Tag: Columbus Blue Jackets

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Blue Jackets Eye Roster Stability as Top Lines Solidify and Goalie Battle Looms Ahead of Camp

Blue Jackets Eye Roster Stability as Top Lines Solidify and Goalie Battle Looms Ahead of Camp
Blue Jackets Eye Roster Stability as Top Lines Solidify and Goalie Battle Looms Ahead of Camp

With two months left until training camp, Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell remains open to making roster improvements, though major changes are becoming less likely. After a surprisingly strong finish last season, the Blue Jackets’ current roster, with only modest upgrades, may largely resemble the one that takes the ice on opening night in Nashville on October 9.

The projected top line of Dmitri Voronkov, Sean Monahan, and Kirill Marchenko emerged as one of the NHL’s most effective late last season. Marchenko, now a 30-goal scorer, found instant chemistry with Monahan, whose presence elevated the entire line. However, Voronkov’s position isn’t guaranteed due to past conditioning concerns, and he’ll be challenged to show up in peak form, or risk losing his spot to Yegor Chinakhov or Kent Johnson.

The second line, featuring Boone Jenner, Adam Fantilli, and Kent Johnson, blends veteran stability with rising star potential. Jenner provides faceoff support and physicality, allowing Fantilli to grow into his center role. Fantilli’s late-season scoring surge (28 goals in 61 games) points to a breakout year, while Johnson continues to evolve into a top-tier playmaker with increasing ice time.

Blue Jackets’ Bottom Six Forwards Blend Grit, Depth, Youth, and Unsettled Roster Roles

Yegor Chinakhov, Charlie Coyle, and Cole Sillinger form a potential third line with both upside and depth. Coyle, a new acquisition, brings much-needed reliability at center. Chinakhov’s future remains uncertain due to a trade request, but he could quickly climb the depth chart with strong play. Sillinger shifts from center to wing and remains a versatile piece with 286 games of NHL experience at just 22 years old.

Blue Jackets Eye Roster Stability as Top Lines Solidify and Goalie Battle Looms Ahead of Camp
Blue Jackets Eye Roster Stability as Top Lines Solidify and Goalie Battle Looms Ahead of Camp

A revamped fourth line includes Miles Wood, Isac Lundestrom, and enforcer Mathieu Olivier. Wood seeks a bounce-back season after an injury-plagued campaign, while Olivier adds muscle and a surprising scoring touch (18 goals last season). Lundestrom, a low-key but steady center, rounds out the trio, bringing balance to a line that will likely play a physical, energy-based role.

Zach Aston-Reese, who extended his contract early last year, could challenge Wood for a spot, showcasing the club’s forward depth. Mykael Pyyhtiä, still a restricted free agent, is negotiating for a potential one-way deal, indicating the club values roster flexibility and competition for bottom-line roles.

Blue Jackets’ Defensive Pairings Take Shape, Goalie Battle Set to Define Season

Zach Werenski headlines the defense after a career-best year (82 points, Norris Trophy runner-up). Partnered with Dante Fabbro—claimed off waivers from Nashville—the pair quickly developed chemistry and stability. Fabbro’s breakout performance has solidified a once-unsettled top pairing, and their synergy has allowed the Blue Jackets to control possession and limit defensive zone time.

The second defensive pair features promising youngster Denton Mateychuk and veteran Ivan Provorov, who recently signed a seven-year extension. Mateychuk impressed late last season with his mature, responsible play, and expectations are high for more offensive involvement. Their pairing contributed to the team’s significantly better performance when both were in the lineup, further reinforcing their importance.

Damon Severson and Erik Gudbranson make up the third pairing. Severson has underwhelmed through two seasons despite his expensive contract, making improvement critical. Gudbranson adds toughness and penalty killing, but is limited with the puck. The pressure will be on Severson to stabilize this pairing and regain form. Jake Christiansen could challenge for minutes if Severson falters.

