Blue Jackets Lose Third Straight in Vancouver
This game was tough for Merzlikins, who allowed the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining—one he will surely want to erase. The Blue Jackets' first line—Dmitri Vorokov, Adam Fantilli, and Kirill Marchenko—stood out as the only effective unit, combining for 8 points, 14 shots, and a plus-3 rating.
In contrast, the second line featuring Miles Wood, Sean Monahan, and Kent Johnson struggled significantly. They recorded no points, only 4 shots, and ended with a minus-6 rating. The Jackets have now dropped their first three games on this five-game road trip.
First Period Highlights
The opening period was a competitive back-and-forth battle, with Vancouver holding a slight edge in scoring chances. Columbus earned its first power play after Lukas Reichel was penalized for hooking Del Bel Belluz. Despite the advantage, the Canucks killed the penalty as Lankinen made key saves to deny Columbus.
Later, Cole Sillinger was called for holding Quinn Hughes with just over three minutes left in the period. Columbus effectively killed this penalty too, as Merzlikins faced no shots during Vancouver’s power play.
Overall, the period was strong for the Blue Jackets, who maintained a high tempo and appeared ready to compete. They led in scoring chances, high-danger opportunities, and advanced puck possession metrics (Fenwick and Corsi), showing promise early in the game.
"It seemed as though they were ready to play, and it showed."
Despite the positive start, the team could not capitalize and fell short as the game progressed.
Author’s summary: The Blue Jackets showed early promise with strong performances from their first line and solid puck possession, but a costly late goal led to a third straight loss on the road.