Three Things: Fast Start, Marchenko X 2, Making Just Enough Saves

By Will Chase on February 26, 2025 at 8:15 am
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (86) celebrates his game winning goal in overtime against the Los Angeles Kings at Nationwide Arena.
© Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
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They keep finding a way.

Kirill Marchenko had a three-point game with two goals and an assist as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Dallas Stars 6-4 on Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena.

Zach Werenski’s 22-game home point streak came to an end.

Fast Start

The Blue Jackets came away with a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday but the players, led by Werenski, wanted to play better and get off to a quicker start.

Mission accomplished.

Kirill Marchenko scored 30 seconds into the game — Columbus's fastest goal this season — to give the Jackets the early 1-0 lead.  The goal is his team-leading 22nd. Ivan Provorov (20) and Dmitri Voronkov (19) each picked up assists.

The goal for Marchenko had to feel good after he broke his jaw in Dallas on Feb. 2 when a puck hit him on the bench.

At 4:37, Mathieu Olivier broke a 17-game goalless drought with his 11th of the season. Damon Severson (17) and Zach Aston-Reese (9) assisted.

Marchenko x 2

Marchenko scored his second of the game 1:11 into the second period for his 23rd. Adam Fantilli (18) added the helper to extend his three-game point streak (two goals, two assists).

Marchenko was the First Star of the Night. In addition to a three-point night, he had three shots and two blocked shots in 18:10.

Making Just Enough Saves

Up 4-1 in the second period following Provorov's seventh goal at 8:46, Dallas got back in the game with goals from Roope Hintz (23) and Jason Robertson (24).

Kent Johnson (20) added an assist on Provorov's goal to extend his three-game point streak. He has points in 11 of his last 12 games. Boone Jenner picked up his second assist in as many games.

Mikael Granlund (35) and Robertson (32) assisted on Hintz's goal. Granlund (36) added his second assist on Robertson's goal.

Then the Stars got a four-minute power play after a high-sticking penalty by Denton Mateychuk but Columbus was able to kill the penalty to end the second period.

The Stars scored three goals on nine shots but Elvis Merzlikins and the penalty kill came up huge.

Like any prize fight, the Jackets had to keep attacking as the Stars kept trying to counter.

James van Riemsdyk (12) scored at 2:37 of the third period to continue the early-scoring trend for the night. Sean Kuraly picked up his eighth assist.

Mavrik Bourque (9) scored with the empty net at 17:53 to cut the deficit to one at 5-4. He's on a six-game point streak (three goals, three assists). Evgenii Dadonov (17) and Logan Stankoven (19) assisted.

Fantilli's 17th with the empty net the other way made it 6-4 and a final. Voronkov (20) and Marchenko (36) added the assists.

Eleven players for the Blue Jackets had a point. The Blue Jackets have scored six goals in a game this season 11 times, a franchise record.

Merzlikins made 19 saves on 23 shots. Jake Oettinger made 23 saves on 28 shots and fell to 9-1-1 in his career against Columbus. Dallas came into the game 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

Home And Home

The Blue Jackets take on the Detroit Red Wings for a home-and-home series. First, the teams battle in Detroit on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. ET. Then, both teams play at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Mar. 1 for the NHL Stadium Series showdown at 6 p.m. ET.

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