Three Things: Fastest Natural Hat Trick In Franchise History, Here's Johnny, Double Figures

By Will Chase on December 19, 2023 at 10:10 pm
Columbus Blue Jackets' Kirill Marchenko celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
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A historic night in Buffalo.

Kirill Marchenko scored the fastest natural hat trick in Columbus Blue Jackets history to help power them to victory over the Buffalo Sabres 9-4 at KeyBank Center on Tuesday night.

Johnny Gaudreau had three points in the first period with a goal and two assists and is on a three-game point streak (two goals, three assists).

Adam Fantilli, Sean Kuraly, Cole Sillinger, and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist. Erik Gudbranson scored.

Yegor Chinakhov, Ivan Provorov, Alexandre Texier, and Zach Werenski each had two assists. Chinakhov is on a five-game point streak (five goals, four assists). Andrew Peeke, Brendan Gaunce, and Emil Bemstrom picked up assists. Peeke is on a three-game point streak (three assists).

Daniil Tarasov made 25 saves.

Rasmus Dahlin scored 30 seconds into the game for Buffalo. Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist.

Kyle Okposo and Tage Thompson each scored. Casey Mittelstadt had two assists. Victor Olofsson, Alex Tuch, and Zach Benson each had an assist.

Devon Levi made 14 saves on 18 shots. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 11 saves on 16 shots in relief.

The Blue Jackets exacted revenge on Buffalo with their 9-4 win, returning the favor from last Dec. 7, 2022, when the Sabres won 9-4 in Columbus behind Thompson's five goals. The nine goals are the second most in franchise history behind the ten they scored in a 10-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 4, 2016.

Marchenko's Hat Trick

Marchenko scored the fastest natural hat trick in Blue Jackets history with three goals in 8:07, surpassing Geoff Sanderson (9:43 on Mar. 29, 2003). He also set the mark for the fastest two goals, overtaking Cam Atkinson (:31 on Oct. 27, 2018).

Marchenko's first of the game came on the power play at 19:48 of the first period. Gaudreau and Werenski had the assists.

At 7:37 of the second period, his second goal of the game made it 4-1. Chinakhov and Peeke had the assists.

Only 18 seconds later, he turned the trick. Chinakhov had his second assist, and Provorov had an assist.

Here's Johnny

Gaudreau turned in his finest period of the season with a three-point first period against the Sabres.

Whether the goal at 10:35 is his or Justin Danforth's, nevertheless, Gaudreau played a vital part in the play to retrieve the puck from the corner of the boards and get the finish.

Gaudreau also picked up two assists for good measure on Fantilli's goal at 14:40 and Marchenko's power-play goal at 19:48.

Double Figures

The Blue Jackets scored nine goals, and 10 players had a multi-point night to set a franchise record. A total of 14 players cracked the scoresheet for Columbus. 

  • Marchenko's natural hat trick
  • Gaudreau's one goal and two assists
  • Fantilli's one goal and one assist
  • Kuraly's one goal and one assist
  • Sillinger's one goal and one assist
  • Johnson's one goal and one assist
  • Provorov's two assists
  • Chinakhov's two assists
  • Texier's two assists
  • Werenski's two assists

Capital Invasion

The Blue Jackets take on the Washington Capitals on Thursday, Dec. 21, at 7:00 p.m. ET from Nationwide Arena in the series finale. Washington won a pair of November meetings in D.C., 2-1 on Nov. 4 and 4-3 on Nov. 18.

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