Story by
Columbus Blue Jackets roar past St. Louis Blues with another six-goal night: 6 takeaways
- Story by
- Columbus Blue Jackets roar past St. Louis Blues with another six-goal night: 6 takeaways
One game away from the halfway point, the Blue Jackets are doing what nobody outside their locker room gave them a chance to do this season.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets stave off St. Louis Blues, move closer to playoff position
Advertisement
They're solidly in the mix for a playoff spot and continue to show resilience while dealing with challenges like Thursday's gut-wrenching 5-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the final minute of the third period. Despite nearly letting another one slip away Saturday at sold-out Nationwide Arena, the Jackets improved to 17-17-6 with a 6-4 victory against the St. Louis Blues .
Have they become a legitimate playoff contender?
It's probably still early for that proclamation, but the Jackets are making significant gains in their ascent back to relevance in the Eastern Conference. They're tied at 40 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators for the East's second wildcard, which belongs to Ottawa based on points percentage .
"It's something we've been working for all year," center Adam Fantilli said. "We want to jump into those (wild card) positions and jump into the playoffs this year."
Advertisement
Here are six takeaways from the Blue Jackets ' win over the Blues:
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Mikael Pyyhtia (82) shoots and scores a goal in the third period at Nationwide Arena on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets learning to preserve leads
Last season, the Blue Jackets probably would have lost despite holding leads in the third period of 3-0, 3-1, 4-1, 4-2 and 5-2 before the Blues pulled within a goal, 5-4, on goals by Colton Parayko and Brayden Schenn . They coughed up 15 leads in third periods last season and went 2-11-2 in those games.
That hasn't been the case this season, including a calm response to Schenn's goal that led to Mathieu Olivier sealing it with 1:01 left by scoring into an empty net.
"I think we've grown a lot as a team," defenseman Ivan Provorov said. "As a young team, you need experience. You've got to find ways. You've got to learn how to win, and that's what we've shown this year."
Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli has one year left on an entry-level contract that has a base salary of $950,000, plus $3.2 million he can add via performance bonuses.
Columbus Blue Jackets offense still thriving
Despite trading Patrik Laine , per his request , and losing Johnny Gaudreau to a heartbreaking tragedy , the Blue Jackets are scoring at an unprecedented rate. This was their ninth game with at least six goals, which surpasses their eight from last season and pulls the Jackets within two of tying the franchise record of 11 in 2018-19, when Artemi Panarin was the catalyst and they stunned the Tampa Bay Lightning in he playoffs.
Advertisement
This version of the Blue Jackets is younger but just as capable of scoring goals. Excluding shootouts, their 135 goals are the most they've scored in the first 40 games of a season and rank sixth in the NHL at 3.38 goals-per game.
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Dmitri Voronkov (10) celebrates after a goal was scored in the third period at Nationwide Arena on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov is a matchup nightmare
Despite missing nine games with a shoulder injury, Dmitri Voronkov has become a consistent threat. After scoring two more goals, Voronkov is on pace for 35 goals, 26 assists and 61 points in 73 games.
He might also just be scratching the surface of his full capabilities as a power forward listed at an imposing 6 feet 5, 227 pounds. Voronkov, who played center in Russia, has nimble hands and playmaking instincts to go with a strong shot. Adding more physicality could make him even more of a matchup problem.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period at Nationwide Arena on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Zach Werenski keeps chugging for Columbus Blue Jackets
It's becoming an expectation to look at the Blue Jackets' scoresheet and see goals and/or assists next to Zach Werenski's name.
Advertisement
Two more assists against the Blues pushed his team-leading scoring total to 45 points on 12 goals and 33 assists, which has the star defensemen on pace for a jaw-dropping scoring line of 25-68-93 over a full season (82 games). He also extended his franchise record home points streak to 15 straight games and shows no signs of slowing his scoring pace regardless of location.
Werenski has 9-21-30 during the streak, which is the longest of its kind by an NHL defenseman in the past 40 years. He's one of nine defensemen in league history who've strung together points in 15 consecutive home games and first to do it since Ray Bourque's 17-game streak in 1992-93. Werenski's multi-assist night was also the 38thof his career, which moves him within one of tying Rick Nash (39) for most in franchise history.
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kevin Labanc (62) skates with the puck against the Montreal Canadiens in the first period at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Kevin Labanc misses Columbus Blue Jackets' win over St. Louis Blues for great reason
Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason went with a lineup of 11 forwards and seven forwards for the sixth straight game, but that wasn't initially his plan. Kevin Labanc, a healthy scratch the previous five games, was supposed to draw back into the lineup on the fourth line with Mikael Pyyhtia and Sean Kuraly before a family situation presented a curveball.
Advertisement
The curveball?
Labanc's wife went into labor.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson (78) hits Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) during the second period of the NHL hockey game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Dec. 12, 2024.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson scratched again
It's a tough stretch for defenseman Damon Severson , who was scratched against the Blues for the second time in the past six games.
Those are the only two times Severson has been a healthy scratch since joining the Blue Jackets in a June 2023 trade with the New Jersey Devils that included him signing an eight-year contract extension worth $50 million. Severson, 30, has six years left on the deal, so trading him wouldn't be easy with a $6.25 million charge per season against the NHL salary cap.
Advertisement
That hasn't even been mentioned, though, so the Blue Jackets' most likely path forward with Severson is simply working through his current rough patch with patience.
Get more on the Columbus Blue Jackets with our Cannon Fodder podcast
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Six goals push Columbus Blue Jackets past St. Louis Blues: 6 takeaways
