Ringing in the new year with a boom.
Kirill Marchenko scored twice in the first period and Adam Fantilli scored the game-winning goal in a shootout as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena.
Marchenko Scores Twice
Marchenko scored two first-period goals to give the Blue Jackets the initial 1-0 lead at 4:48 for his 15th of the season. Sean Monahan picked up his 21st assist as part of a three-point night and Denton Mateychuk scored his first career NHL point on the helper.
The #CBJ have a 2-1 lead after the first thanks to a pair of goals from Kirill Marchenko. Heres the first of those two. pic.twitter.com/69uVbY9uB8
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 1, 2025
The score tied 1-1 thanks to Ty Smith's first goal of the season at 9:59 — Sebastian Aho (27) and Martin Necas (31) assisted — Marchenko scored his second of the period to give Columbus the 2-1 lead at 15:43. Dmitri Voronkov earned his 11th assist and Monahan picked up his second point of the frame.
With the two goals, Marchenko became the first Blue Jacket to have 19 points in the month of December surpassing the previous high of 18 by Artemi Panarin (2017) and David Vyborny (2006). Marchenko leads the team with 16 goals and 42 points.
Kirill Marchenko - Columbus Blue Jackets (16)
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) January 1, 2025
pic.twitter.com/p4Ycu2HMik
Kirill Marchenko scores his eighth goal in nine career games vs. Carolina and now has 19 points in December, second-most ever for a #CBJ player in a calendar month.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) January 1, 2025
Voronkov Ties It Up
Voronkov scored his 13th goal of the season on the power play to tie the score 3-3 in the third period at 4:58. The power-play goal is the ninth in 12 games for the Blue Jackets.
Voronkovs power play goal tie the game at 3-3! We remain tied now with 6:39 left in regulation. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/VULY7yBlPI
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 1, 2025
Monahan had his third assist of the game and Werenski extended his home point streak to 13 games (eight goals, 16 assists) with his team-leading 29th assist. He had a single-game franchise record of 11 shots on goal.
Zach Werenski the second assist on the Voronkov goal, keeping his home point streak alive at 13 and tying his own #CBJ record for points for a calendar month for a defenseman (16).
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) January 1, 2025
Defenseman Zach Werenski finished with an assist and a #CBJ record 11 shots on goal in tonight's SO victory over Carolina.
— CBJ Public Relations (@BlueJacketsPR) January 1, 2025
The previous high of 10 shots on goal was accomplished 14 times in a game in club history, including twice by Werenski (Dec. 5, 2017 and Nov. 6, 2021).
Fantilli Wins It
Fantilli has scored seven goals this season but perhaps none bigger than the shootout clincher on New Year's Eve.
Adam Fantilli scores the deciding goal in the shootout! #CBJ pic.twitter.com/PlCAhIUN6v
— FanDuel Sports Network Columbus (@FanDuelSN_CBUS) January 1, 2025
Elvis Merzlikins had to make the last save to preserve the lead and make the victory official, and he did just that, making the final save on Sebastian Aho.
Merzlikins made 32 saves on 35 shots for the game. Pyotr Kochetkov made 25 saves on 28 shots.
Columbus improves to 12-4-3 on home ice and 2-0 in the shootout, as they've beaten the Hurricanes twice in the shootout.
New Year
The Blue Jackets will kick off 2025 with a tilt against Todd McLellan and the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 7 p.m. ET.