The crease battle between Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins will be closely watched. Greaves was stellar in limited action last season, helping the Blue Jackets push for a playoff spot, and may be given a true shot at the No. 1 role. Merzlikins, though talented, has struggled with consistency and on-ice composure. Coach Dean Evason supports Merzlikins, but questions linger about how he’ll respond if Greaves wins the job.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Cole Sillinger scores in overtime to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets past the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Columbus

Columbus Blue Jackets and Vegas Golden Knights

Cole Sillinger scored 52 seconds into overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Kent Johnson stole the puck from Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and went on a breakaway but was stopped by goalie Ilya Samsonov. Zach Werenski followed up with a rebound attempt that hit Samsonov’s pads and went to Sillinger, who put the puck into an empty part of the net.

Adam Fantilli also scored for Columbus, helping the team move past the Boston Bruins into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Elvis Merzlikins made 25 saves for the Blue Jackets, who won three of their last four games.

Tomas Hertl scored for Vegas, which stayed tied with Edmonton for first place in the Pacific Division. Samsonov made 22 saves on 24 shots.

Vegas led 1-0 early in the first period when Hertl’s wrist shot from the left circle beat Merzlikins. This was Hertl’s 20th goal of the season, extending his point streak to 11 games (nine goals, six assists), just one short of the team record set by Jack Eichel in 2023-24.

Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)

Columbus tied it late in the first when Dmitri Voronkov knocked the puck away from under Samsonov’s pad. The puck slid across the crease, where Fantilli pushed it in off the skate of Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague for his eighth goal in 12 games.

Vegas thought they had taken the lead late in the second period, but Ivan Barbashev’s rebound was waved off for goaltender interference after Eichel collided with Merzlikins.

Both teams had chances to win in the third period. Kirill Marchenko of Columbus had a backhand shot hit the crossbar with 7:39 left, and Shea Theodore of Vegas saw a shot clang off the crossbar with 2:36 remaining.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Igor Shesterkin Leads Rangers to 1-0 Shootout Victory Over Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Igor Shesterkin’s stellar performance in goal guided the New York Rangers to a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. He made 27 saves throughout the game and was flawless in the shootout, stopping all three Blue Jackets shooters, including Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, and Kirill Marchenko. The lone goal of the game came from Vincent Trocheck in the second round of the shootout, securing the Rangers’ win. This victory marked the Rangers’ second consecutive win, extending their strong form.

Rangers’ Strong Defensive Play and Shesterkin’s Shutout

Shesterkin’s shutout was his first since the season opener on October 9, and it was a testament to the Rangers’ improved defense. The goalie’s solid play, coupled with the defensive unit’s efforts, held the Blue Jackets scoreless throughout the game. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette praised Shesterkin for his consistency, noting that goaltending was crucial in maintaining the team’s competitive edge. Despite being outshot in the first period, the Rangers managed to regain control, with Shesterkin playing a key role in ensuring the game remained scoreless through regulation.

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Although the Rangers were outshot 15-4 in the first period, they adjusted their play and began to dominate the shot count, outshooting the Blue Jackets 22-12 over the final two periods. Laviolette highlighted the team’s resilience after a shaky start, and the Rangers’ defense tightened up significantly after the first period. Shesterkin was particularly sharp, making important saves like stopping Cole Sillinger’s redirect early in the game and Chris Kreider’s power-play deflection in the first period. These key stops kept the Blue Jackets from capitalizing on early opportunities.

Blue Jackets’ Strong Defensive Effort in Loss

Despite the loss, the Blue Jackets were not without their own moments of excellence. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 26 saves, including critical stops on Mika Zibanejad’s breakaways in overtime. Head coach Dean Evason acknowledged the strong play from both teams, noting that while the game wasn’t filled with high-scoring action, the effort and patience were evident. The Blue Jackets were able to stay composed and minimize mistakes, but in the end, they couldn’t find a way past Shesterkin or capitalize on their chances, especially during the shootout.

