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Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski joins exclusive club with second 2-goal game in a row
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- Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski joins exclusive club with second 2-goal game in a row
Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski joins exclusive club with second 2-goal game in a row appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Columbus Blue Jackets wasted defenseman and alternate captain Zach Werenski 's historic two-goal performance in a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena. The result dropped Columbus to 14-14-6, while Minnesota improved to 21-9-5 and extended its winning streak to six games.
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The two goals gave Werenski his first-ever run of back-to-back multi-goal games in his 10-year NHL career. With the feat, he became only the fourth defenseman in the past decade to score multiple goals in consecutive games, joining Erik Karlsson (2022-23), Jakob Chychrun (2021-22), and Cale Makar (2021-22). He is also the first defenseman in Blue Jackets franchise history to achieve this milestone.
His first goal came at 15:20 of the opening period, giving Columbus a 1-0 lead. After a turnover by Wild defenseman Brock Faber , Charlie Coyle set up Werenski in the right circle, where he finished for his 12th goal of the season. The Blue Jackets carried the lead into the intermission despite Werenski briefly leaving the ice earlier after blocking a shot.
Columbus controlled much of the second period but failed to add to their lead. Minnesota tied the game at 13:30 on its only power play when Kirill Kaprizov found Ryan Hartman at the crease. Just 2:45 later, Vladimir Tarasenko gave the Wild a 2-1 advantage. Werenski answered again at 17:39 of the period, stealing the puck near center ice and scoring unassisted to knot the game at 2-2 with his 13th goal. He has now scored four of the Blue Jackets' last five goals.
Wild took control in the third period. Joel Eriksson Ek scored the go-ahead goal at 11:50, jamming home a rebound at the edge of the crease for his eighth of the season and extending his point streak to six games. Columbus opted not to challenge the play for goaltender interference. As the Blue Jackets pressed for the equalizer, Kaprizov and Matt Boldy added empty-net goals to close out the 5-2 game. Kaprizov finished with a goal and two assists, reaching 22 goals on the season, while Boldy recorded a goal and two assists for his 20th.
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Jet Greaves made 23 saves for Columbus, while Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt stopped 27 shots. Kaprizov and Boldy each finished with a goal and two assists, while Eriksson Ek added a goal and an assist. Yakov Trenin recorded two assists.
Another productive night from Werenski wasn't enough to change the Blue Jackets' late-game struggles. Columbus is now minus-23 in the third period and just 1-5-1 in their last seven. On the bright side, Werenski has now reached a 12-game home point streak, with 10 goals and 13 assists, and he's added four goals and four assists over his last four games.
The Blue Jackets will now head west to face the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, looking to turn individual milestones into much-needed results.
Related: John Hynes gets funny Dean Evason praise before Wild-Blue Jackets matchup
