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Marchenko's magic hat trick paces playoff chasing Columbus Blue Jackets: takeaways
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- Marchenko's magic hat trick paces playoff chasing Columbus Blue Jackets: takeaways
Kirill Marchenko leaned back against the boards in front of the Blue Jackets ' bench, taking in the aftermath of his handiwork Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena.
Hats rained onto the ice early in the third period of the Blue Jackets' 8-4 stomping of the Nashville Predators , prompting a surreal question as the Jackets' ice crew scooped up chapeaus following Marchenko's third career hat trick in just his third NHL season.
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Were enough caps left to celebrate potential hat tricks by Sean Monahan and/or Adam Fantilli , who'd also scored two goals by that point?
More: Columbus Blue Jackets down Nashville Predators 8-4 for big victory
Neither provided the answer by scoring additional goals, but the fact it was even a thought sums up what kind of night it was for the Blue Jackets (34-30-9) and their playoff hopes.
Here are four takeaways:
Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger (4) and Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'Heureux (68) watch the puck in the first period as the Columbus Blue Jackets played the Nashville Predators April 1, 2025 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets boost playoff chances with rout over Nashville Predators
The Blue Jackets didn't know it while celebrating their win, but they were within nine seconds of retaking control of the second wild-card spot in the NHL's Eastern Conference.
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The Montreal Canadiens pulled off a stunning comeback victory over the Florida Panthers at Bell Centre to maintain their grip on the East's final playoff ticket, winning on goals by Nick Suzuki that tied it, 2-2, with nine seconds left in regulation and won it, 3-2, just 29 seconds into the 3-on-3 OT.
Otherwise, a three-way tie at 77 points between the Blue Jackets , Canadiens and New York Rangers would've gone to Columbus on a tiebreaker decided by games played. Despite Montreal's heroics, the Jackets still passed the idle Rangers for ninth in the conference standings via that tiebreaker.
According to MoneyPuck , their chances of making the playoffs climbed to 18.8% after dipping into single digits during a recent six-game losing streak. The forecasting site also gives the Canadiens a 50.1% chance and the Rangers a 26.2% chance of making the East's starting playoff field. Following losses Tuesday, the Detroit Red Wings (75 points) dropped to 3.7% and the New York Islanders (74 points) dipped to 2.9% to qualify.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) tries to score against Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47), Nashville Predators defenseman Jordan Oesterle (82) and Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen (29) in the third period as the Columbus Blue Jackets played the Nashville Predators April 1, 2025 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets won 8-4.
Columbus Blue Jackets win after nixing streak of allowing first goal
Marchenko gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead on his forward line's first shift, scoring from the slot after receiving a short feed from star defenseman Zach Werenski (two assists).
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The goal ended a nine-game streak with the Blue Jackets allowing the first goal, which contributed to an ugly 2-6-1 skid after they routed the Rangers, 7-3, March 9 at Madison Square Garden. The Jackets are now 25-9-5 when scoring first and just 9-21-4 in games that include them trailing 1-0.
"I don't know how many games it's been since we scored first, but that's a huge part of the game if you chase it," Fantilli said. "So, 'Marchy' coming up with that one was awesome to see."
Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins congratulates right wing Kirill Marchenko on his hat trick during an 8-4 win over the Predators on April 1.
Kirill Marchenko gives Columbus Blue Jackets a 30-goal scorer
Marchenko's goals were his team-high 29th, 30thand 31stof the season to continue extending a career-high he set Feb. 27 in Detroit with his 24thgoal in a 5-2 win over the Red Wings.
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Topping the 30-goal mark also gives the Blue Jackets their first 30-goal scorer since Cam Atkinson scored a career-high 41 in 2018-19, when they pulled off a shocking first-round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs.
"I really wanted to score 30, and it feels great," Marchenko said. "But (Alex) Ovechkin has scored, how much? Thirty-seven? I'll try to score more. Not done."
Ovechkin, who's also Russian, moved to within four goals of passing Wayne Gretzky as the NHL's all-time leader in goals with his 38thof the season Tuesday in the Washington Capitals ' 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins . It's also worth noting that Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner was on pace to score 30-plus goals the past three seasons before multiple injuries prevented it from happening — including 26 goals in 68 games two years ago.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) scores agains Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) in the second period as the Columbus Blue Jackets played the Nashville Predators April 1, 2025 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets' skill preyed on Nashville Predators ' lax defense
The Blue Jackets have gotten used to facing teams that can lock it down defensively with a playoff brand of hockey, so facing the Predators had to be a breath of fresh air.
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Nashville, which was finishing a back-to-back on tired legs, was supposed to be a playoff team. A terrible start ended those aspirations early, and the Preds are playing out the string in a frustrating season. Those factors all showed in how much time and space they gave the highly skilled Blue Jackets to operate.
Along with Marchenko, Monahan and Fantilli accounting for seven of the Jackets' eight goals, there were also multi-point performances from Kent Johnson (three assists), Werenski (two assists), Jenner (two assists) and Dante Fabbro (goal, assist) — who torched his former team almost four months after Columbus claimed him off waivers from Nashville.
Marchenko and Monahan also finished with four points apiece, while Fantilli added a 2-1-3 scoring line in just 11:43 of ice time.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (23) scores from behind the net in the second period as the Columbus Blue Jackets played the Nashville Predators April 1, 2025 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. With him at the net is Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) and Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74).
The Blue Jackets set a new season-high with eight goals, pushed their franchise record for games with six-plus goals to 14 — which leads the NHL — and their 236 goals are the most in franchise history through 73 games.
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"It's funny, because when I first got here (last summer), everybody just kept saying, 'You've got such young skill,'" Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. "I'd always buck it a little bit by saying that we've got some older guys, veteran people, that play the right way, gritty ... but we have a skillset. And we've had enough learning situations throughout the year that if we play strong, sound hockey, that skillset can come out. If you don't and you just try to 'skill' a game, then you're not going to have success."
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and BrianHedger.bsky.social
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Takeaways from Columbus Blue Jackets' rout of Nashville Predators