The game moved into a tense shootout after neither team could break the deadlock in regulation or overtime. Trocheck’s goal in the second round, after Tarasov left the blocker side open, was enough to secure the win for New York. Shesterkin continued his excellence, stopping Fantilli and Marchenko to seal the victory. Trocheck reflected on his decision to target the blocker side, which proved to be the game-winning strategy. Shesterkin’s save on Marchenko in the shootout was a crucial moment, as his sharp anticipation sealed the Rangers’ hard-fought victory.

Categories
NFL (American Football)

Rangers Win 1-0 in Shootout Against Blue Jackets in New York

Trocheck scores the game-winning goal in a shootout victory over the Blue Jackets

Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves and stopped all three Columbus Blue Jackets shooters in the shootout to help the New York Rangers secure a 1-0 victory at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

“We played awesome,” Shesterkin said about the Rangers’ defensive play.

This was Shesterkin’s first shutout since the season opener on October 9. He had allowed nine goals in five games since returning from an upper-body injury that had kept him out for four games.

Shesterkin successfully stopped Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, and Kirill Marchenko in the shootout.

The only goal of the shootout came from Vincent Trocheck, who scored in the second round.

The Rangers (22-20-3) have now won two consecutive games, four of their last five, and earned points in seven straight (5-0-2).

“Goaltending is huge,” said Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. “From a 5-on-5 standpoint, a penalty kill standpoint, from the confidence of your team, you play a game when you can get 0-0 to overtime you know he’s done his job. He’s played really well for us, and we need that. We’re in a position where we’ve got to win games, win points. He had to be sharp with his game tonight because we weren’t able to get the run support he needed to get out ahead.”

Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov made 26 saves, including two key stops on Mika Zibanejad during overtime breakaways. Zibanejad was stopped at 1:25 and again with 17 seconds left in overtime. Despite Tarasov’s performance, the Blue Jackets (22-17-4) lost their first game since January 2, ending their six-game winning streak.

“It was a great hockey game,” said Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason. “Both teams played hard. It might not have been exciting as far as scoring goals, but the effort was there by both teams, the desperation was there by both teams, the patience. I really liked how our hockey club stayed within ourselves.

We didn’t panic, didn’t open it up. We gave up some stuff, but we got some stuff as well. Just comes down to a shootout and they find one, we don’t.”

Laviolette mentioned that the Rangers weren’t happy with how they played in the first period, where they were outshot 15-4. However, they outshot the Blue Jackets 22-12 over the rest of the game.

“The first period for me was a little bit off, probably gave up eight or nine chances,” said Laviolette, “and then maybe didn’t give up eight or nine for the rest of the game.”

Shesterkin makes 27 saves for the shutout win over the Blue Jackets

Both teams had chances, but neither could score during the first two periods, which ended with a combined 35 shots on goal (20-15 in favor of the Blue Jackets). The third period saw just 10 shots between the teams (6-4 for New York).

Mikael Pyyhtia had a good opportunity late in the second period on a semi-breakaway, but Reilly Smith made a strong defensive play to prevent a scoring chance by stripping the puck away from Pyyhtia.

Smith later helped set up Adam Fox for a tip-in attempt, but Tarasov was able to make a save and cover the puck at 14:25 of the second period.

Earlier in the second, K’Andre Miller had a great chance from the slot after a rebound off Zibanejad’s shot, but Tarasov was quick to make the save at 4:19.

In the first period, Shesterkin made a great save on Cole Sillinger, stopping his redirect with a quick pad save at 4:40.

Chris Kreider also had a chance on a power play at 11:14, but he deflected Fox’s wrist shot off the right post.

“They’ve got skilled guys that are going to get chances, but after the first 10 [minutes] we settled in, had some looks ourselves,” Fox said. “Sometimes a boring game instead of a track meet is good. We did a good job of that today.”

