Story by
Kirill Marchenko, Zach Werenski, Elvis Merzlikins help Columbus Blue Jackets top Kings
- Story by
- Kirill Marchenko, Zach Werenski, Elvis Merzlikins help Columbus Blue Jackets top Kings
The Blue Jackets had no business defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime on Saturday at Nationwide Arena, but they did.
They were outshot, didn't have the puck most of the night, allowed the Kings to score a 6-on-5 tying goal with 1:05 left in the third period and spent most of the evening pinned inside their own blue line. That's no way to traverse the NHL landscape successfully, but the Blue Jackets (24-19-7) are somehow making it work while a handful of lineup regulars are out long-term .
Advertisement
They won their fifth straight game at home because of skill, defensive plays in their own zone, an impressive ability to counterpunch, goalie Elvis Merzlikins (31 saves), a growing confidence level and another memorable goal by Kirill Marchenko 3:45 into overtime.
"I think you can see the makeup of our team and how much each individual cares," defenseman Dante Fabbro said. "When the going gets tough, I think a big part of our character now as a team is we push back. It's really cool to see. I've been in the league for a little bit now, and it doesn't happen often when you get a feeling like this in a locker room."
Here are five takeaways:
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro (15) celebrates with center Luca Del Bel Belluz (65) after Fabbro scored in the third period of the game at Nationwide Arena on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets keep clinging to a playoff spot
Nine teams are separated by seven points in a tight race for the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference, and for now the Blue Jackets have the second one at 55 points through 50 games. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in the first wild card with 55 points in 48 games, while the Ottawa Senators (54 points), Montreal Canadiens (53 points), New York Rangers (52 points), Detroit Red Wings (51 points) and Philadelphia Flyers (50 points) are all within five points of the East's final two postseason slots.
Advertisement
"Every game means a lot to us," Fabbro said. "It's tight. Each and every night, we're focused on those two points and we're not looking ahead. We're looking right in front of us in the present, and that's all that matters for us."
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (86) reacts after scoring a goal in overtime against the Los Angeles Kings at Nationwide Arena on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Kirill Marchenko goes 'Russian Bobby Orr' to deliver Columbus Blue Jackets another victory
Getting the puck from Ivan Provorov in the neutral zone, Marchenko carried it into the Kings' zone for his winning goal during 3-on-3 play in overtime. Spotting Kevin Fiala , a forward gliding into a backward retreat, Marchenko aggressively dragged the puck to the outside for a take to the net.
Advertisement
He slid the puck under Fiala's stick, past a poke check by Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper and then, while airborne, tucked it into the net on the far side to win the game with his 20thgoal of the season. It was a remarkable effort, a beautiful goal and a little reminiscent of Bobby Orr's famous goal to clinch the Stanley Cup in overtime on March 10, 1970 for the Boston Bruins .
Orr cut right to left in front of the net for his goal, which carried just a tad more historical significance. Marchenko's goal made him the first player in Blue Jackets history to score at least 20 goals in his first three NHL seasons with the team and kept the Jackets in a playoff spot prior to a four-day stretch prior to leaving on a four-game road trip.
"That looked like Bobby Orr there," Merzlikins said, smiling. "The Russian Bobby Orr. That was awesome."
Zach Werenski extends record home point streak
All Zach Werenski does at Nationwide Arena is rack up points .
Advertisement
Against the Kings, his 16th goal and 54th point of the season opened the scoring 9:24 into the game and extended his franchise record home point streak to 19 straight games. Werenski is now tied with former Buffalo Sabres defenseman John Van Boxmeer for the fifth-longest home point streak by a defenseman in NHL history.
He's also tied with Colorado 's Cale Makar for most goals by a defenseman this season and Vancouver 's Quinn Hughes for most points (54) among NHL blue-liners. Much like the Jackets' playoff race, those three may take those scoring competitions to the wire. All three are also chasing the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's top defenseman as determined by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.
"He doesn't cheat the game at all," Fabbro said. "He plays the game the right way, every single game, so for myself and my teammates, it doesn't shock us at all. He's easily one of the best defensemen in this league and he's definitely in that Norris conversation, for sure."
Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) skates with the puck against the Los Angeles Kings in the first period of the game at Nationwide Arena on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets' Kirill Marchenko, Adam Fantilli set ice-time highs
Knowing the Blue Jackets wouldn't practice again until Tuesday, coach Dean Evason double-shifted Marchenko on the first and fourth forward lines against the Kings while utilizing a lineup with just 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Advertisement
Marchenko set his NHL career-high in ice time with 25:36 against the Kings, which included "locking eyes" with Evason in OT to gain his final shift to score the winner. Marchenko's ice time wasn't even the highest number on his main forward line, though. Adam Fantilli, a second-year center who's centering the Jackets' top line without Sean Monahan (wrist), logged 25:58 for his new NHL high.
Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro (15) celebrates with forwards Luca Del Bel Belluz (65) and Kent Johnson (91) after Fabbro scored against the Kings on Jan. 25.
Columbus Blue Jackets are counter-punchers
The Blue Jackets improved to 6-2-1 since losing Monahan to a wrist injury Jan. 7 that's expected to keep him out until March. How they've posted that record amid a sea of statistical indicators that say those numbers should be flipped is impressive.
Advertisement
According to Natural Stat Trick , the Blue Jackets have been outshot 263-234 without Monahan while allowing 183 more shot attempts (628-445). They've also generated 97 fewer scoring chances (294-197) and yielded 43 more high-danger chances to opposing teams (128-85). Based off those numbers, the Blue Jackets have generated roughly five fewer expected goals without Monahan than their opponents despite outscoring teams in actual goals by a 27-19 margin.
Merzlikins, Daniil Tarasov and rookie Jet Greaves are the biggest reasons why, combining for an .885 high-danger save percentage that ranks sixth in the NHL during that span. Their combined overall save percentage of .928 also ranks fourth. The Blue Jackets also have a high "PDO" of 1.043 without Monahan, which is a statistical "luck" quotient that combines team shooting percentage with team save percentage.
That's the fourth-highest in the NHL over the past nine games, so the Blue Jackets are probably fortunate to have won so much without Monahan and other regulars. They've also become good at using their high skill level to counterpunch with opportunistic goals.
Advertisement
Get more on the Columbus Blue Jackets with our Cannon Fodder podcast
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kirill Marchenko helps Columbus Blue Jackets top Los Angeles Kings
