Three Things: The Streak Is Dead, Voronkov, Power Play Stay Hot, Fantilli Steps Up

By Will Chase on January 8, 2025 at 8:15 am
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (86) and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) celebrate after Marchenko scored the game-winning goal in a shootout against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.
© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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It's a new beginning.

Kirill Marchenko scored the winning goal in the shootout. Elvis Merzlikins was perfect in the overtime and shootout, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. 

Evgeni Malkin, day-to-day (upper body), was a late scratch for Pittsburgh. Denton Mateychuk, who grew up a fan of the Penguins, played against his cousin, former 2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering.

Sean Monahan left the game in the third period due to an upper-body injury. Damon Severson was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.

The Streak Is Dead

Tuesday's win over the Penguins means the Blue Jackets have a 2-0 lead in the season series.

The win also ended Pittsburgh's home-ice mastery over Columbus.

Searching for its first win in the Steel City since Nov. 13, 2015, the Jackets finally put those demons to bed after overcoming a 3-1 third-period deficit to beat the Penguins in the shootout and end a 15-game losing streak (0-10-5) in Pittsburgh.

As you'd expect, it wasn't easy, as the Penguins made them earn it, with two of their three goals coming inside the first minute of each period.

Michael Bunting (13) tied the score 1-1— Sidney Crosby (32), Erik Karlsson (25) — in the second period with his team-leading eighth power-play goal at 0:51.

Rickard Rakell scored the first of two third-period goals. His 19th put the Penguins ahead 2-1 —  Karlsson (26), Matt Grzelcyk (21) — at 0:24, and then his second of the frame extended the lead to 3-1 — Crosby (33) — at 10:09.

Merzlikins made 20 of 23 saves while Tristan Jarry made 26 of 29 saves.

Voronkov, Power Play Stay Hot

Who's leading the club with seven power-play goals and is tied for the overall team lead with 17?

Dmitri Voronkov stayed hot with his second consecutive two-goal game. He has nine goals in the last seven games and scored his first goal in the first period at 3:20.

Voronkov scored his second goal in the third period at 12:05.

The Jackets are fourth in the league with 43 first-period goals and are tied with the Blackhawks for the most games (25) when scoring first.

Since Dec. 1, the Jackets' power play is sixth (30.0%) and overall on the whole season, they're 10th in the league (23.9%).

While they're third at home this season on the man advantage (31.6%) it's been a struggle on the road where they're 28th (15.4%), but they were perfect Tuesday night going 2-for-2.

Fantilli Steps Up

With the absence of Monahan, someone had to step up.

Enter the kid, Adam Fantilli.

Fantilli's third-period power-play goal at 17:24 completed the comeback as the Jackets evened the score 3-3 after going down 3-1 earlier in the period.

Home Date With The Kraken

Columbus returns home to Nationwide Arena to face the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. ET.

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