Tarasov’s saves on Zibanejad’s breakaways in overtime kept the game tied and forced a shootout.

“He made some great saves on the breakaways that we gave up, that we’ve got to obviously look after a little bit,” said Evason. “He played a strong game, and I think everybody was committed in front of him as well.”

When the game moved to the shootout, Shesterkin remained solid, while Trocheck managed to score. Trocheck explained, “I was just going down to see what I can do,” and took the shot when he saw the blocker side open.

Shesterkin then stopped Fantilli after Trocheck scored and sealed the win by stopping Marchenko in the third round.

“I just saw he did a step right and I know righty players like to do high glove,” Shesterkin said, “but the puck a little bit jumped in front of his stick, and I took the chance.”

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

In Detroit, the Red Wings’ young stars deliver a dominant NHL win

Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

Jonatan Berggren scored the winning goal with just 36 seconds left in the third period to give the Detroit Red Wings a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.

Tyler Motte pushed a loose puck to Berggren, who broke away and scored just five seconds after leaving the penalty box following a Columbus power play.

Berggren had been serving a delay of game penalty for the Red Wings after they unsuccessfully challenged a goal by James van Riemsdyk, which tied the game 4-4 at 17:19.

“Ben (Chiarot) made a huge block and then it landed perfect on Motte’s stick. He saw me and I tried to score,” Berggren said. “When you’re sitting in the penalty box you kind of hope it comes like that. This time it was lucky.”

Alex DeBrincat contributed a goal and two assists, while Patrick Kane and Dylan Larkin each had a goal and an assist. Erik Gustafsson also scored for the Red Wings (16-18-4), who have now won three games in a row after a four-game losing streak. Cam Talbot made 21 saves.

Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

“The finish is what we were looking for, not necessarily the road map we had to get there, but we said we’d find out a little bit about our team,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “Found out that there’s some resiliency in the group.”

Van Riemsdyk had two goals and an assist, while Zach Werenski scored and added two assists, extending his home point streak to 14 games. Sean Monahan also scored for the Blue Jackets (16-17-6), who had won three out of four games. Elvis Merzlikins made 21 saves.

“There’s a lot of stuff we could have done better to put ourselves in a position to not have it come down to the end like that,” Werenski said. “I think if we start better, get to our game better, it’s probably a different story at the end. I think that’s the main thing — playing the full 60 minutes — and I don’t think we did that tonight.”

Van Riemsdyk gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 2:42 of the first period on a power play, tipping a shot from Cole Sillinger.

Kane tied the game 1-1 at 6:55 by poking the puck in after Merzlikins couldn’t handle a shot from DeBrincat in the slot. The Blue Jackets couldn’t clear the rebound. Kane extended his goal streak to three games.

Gustafsson put the Red Wings ahead 2-1 at 14:39 with a shot from the left point that hit the post and went in for his first goal of the season, ending a 42-game goal drought since March 11, 2024.

DeBrincat then scored a power play goal just seven seconds into a man advantage at 17:09, making it 3-1.

Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

DeBrincat said there’s been a positive feeling since McLellan became the coach on Dec. 26. “I think there’s no quit,” DeBrincat said. “We give up that late goal, and our PK does a great job, and obviously [Berggren] scores after that.

“We’re not getting down on the bench when we have a momentum swing. We just keep working to get that momentum back and it’s been going well for us.”

Werenski made it 3-2 at 11:09 of the second period after Fantilli won the draw in the left face-off circle, passing it to him for a shot from the high slot.

Monahan tied the game 3-3 at 18:40 by converting a backhand pass from van Riemsdyk in the right corner.

Larkin gave the Red Wings a 4-3 lead with a power-play goal at 4:54 of the third period off a centering pass from DeBrincat.

Van Riemsdyk’s second goal seemed to set up the Blue Jackets for overtime, but Berggren scored in the final minute to win the game for Detroit.

