Three Things: Shutout Streak Ends, But Tarasov Remains Stellar, Nylander En Fuego!, Gaudreau's Three-Point Night

By Will Chase on March 17, 2024 at 8:15 am
Columbus Blue Jackets' Daniil Tarasov makes a pad save on the shot from San Jose Sharks' Thomas Bordeleau during the first period at Nationwide Arena.
Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
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Both teams are playing for something more in the upcoming draft lottery but on this night, the Columbus Blue Jackets were the clear winner.

Alex Nylander had three points with two goals and an assist to help the Blue Jackets past the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena.

Johnny Gaudreau had three points with a goal and two assists, and Boone Jenner had two points with a goal and an assist.

Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov, and Zach Werenski had assists.

Daniil Tarasov made 40 saves.

Fabian Zetterlund and Henry Thrun scored for the Sharks.

Mario Ferraro, Mikael Granlund, and Kevin Labanc picked up the assists.

Magnus Chrona had 16 saves in his seventh career NHL start.

Werenski led the Blue Jackets with five shots. He played on the right side with Provorov. Jake Christiansen (15:31) appeared in his fourth game with the Blue Jackets this season after an emergency recall from Cleveland on Friday. Christiansen was third among all AHL defensemen with 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists), second overall on the Monsters in points and assists, and fourth in goals. Cleveland's top-four players in points and goals (Trey-Fix Wolansky (54––23-31), Christiansen, Brendan Gaunce (39––19-20), and Carson Meyer (37––22-15) are all with Columbus.

Shutout Streak Ends, But Tarasov Remains Stellar

Tarasov made Saturday's start, something he's done more this season at the NHL level than prior.

In 2023-24, he has set high watermarks in starts (18), games played (19), and wins (seven). In five March starts, Tarasov is 3-1-0 and 12th among all goaltenders in the league with a .950 save percentage and 1.85 goals against average.

Against the Sharks, Tarasov's shutout streak of 101:44 ended on Zetterlund's goal in the second period at 11:48.

He had not allowed a goal since Mar. 9 in the 2-1 loss to the Nashville Predators. Tarasov played 54:12 of shutout hockey in relief of Elvis Merzlikins on Tuesday, Mar. 12, against the Montreal Canadiens.

During Saturday's contest, Thrun scored at 11:42 of the third period to make it 3-2.

Nylander En Fuego!

Another game, another goal for Nylander.

At the 49-second mark of the second period, the Blue Jackets' revelation scored to give Columbus a 2-0 lead. Ivan Provorov had the assist. Nylander is the first player in franchise history to score eight goals in his first 11 games with the team.

Nylander has goals in consecutive games after netting the tally on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. He solidified Saturday's win at 18:55 with the empty net goal, and Gaudreau picked up his second assist.

Gaudreau's Three-Point Night

In what might go down as Gaudreau's most trying season in his 11 years in the league, his insurance marker at 15:03 of the second period broke a four-game goalless drought and gave Columbus the 3-1 lead.

Gaudreau had three first-period breakaways against the Sharks on Feb. 17 but failed to convert. He did have three assists in that game and added three more points in Saturday's win against the Sharks.

Along with Severson, Gaudreau helped set up Jenner's goal at 17:41 of the first period with the primary assist to give Columbus a 1-0 lead in addition to his assist on Nylander's empty netter in the third.

Sharks Then Jets

The Blue Jackets are back at Nationwide Arena on consecutive days for the only time this season when they battle the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, Mar. 17, at 6:00 p.m. ET. The Jets won the first of the two meetings 5-0 on Jan. 9 in Winnipeg.

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