie.

Now, should the Capitals' blowout loss to Columbus on Saturday be a concern for fans?

A lot of people are talking about how "flawed" the Washington Capitals have looked as of late, posting a 4-5-1 record in their last 10 games. Although they were missing some important pieces in Saturday's blowout, you can't help but wonder if their recent struggles will carry over into the playoffs.

Instances like this have become increasingly common for the Capitals in recent months, marking a noticeable downward trend. Things didn't start out this way, did they? Have the Capitals been flirting with danger like this all season long?

The Capitals have a team that can regroup and find a way to start games with urgency again. They've shown that they can do it before. But they can't keep counting on their ability to claw back after sluggish starts.

At this stage, every Cup-contending team is bringing that same level of compete from the first puck drop. There's no doubt that Washington has the leadership, talent, and skill to rise to that standard.

We'll have to wait and see who they'll end up playing in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but Saturday's 7-0 blowout loss to Columbus doesn't seem to scare any wild card team that faces a currently fragile Capitals' team.