“I’d love to be sitting here with at least a point and have the opportunity,” Columbus coach Dean Evason said. “We made a mistake at the end. It’s fine. We’ll learn from it, and we’ll go forward.”

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Jonatan Berggren’s late goal lifts Red Wings to a win over Columbus in Detroit

Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets

Jonatan Berggren’s breakaway goal with 36 seconds left broke a tie and gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

Alex DeBrincat scored a goal and had two assists, Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist, and defenseman Erik Gustafsson also scored for Detroit. The Red Wings won their third straight game under new coach Todd McLellan, who is 3-1 since replacing Derek Lalonde. Cam Talbot made 21 saves.

James van Riemsdyk scored two goals and had an assist, defenseman Zach Werenski had one goal and two assists, and Sean Monahan scored once for Columbus. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 21 shots in goal.

Berggren’s game-winning goal came after he exited the penalty box and received a pass from Tyler Motte. This followed a blocked shot by Detroit’s Ben Chiarot on Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov.

Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

Berggren had been serving a delay of game penalty after McLellan challenged van Riemsdyk’s tying goal with 2:41 left, but lost the challenge. Van Riemsdyk had poked in a loose puck that was behind Talbot.

Larkin gave Detroit a 4-3 lead with a power-play goal 4:54 into the third period. He scored from in front of the net after a pass from DeBrincat.

Columbus tied the game 3-3 with two goals in the second period.

Werenski scored with a screened shot from the left circle with 8:51 left in the second period, and Monahan tied it with 1:20 remaining in the middle period when he tapped in a back-door pass from van Riemsdyk into an open net.

Detroit led 3-1 after the first period.

Columbus took a 1-0 lead 2:42 into the game on a van Riemsdyk power-play goal. Kane tied it for Detroit at 6:55. Gustafsson gave the Red Wings the lead with 5:21 left in the first period, and DeBrincat scored a power-play goal 2:30 later.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Red Wings look to extend their momentum in road game against Blue Jackets

Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

The coaching change to Todd McLellan is proving successful for the Detroit Red Wings as they prepare for Thursday night’s road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Red Wings have won two of their last three games, including back-to-back victories since McLellan took over from Derek Lalonde on Dec. 26. Detroit won 4-2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, giving McLellan his 600th career win as a coach.

“It was more about this group than it is about me,” McLellan said after the win. “There are so many excited guys in there and happy guys right now. Just the whole mood is different than when we started, and that means more than the 600. Some of those guys weren’t even alive (when McLellan started his career), so it doesn’t matter to them.”

J.T. Compher broke a 2-2 tie with a goal at 5:34 left, and Dylan Larkin added an empty-net goal. Jonatan Berggren and Patrick Kane also scored, and Alex Lyon made 23 saves.

McLellan has said that NHL games are often decided by the first team to reach three goals, giving them a strong chance of winning.

“I definitely think he’s right,” Lyon said about McLellan’s theory. “But there’s a process. Getting that first one tonight is massive, and if you can put one on the board, it creates a huge advantage. That’s the recipe in this league — you have to score and be smart and play the game the right way.”

Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Berggren gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead 7:52 into the game.

“A fine line of attacking, but still playing smart at the same time,” Lyon said.

The Blue Jackets have won three of their last four games, including a 4-3 shootout victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Columbus on Tuesday.

Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli scored in the shootout, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped two of the four Hurricanes shooters.

“It’s a great result,” said Kirill Marchenko. “I think everybody wants to win (in) three periods, but it’s a great win. Great comeback and gives confidence for us, like everybody play hard today, and it’s awesome. Everybody enjoyed today.”

Dmitri Voronkov tied the game 3-3 with 15:02 left in the third period after assisting on an earlier goal. Marchenko scored twice, Sean Monahan added three assists, and Merzlikins stopped 32 shots.

