ST. LOUIS — It was a fitting way for the Blue Jackets to finish their longest road trip of the season thus far.
Facing one last game before a "bye" week that includes the NHL's all-star break, they ground out a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday in a slugfest at Enterprise Center. Finishing the five-game, 10-day excursion with a tough victory pulled the Blue Jackets (16-24-10) even at 2-2-1 on the trip and assured a happy flight home. It also gave them a sweep of the two-game season series against the Blues (26-21-2).
"It was a total team effort," coach Pascal Vincent said. "From the special teams, we had great looks on the power play, the penalty kill did a good job. We managed the game. I thought we played a real smart road game today."
Rookie Dmitri Voronkov scored the game's lone goal 4:11 into the third period, and Elvis Merzlikins made 21 saves for his first shutout of the season, first shutout since Jan. 13, 2022 and 10thof his NHL career. He made several key stops to earn his ninth win in 28 outings (9-10-7), including sprawling saves in the third with his right pad against Jake Neighbors to keep it 0-0 at 1:18 and again with 40 seconds left to deny Jordan Kyrou of a tying goal.
"This is a perfect way to play before this break," Merzlikins said. "The guys were blocking shots, they were skating, they were moving. Not going to lie. We were all really tired. Even this morning at breakfast, when I walked down, it was silent. We are done. We want to go home now, and it's nice to see because we are really tired. It's amazing that we played this good."
Here are five takeaways:
The way Adam Fantilli is hopping around one leg and using crutches to keep weight off his left one, it doesn't seem like good news awaits his full medical evaluation in Columbus.
Listening to what the Jackets have said about it, however, there might be a chance that Fantilli dodged a major bullet after being cut by a skate blade on the lower back of his left calf Sunday in the Blue Jackets' 4-2 loss in Seattle . Jared McCann 's left skate sliced through Fantilli's hockey sock plus the protective Kevlar sock worn underneath before slicing into his skin after the Kraken forward's leg came down following a hit.
Fantilli immediately pulled up, grabbed at his leg and hopped off the ice before heading down the tunnel leading into the visiting locker room at Climate Pledge Arena. He left on crutches while wearing a walking boot that stretched nearly to his knee.
Fantilli was unable to put weight on his leg that night, which was still the case Tuesday after getting treatment during the Jackets' morning skate in St. Louis. The Blue Jackets, however, sound hopeful the injury isn't as bad as it appears.
Vincent initially used the term "questionable" for the game against the Blues and then said Tuesday the injury could've been "a lot worse," had Fantilli not worn the protective socks. Others also feel optimistic.
"Hopefully, he's not out too long," center Sean Kuraly said. "I think it's just a bump in the road, and that's kind of just the way this game goes. If you're out there and you're in the action, you're going to get nicked sometimes."
Fantilli was spotted smiling in the locker room after getting treatment, so he appears to be taking it in stride. The next step is the full medical exam, which should determine how long he's out. The Blue Jackets won't play again until Feb. 10, so that could be valuable recovery time for Fantilli or others.
No matter how long Fantilli is out, the Blue Jackets have a big void to address. He's a dynamic skater, whether at center or left wing, and that type of speed is not easy to replace.
"Obviously, he brings that element to our team, the pace that we like," Vincent said. "He's a powerful skater, so we're going to miss that piece. He brings that element to the team."
It's a quality Fantilli's teammates have enjoyed watching, including some veterans who've seen the NHL's other top skaters as comparisons.
"He's electric when he's on the ice," Kuraly said. "It's kind of like the new age 'make something out of nothing,' ability and that's not something that I've seen a ton of in my days in the NHL. It's more that 'new age' just straight up speed and attack, and knife through the (defense), and he can do it solo sometimes. That's been really impressive. His his raw attributes are top notch in this league already."
Merzlikins' hadn't finished a shutout in more than two years.
Now, he's got 10 in his career and is tied with Pascal Leclaire for fourth in franchise history, trailing Marc Denis (12), Steve Mason (19) and Sergei Bobrovsky (33).
Blanking the Blues on 21 saves was his first shutout since Jan. 13, 2022 over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, so it had to feel good on a personal level. He dropped to a knee and pumped his fist as the clock hit zeroes, but that was his lone moment of gratification.
Mentally and physically exhausted from the five-game trip, the Jackets' No. 1 backstop gave credit to his teammates. Not long ago, he requested a trade after expressing frustration with his usage , but that wasn't on his mind Tuesday night.
"It means a lot," Merzlikins said. "It's not just for me, but it's for the team. We were in Carolina (leading in the third), the last 20 minutes we screwed it up. We were in Toronto , 5-0, or whatever it was ... again screwed up there, you know? I think this is huge, not just for me but for the team. Obviously, without their help, I would not make it."
He lauded the team's defensive play in front of him, particularly Andrew Peeke and Voronkov.
"They saved my butt tonight," Merzlikins said. "Peeker blocked (five) shots. 'Voro' blocked (three). 'Voro' had huge blocked shots in the second period that I didn't even see the guy. I didn't even understand how the shot came from (where it did)."
The Blue Jackets have coughed up 13 leads, collectively, in third periods this season, including more than they care to recall in the last two minutes of regulation. It's the reason they have 10 overtime/shootout losses in just 50 games, including the most recent with a blown 4-1 lead to start the third in a 5-4 OT loss Saturday in Vancouver .
This one withstood the Blues' effort to tie it during the game's final 15:49, which provided the Jackets with a needed confidence boost for the final 32 games.
"The last four periods ... the last one in Seattle and then those three periods here, I mean, I'm trying to explain the best I can that this team is 'all in,'" Vincent said. "They're 'all in,' and they want to do things right. We're growing as a team. The team chemistry's getting better and better, and they had to dig in. They had to dig deep in order to compete today and do it the proper way."
Voronkov's goal was his 12thof the season (44 games) and his 25thpoint. It was also the first winning goal for the 23-year old Russian rookie, who has a +5 plus/minus rating to boot.
Voronkov's point total is tied for sixth among NHL rookies with Arizona 's Logan Cooley , but he's only two points back of Fantilli for fourth and eight back of Chicago 's Connor Bedard for the top spot. Bedard (fractured jaw) and Fantilli (leg laceration) are currently out with injuries and Voronkov is now centering the Blue Jackets' second forward line.
He's 23, so there's a sizable age difference with his peers in the Calder Trophy race as the NHL's top rookie, but Voronkov is also doing this while not speaking English and trying to overcome early homesickness because of it.
There should be more talk about Voronkov as a Calder candidate, especially if he finishes the season strong.
"What he's going through, I think he should be," Vincent said. "He should be considered. He's a first-year player and he comes here, doesn't know anything about our country or anything that comes with it, and the way he's been playing? He's considered a rookie, so he should be considered."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets edge Blues on Merzlikins shutout: 5 takeaways
