The kids are (mostly) alright.
Yegor Chinakhov, Kirill Marchenko, and Adam Fantilli scored three of the six goals put up by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night, giving the home team their first win of the season at Nationwide Arena in a 6-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
The other three goals came from Mathieu Olivier, Zach Aston-Reese, and Damon Severson. In all three instances, it was their first goal of the season, and in the case of Aston-Reese, his first as a member of the Blue Jackets.
But in a night otherwise full of good things, there was this: Kent Johnson left the game early in the second period in an awkward collision with James van Riemsdyk after JVR was hooked by Buffalo forward Alex Tuch. The team called it an upper body injury and he did not return.
“We’ll see how he is tomorrow, but as I said with Goody (Erik Gudbranson), it didn’t look good," said head coach Dean Evason after the game. "But we’ll get the evaluation tomorrow.”
Back on the ice, it took Buffalo more than half of the first period to register their first shot on goal, and the Sabres never had a lead in the game. The fourth game of the season was another step in the right direction for a Columbus team that is surpassing expectations through the opening week of the season.
Here's how it all went down:
1st Period
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
|
GOALS: Chinakhov, Marchenko, Fantilli, Olivier, Aston-Reese, Severson ASSISTS: Werenski (2), Christiansen (2), Johnson, Marchenko, Olivier, Provorov, Sillinger |
||||
(5:12 — 1-0 CBJ): Chinakhov and Johnson didn't take long to make it points in their first four games of the season. Chinakhov's second goal of the season comes on the power play via a wrister, with Zach Werenski and Johnson picking up the helpers.
A rocket from 59. #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 17, 2024
pic.twitter.com/PCtipjAaBM
The Blue Jackets kept the puck in the Buffalo zone for all :46 seconds of the power play before connecting on the goal.
(19:28 — 2-0 CBJ): Marchenko gets his second goal on the young season to double the Blue Jackets lead with just over a half-minute left in the opening period. Great effort play from Marchenko here to keep the puck in the zone right in front of the Buffalo bench. With no Sabres around him, he skates up to the left dot and gets one by goaltender Devon Levi.
Marchenkos goal to double the #CBJ lead in the final seconds of the opening period.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 18, 2024
The first unassisted goal of the season for the Blue Jackets.
pic.twitter.com/veLpcikYoF
2nd Period
(0:52): Columbus goes to the power play, but it wasn't worth it. van Riemsdyk is hooked up by Alex Tuch, and Johnson collides with a sliding JVR. Johnson would quickly head off the ice, down the tunnel, and would not return. The team is calling an upper body injury.
Doesnt look good for KJ as he immediately goes down the tunnel after the collision. pic.twitter.com/ozYNzUZxsD
— The CBJ Center (@CBJcenter) October 18, 2024
(9:34 — 2-1 CBJ): Buffalo cuts the lead to 2-1 near the middle of the second period when Ryan McLeod splits through the Blue Jackets defense and is found by Jason Zucker right in front of goaltender Daniil Tarasov. Not a lot Tarasov could do on this one.
(12:18 — 3-1 CBJ): Fantilli gets involved to bring the Nationwide Arena crowd to their feet again. Don't underestimate the work done here the defensemen: Ivan Provorov gets it to Werenski and then slides in across the ice in front of a pair of Sabre skaters. Werenski shoots it through the temporary distraction and Levi gives up a juicy rebound, with Fantilli having no trouble putting it past him to make it 3-1.
Big Mo with a Big Goal to extend the #CBJ lead at 12:18. pic.twitter.com/cOq9R57Sd0
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 18, 2024
(17:29 — 3-2 CBJ): A little bit of luck here for the Sabres. Dylan Cozens slaps one from near the blue line and Jiri Kulich gets his stick up at the right time and in the right place to deflect a shot that was heading well wide of the net. It's the first career goal for the 20-year-old. For the second time of the evening: not a lot Tarasov could do here.
| BUF | GAME STATS | CBJ |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | SHOTS | 25 |
| 51% | FACEOFF % | 49% |
| 0/2 | POWER PLAY | 1/3 |
| 2/3 | PENALTY KILL | 2/2 |
| 9 | HITS | 6 |
| 13 | GIVEAWAYS | 14 |
| 6 | TAKEAWAYS | 7 |
| 8 | BLOCKED SHOTS | 17 |
| DATA VIA NHL.COM | ||
(17:58 — 4-2 CBJ): Great work here by both Cole Sillinger and Mathieu Olivier. Sillinger first brings it into the zone and draws the attention from the Sabres defense. That allows Olivier to slip behind them and as soon as he does, Sillinger drops it perfectly between the Buffalo D to an awaiting Olivier, who has no trouble slipping it past Levi for the fourth goal of the night.
Columbus goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 18, 2024
Scored by Mathieu Olivier with 02:02 remaining in the 2nd period.
Assisted by Cole Sillinger and Jake Christiansen.
Columbus: 4
Buffalo: 2#BUFvsCBJ #CBJ #SabreHood pic.twitter.com/UFRcKbU0hO
(19:35 — 4-3 CBJ): The third goal in just over two minutes cuts the lead to one again. This time there's just :25 left in the period when the Sabres get their third goal of the night: Owen Power on a rebound with a mess of skaters between him and Tarasov.
3rd Period
(0:15 — 5-3 CBJ): Fifteen seconds into the period and Zach Aston-Reese gives the Blue Jackets their fourth two-goal lead of the night. Columbus wins the opening faceoff, works it into the zone with ease, and Jake Christiansen gets a shot off from near the blueline. Aston-Reese gets the tip off Christiansen's shot just in front of Levi to give him goal #1 wearing a Columbus sweater.
#ZAR with his first as a #CBJ to make it a 5-3 game just seconds into the final period! pic.twitter.com/67oTnCZ803
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 18, 2024
Christiansen gets his second assist of the night for his efforts and continues to show why he was elevated to the second defensive pairing by Evason and company.
(8:10 — 6-3 CBJ): Another example of the difference in this team between last season and this season: confidence and freedom. Severson, a defenseman, steps up into the play and Marchenko finds him in the slot.
WELCOME TO SEVO SZN!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 18, 2024
78 nets his FIRST of the year @FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/9OLpw1Yjxo
"I saw a little turnover there created by those guys," said Severson, referring to Marchenko and Monahan. The rest was simple: "Good forecheck ... wide open hole."
(17:51 — 6-4 CBJ): Buffalo gets one back with an extra man on to make it a 6-4 game, but it's too little too late. The Sabres would hit a post in the final minute, but it's as close as they would get.
Next Up
Another home game on, the third of four in a row, comes Saturday night at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets will get a chance to redeem themselves for the opening night loss in Minnesota when they face the Wild for the second (and final) time this season. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m.