“Wonderful sign, obviously, moving forward, that we’ve handled adversity up to this point, and now you’re going to have to handle a lot more, right?” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said.

“But to do it against a team like Carolina, which is so good, and to put so much heat on us — we didn’t handle it in some areas, but at the end of the day, we get the job done. And, yeah, we were resilient. We stayed the course.”

Defenseman Zach Werenski had an assist, extending his home point streak to 13 games.

“Any team in this league can win on any night, but I think our mindset is to come in, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing or what the situation is. We’re going out there trying to get two points,” Monahan said.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Blue Jackets edge Hurricanes in shootout victory

Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes

Adam Fantilli scored the winning goal in a shootout as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Fantilli scored in the fourth round of the shootout, beating Pyotr Kochetkov five-hole, helping the Blue Jackets improve to 4-1-1 in their last six games.

Kirill Marchenko scored twice, Dmitri Voronkov added a goal and an assist, and Sean Monahan had three assists for Columbus. Elvis Merzlikins made 32 saves, earning his third win in his last four starts (3-0-1).

Ty Smith, Jack Roslovic, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored for Carolina, which dropped to 2-3-1 in its last six games. Sebastian Aho had two assists, and Kochetkov made 25 saves.

Carolina outshot Columbus 15-10 in the first period, but the Blue Jackets led 2-1 after 20 minutes.

Marchenko opened the scoring at 4:48 of the first, putting a Monahan pass past Kochetkov. Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk earned his first career point with the secondary assist.

Carolina tied the game on a power play when Smith’s shot from the point deflected off Ivan Provorov and past Merzlikins at 9:59.

Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Columbus regained the lead at 15:43 when Marchenko scored again, taking advantage of an out-of-position Kochetkov, who had been run over by Brent Burns. Marchenko now has six goals and nine assists in his last nine games.

Roslovic tied it at 2-2 at 5:47 of the second, tapping in a pass from Seth Jarvis for his team-leading 17th goal.

Carolina took a 3-2 lead at 8:18 of the second when Kotkaniemi backhanded a shot past Merzlikins on the glove side.

Voronkov tied the game 3-3 on a power play at 4:58 of the third, as his cross-ice pass deflected off Jarvis’ skate and into the net.

Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere missed his second game due to an upper-body injury.

This was the third of four meetings between the two teams, with Carolina’s record now at 1-0-2 in those games. Columbus will visit Carolina on January 23 to finish the season series.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets in Bruins’ 4-0 Win, Pastrnak Adds Breakaway Goal

Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets in Bruins’ 4-0 Win, Pastrnak Adds Breakaway Goal
Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets in Bruins’ 4-0 Win, Pastrnak Adds Breakaway Goal

The Boston Bruins secured a decisive 4-0 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, with Jeremy Swayman delivering a stellar performance in goal, stopping all 18 shots for his second shutout of the season. David Pastrnak led the offense with a highlight-worthy breakaway goal, while Morgan Geekie, Justin Brazeau, and Cole Koepke also found the back of the net. This win allowed the Bruins to bounce back from a tough loss the night before, splitting the home-and-home series with Columbus.

The Bruins demonstrated their resilience and strong form, securing their fifth win in seven games. Swayman’s recent performances have been a cornerstone for Boston’s success, as he improved to 7-1-1 over his last nine starts. On the defensive side, the team rallied after a scare when Charlie McAvoy took a hard hit that sent him to the locker room briefly before he returned to the ice, underscoring Boston’s grit.

Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets in Bruins’ 4-0 Win, Pastrnak Adds Breakaway Goal
Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets in Bruins’ 4-0 Win, Pastrnak Adds Breakaway Goal

David Pastrnak’s goal came at a crucial moment in the game, increasing the Bruins’ lead to 3-0 in the second period. Taking a pass from Morgan Geekie at center ice, Pastrnak broke in alone and skillfully beat Columbus goalie Daniil Tarasov with a precise wrist shot. Geekie’s earlier unassisted goal, capitalizing on a Columbus defensive mistake, had already set the tone for Boston, giving them a 2-0 advantage and firm control of the game.

