Blue Jackets Lose Third Straight in Vancouver
Elvis Merzlikins had a tough night, allowing the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining—one he will surely want back. The only productive line for the Blue Jackets featured Dmitri Vorokov, Adam Fantilli, and Kirill Marchenko. Together, they scored 8 points, registered 14 shots, and posted a plus-3 rating.
Conversely, the second line of Miles Wood, Sean Monahan, and Kent Johnson struggled, failing to score and managing just 4 shots with a minus-6 rating. The Blue Jackets have now dropped all three games on their current five-game road trip.
First Period Summary
The opening period was fairly even, with Vancouver holding a slight edge in scoring chances. Columbus held a power play opportunity when Lukas Reichel was penalized for hooking Del Bel Belluz, but the Canucks successfully killed the penalty. Joonas Lankinen made key saves to keep Columbus in the game.
"Columbus killed the penalty off with ease, as Elvis Merzlikins had to make zero saves on the Canucks man advantage."
Cole Sillinger was penalized for holding Quinn Hughes with just over three minutes remaining, but Columbus again killed the penalty without difficulty. Overall, the Blue Jackets played a strong first period on the road, generating more scoring chances and maintaining higher possession metrics such as Fenwick and Corsi.
Key Statistics
- First period shots on goal: Columbus 11, Vancouver 8
- Blue Jackets’ top line combined: 8 points, 14 shots, +3 rating
- Second line combined: 0 points, 4 shots, -6 rating
- Current road trip record: 0-3
The Jackets showed promising energy and pace early but ultimately fell short in Vancouver.
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