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Injuries, controversial goal give Columbus Blue Jackets stinging loss: 3 takeaways
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- Injuries, controversial goal give Columbus Blue Jackets stinging loss: 3 takeaways
They put up a fight, but the Blue Jackets' winning streak ended at three games Sunday night in a stinging 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.
More: Dallas Stars' tipping point ends Columbus Blue Jackets' three-game win streak
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Cole Sillinger , Adam Fantilli and Ivan Provorov scored goals in the first two periods to make it 3-3 starting the third, but injuries to Kirill Marchenko (broken jaw) and Dante Fabbro (upper body) plus a controversial goal by Stars forward Evgenii Dadaonov made the difference for Dallas. The Blue Jackets (26-20-7) are 2-1-0 in the first three games of a four game road trip and play the finale Tuesday in Buffalo.
Here are three takeaways:
Feb 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) turns aside a shot as defenseman Denton Mateychuk (5) and center Adam Fantilli (19) and Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque (22) look on during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Columbus Blue Jackets own second wild card after loss to Dallas Stars
Despite losing in regulation, the Blue Jackets still hold the second wild card in the Eastern Conference . They're 26-10-7 with 59 points and have their current postseason slot by one point over the Tampa Bay Lightning (27-20-4), who were off Sunday.
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The Boston Bruins (58 points) were also idle, while the New York Rangers moved within five points of the Blue Jackets with a victory over the Vegas Golden Knights . None of those teams, including the Blue Jackets, are slated to play Monday. The Jackets, Red Wings , Lightning and Bruins all play games Tuesday.
Feb 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Evgenii Dadonov (63) skates off the ice after scoring his second goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dallas Stars receive favorable NHL ruling on controversial winning goal against Columbus Blue Jackets
The NHL loves to hand out fines to those under the league's control who complain about lousy officiating. Make no mistake here. The officiating crew led by referees Gord Dwyer and Mitch Dunning were lousy Sunday night in Dallas.
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After missing two penalties in which the Stars blatantly hauled down Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson in the second and third periods — including one inside the Columbus zone seconds before Dallas scored a tying goal — the game's two refs outdid themselves on Dadonov 's first of two goals in the third.
Dadonov wound up scoring a second goal that took away some of the angst attached to his first, which broke a 3-3 tie, but it didn't erase the controversy entirely. Dadonov made it 4-3 by tipping a shot from the point past goalie Elvis Merzlikins , who immediately signaled that he felt the Stars forward tipped the puck above the crossbar. Video replays on FanDuel Sports Network appeared to show Dadonov's stick shaft, near the heel, redirect the puck a few inches above the crossbar.
The league's official review, however, saw it differently. The NHL's situation room in Toronto upheld the goal instead, which incensed Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason on the bench. In a release about its decision, the situation room said it was determined that Dadonov's stick touched the puck, "at or beneath the crossbar," which adheres to the exact wording of rule 37.5 of the league's rulebook.
If the NHL has a different camera angle than what was shown on the broadcasts, it should make that view readily available to the public. The angle that's currently out for public consumption sure appears to show they got the decision wrong. Even Dadonov appeared to agree after tipping it. He didn't even celebrate as Merzlikins pointed out to the nearest ref that it was touched above the crossbar.
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Hockey players celebrate every single goal they score, even during practice. Dadonov's reaction spoke volumes.
Here are the Columbus Blue Jackets options without Dante Fabbro, Kirill Marchenko
Fabbro was injured late in the first period when elbowed in the face by Stars forward Mason Marchment , who wasn't penalized for the action. Fabbro was penalized a short while later for tripping and served the first 1:10 of the minor infraction to conclude the period. He didn't return for the start of the second and was pronounced out for the game with an upper-body injury that's believed to be a concussion.
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Following the game, Evason told traveling writers in Dallas that Fabbro was expected to miss "some time," with the undisclosed injury. That usually means at least a game or two, so the Blue Jackets will likely play without him Tuesday in Buffalo. Assuming that's the case, look for either Jack Johnson or Jordan Harris to draw back into the lineup on the blue line. It will be interesting to see who moves up to take Fabbro's spot as Zach Werenski 's partner on the top defense pairing.
Damon Severson , a right-handed shooter, started the season there before consistency issues sent him to the right side of the third pairing. Ivan Provorov, a lefty, also logged time as Werenski's partner before Fabbro was claimed off waivers in November. Should Provorov move up, Severson could play on the second pairing with rookie Denton Mateychuk while Johnson or Harris skates with Jake Christiansen on the third pairing.
Marchenko could be out for weeks after sustaining a fractured jaw while struck in the face on the bench in Dallas. Kevin Labanc could return to the lineup to keep a 12-forward look, but Evason could also dress Johnson and Harris in a lineup with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Sabres.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Injuries, controversial goal sting Columbus Blue Jackets: 3 takeaways