Columbus, despite entering the game with momentum from three wins in four games, struggled to generate offense against Boston’s tight defense. Their power play, which had been a strength in their lopsided win on Friday, was ineffective, managing only one shot on goal during a critical four-minute opportunity in the second period. This marked a stark contrast to their prior success, where they had gone 3-for-3 on the power play.

Looking ahead, the Blue Jackets will aim to regroup as they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, while the Bruins travel to Washington to face the Capitals. Boston’s defensive discipline and timely scoring will be key to sustaining their strong form under interim coach Joe Sacco, who has guided the team to a 12-5-1 record since taking over.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets 4-0 as Bruins Bounce Back with Strong Team Effort

Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets 4-0 as Bruins Bounce Back with Strong Team Effort
Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets 4-0 as Bruins Bounce Back with Strong Team Effort

Jeremy Swayman led the Boston Bruins to a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, recording 18 saves for his second shutout of the season and 14th of his NHL career. Swayman credited the strong team effort, highlighting the support from the defense and forwards, which contributed to the feel-good win. The Bruins bounced back from a 6-2 loss to Columbus the night before, improving to 5-1-1 in their past seven games. Bruins head coach Joe Sacco praised his team’s commitment and professionalism, noting the solid defensive play and shot-blocking efforts even late in the game.

Morgan Geekie was a key contributor, registering a goal and an assist in the win, while Justin Brazeau, David Pastrnak, and Cole Koepke also found the back of the net for Boston. Despite the loss, Columbus had their four-game point streak snapped, with goaltender Daniil Tarasov making 24 saves in his first start since December 5. Columbus forward Mathieu Olivier acknowledged that while their road game wasn’t bad, mistakes led to goals, especially after the Blue Jackets gave up several turnovers that the Bruins capitalized on.

Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets 4-0 as Bruins Bounce Back with Strong Team Effort
Swayman Shuts Out Blue Jackets 4-0 as Bruins Bounce Back with Strong Team Effort

The game’s scoring began early with Brazeau putting the Bruins ahead 1-0 just 2:29 into the first period. He converted a rebound off a shot by Brandon Carlo. The Bruins extended their lead in the second period, with Geekie scoring at 6:29. He capitalized on a turnover by Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson, firing a wrist shot past Tarasov from the left circle to make it 2-0. Geekie’s goal came after Severson’s blind puck clearance left the slot open.

The Bruins’ lead increased to 3-0 at 8:18 of the second period when Pastrnak scored on a breakaway, taking advantage of another Columbus turnover. The Blue Jackets continued to struggle with puck management, as defenseman Dante Fabbro admitted mistakes on several goals, including one he directly contributed to by turning over the puck at the blue line. Koepke sealed the win with a 4-0 goal at 6:06 of the third period, scoring on a wrist shot after collecting a loose puck in the neutral zone and beating Tarasov on a rush.

In addition to the win, the Bruins saw the NHL debut of forward Fabian Lysell, who was recalled from the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Lysell was on the ice for the first goal of the game and played 11:32 in total, finishing with a plus-1 rating. Sacco was pleased with Lysell’s performance, noting that he played responsibly without the puck and showed composure in his first game. The balanced team effort, with contributions from all lines and defensive players, helped the Bruins execute their game plan and maintain control throughout the contest.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Blue Jackets aim for back-to-back wins over Bruins in home-and-home series

Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to stay on a roll and complete a three-game season sweep when they visit the Boston Bruins on Saturday for the second game of a home-and-home series.

The Blue Jackets won 6-2 at home on Friday, marking their second straight win and extending their point streak to four games (3-0-1). They have outscored the Bruins 11-3 in the first two meetings.

