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Columbus Blue Jackets top San Jose Sharks in businesslike fashion: 3 takeways
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- Columbus Blue Jackets top San Jose Sharks in businesslike fashion: 3 takeways
Leaving the Blue Jackets ' 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, spilling out into a brisk chill on a mid-January night, hockey fans were greeted by a brightly lit message displayed on the Nationwide Building.
"Go Bucks."
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Four days before Ohio State plays Notre Dame in the first College Football Playoff championship game to cap a 12-team playoff field, Columbus isn't all that focused on its professional hockey team, which is understandable. The Blue Jackets, however, are a focused group themselves these days and have become one of the NHL's most exciting young teams.
They're growing by leaps and bounds, figuring out ways to stay relevant and woke up Friday holding the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after inching past the backsliding Boston Bruins .
"Winning is fun," goalie Elvis Merzlikins said, smiling. "It's nice. I feel we are really close to each other. It's fun to come here in the morning to have practice and hang out together. So now we'll go for a week away. It's gonna be a fun trip."
Here are three takeaways from the Blue Jackets' sixth straight win:
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Columbus Blue Jackets finally have a reason to watch the standings
Veteran NHL teams usually scoff at paying too much attention to the standings or playoff seeding at this point of the season, since it's just beyond the midpoint. While the Blue Jackets have a solid core of veterans contributing to their surprising climb up the standings, they're not a "veteran" team by any stretch.
They're still a young team that's leaning heavily on second-, third- and fourth-year players. They're enjoying the playoff race because it's something many of them haven't experienced as NHL players.
"It's fun to look at it now," forward Kent Johnson said. "I haven't looked at it much the last couple years, so it's good. Guys talk about it a little bit. It's just cool that you can be in a spot where you're rooting against or for teams. ... It is very early for that, but it's a nice spot to be in, so we just want to keep going."
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) skates with the puck against San Jose Sharks center Mikael Granlund (64) in the third period at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Zach Werenski 's home point streak for Columbus Blue Jackets is boosting his Norris Trophy resume
Zach Werenski held court in front of his corner locker after the game, surrounded by a sizable media huddle.
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Before the star defenseman could deflect attention from his franchise record 18-game home point streak, a voice from the opposite side of the locker room bellowed a word all voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association should connect to Werenski's name.
"Norris!" forward Mathieu Olivier shouted, before walking away with a big grin on his face.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) skates with the puck against San Jose Sharks center Mikael Granlund (64) in the third period at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Werenski, 27, is putting together what could turn out to be the most impressive season by a Blue Jackets player in a franchise history that's nearing the quarter century mark. He shouldn't be mentioned as merely a contender to win the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. It's time to start talking about Werenski in the same rarified way that many talk about Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes .
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Werenski leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists), leads all NHL defensemen in goals and points, and is tracking to finish with 27 goals and 93 points over a full 82-game season. Meanwhile, his point streak at Nationwide Arena has put Werenski among a small group of all-time great NHL defensemen – including Boston Bruins legend Bobby Orr.
Assisting on Adam Fantilli 's goal in the first period against the Sharks made the Blue Jackets' top blue-liner one of six defensemen in NHL history to record at least one point in 18 straight home games.
So, yeah, it's time to shout, "Norris!" in Columbus.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Kent Johnson (91) shoots the puck against San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren (37) in the first period at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets take care of business against San Jose Sharks
San Jose impressively ended the Detroit Red Wings ' seven-game winning streak with a 6-3 victory Tuesday, so they caught the Blue Jackets' attention coming into Thursday's game.
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The Sharks had also beaten the Jackets 2-1 in overtime on Nov. 5 in San Jose in a game Columbus dominated in every aspect except for actual goals scored. The Jackets also lost on a goal in overtime by former Blue Jackets center Alexander Wennberg , so there was plenty of motivation to get even in the rematch.
That, however, wasn't the most impressive part of their sixth straight victory. It was the businesslike way the Blue Jackets built a 3-0 lead after two periods while compiling large advantages in shots and attempts. They took their foot off the gas pedal with a sloppy shift at the end of the second that led to Johnson taking a hooking penalty, but the Blue Jackets still turned that lead into a victory despite allowing a goal in a frustrating third.
During this win streak, the Jackets have won by blowing teams out, "mucking" for wins against the St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers , and now by simply meeting expectations with a tidy – if not perfect – victory over the rebuilding Sharks.
The next big test is a brutal stretch with eight of the next nine games on the road with just one home game Jan. 25 against the Los Angeles Kings separating two four-game trips. The Blue Jackets needed these last few wins badly and figured out ways to get wins.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 3 takeaways from Columbus Blue Jackets' 6th straight win