“I think we were excited to get back to play after the break,” said Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan, referring to the team’s three-day Christmas break. “Guys were moving the puck well, and we were finding the back of the net. We’ve got to keep that up and be consistent with that.”

The key to consistency will be building on their strong performance in the rematch. Four Blue Jackets players had multiple points, and a four-goal second period was the difference on Friday.

With a one-goal, two-assist effort, Kirill Marchenko extended his point streak to seven games (four goals, nine assists). He has been strong on a line with Dmitri Voronkov and Monahan, who both scored twice.

“They’re the line that drives our team,” said defenseman Zach Werenski, who had four assists.

The Blue Jackets have already won in Boston, taking a 5-1 victory on Nov. 18. The following morning, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery was fired and replaced by interim coach Joe Sacco, who has since posted an 11-5-1 record.

Columbus has struggled on the road with a 4-11-3 record, compared to 11-4-3 at home.

“We have to be better on the road if we’re going to get to where we want to go,” said Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason. “(Friday’s) game has to roll into (Saturday).”

Boston is currently on a five-game home winning streak.

Boston Bruins (NHL)

The Bruins’ recent five-game point streak (4-0-1) came to an end with Friday’s loss, which followed a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Monday.

Charlie Coyle scored for the third straight game, and captain Brad Marchand recorded an assist, extending his point streak to 11 games (seven goals, seven assists). Despite Sacco’s success, the Bruins are still showing inconsistent play.

“The three-day break didn’t have as much toll on them as it did on us,” said Sacco. “We just have to be better, all of us.”

Boston’s penalty kill has struggled recently, killing only 14 of 24 power plays (58.3 percent) over the last nine games. Earlier in the season, the Bruins had a 71.4 percent penalty kill rate.

Before Friday’s 3-for-3 power-play performance, the Blue Jackets had not scored more than once on the power-play in a game all season. Boston’s second-period issues also came from losing key battles.

“You can’t win many games when you’re being outworked like that,” Coyle said. “That’s embarrassing.” For the Bruins, responding quickly on home ice will be crucial.

“We didn’t play up to our standards (on Friday). I certainly didn’t play up to mine,” said Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy. “The best part of this league is you get to turn a new leaf every single day. So, we’re going to leave this one here and we get a chance to get it right (Saturday).”

Before this season, the Bruins had only lost once in their previous nine matchups with the Blue Jackets.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Blue Jackets dominate Bruins in opening game of home-and-home series

Columbus Blue Jackets and Boston Bruins

The Columbus Blue Jackets dominated the Boston Bruins with a 6-2 win in the first game of their home-and-home series on Friday night, thanks to a strong four-goal second period. They went 3-for-3 on the power play.

Dmitri Voronkov scored twice and added an assist, all in the second period, while Sean Monahan also netted two goals. Columbus scored three times in just 2:47 to break a 1-1 tie after the first period.

Kirill Marchenko had a goal and two assists, extending his point streak to seven games. Adam Fantilli also scored, and Zach Werenski had a career-high four assists. Elvis Merzlikins made 23 saves, helping the Blue Jackets improve to 3-0-1 in their last four games.

For the Bruins, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle each scored, and Joonas Korpisalo made 27 saves in the loss. The Bruins had been unbeaten in their last five games (4-0-1).

Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets

Fantilli started the Blue Jackets’ scoring burst in the second period, getting a pass from Voronkov and scoring at 7:00. They went up 3-1 at 8:13 when Monahan scored after a rebound from Dante Fabbro’s shot.

Voronkov then scored two power-play goals. The first came at 9:47, finishing a pass from Kent Johnson, and the second came with 45.7 seconds left in the period, tapping in a shot from Marchenko to make it 5-1.

Marchenko scored early in the third period, converting a rebound into a 6-1 lead. Monahan added another power-play goal at 11:29.

The Bruins tied the game at 1-1 in the first period when Zacha scored from a pass by David Pastrnak after a turnover behind the net.