Three Things: Oh, Danny Boy, Elvis Makes History, JVR Ties Outdoor Mark

By Will Chase on March 2, 2025 at 8:15 am
The Columbus Blue Jackets pose for a team photo after the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium.
© Russell LaBounty-Imagn Imagesc
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The much-anticipated game everyone had been waiting for.

Justin Danforth scored to break a 3-3 tie late in the third period and Elvis Merzlikins made 43 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets won their fourth in a row, knocking off the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 in a classic at Ohio Stadium on Saturday night in the NHL Stadium Series.

Oh, Danny Boy

The Blue Jackets had a 3-1 lead into the third period but you can’t count out the team tied with them in the standings coming into the night.

With Columbus and Detroit both coming into the game knotted at 66 points and occupying the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots, the first-ever outdoor game at The Shoe lived up to the hype and then some.

Patrick Kane had a three-point night with two assists and a goal when he cut the deficit to one to make it 3-2 at 3:34 of the third period. The tally is his 15th. Simon Edvinsson (17) and Albert Johansson (6) added the helpers.

Then things got a little too interesting when Alex DeBrincat scored his 29th, and second of the game, at 16:36 to tie the game 3-3. He's on a nine-game point streak (eight goals, six assists). Erik Gustafsson (15) added to his four-game point streak with an assist (zero goals, four assists) and Kane (23) had an assist.

Tied and looking for the goal late, Danforth (6) delivered, scoring the eventual game-winner on a second-chance rebound to make it 4-3. Zach Aston-Reese (10) and Ivan Provorov (21) assisted.

Adam Fantilli scored the empty-net goal at 18:52 to seal the 5-3 win with Zach Werenski (46) and Boone Jenner (7) each picking up their second assist of the night.

Here’s how the other scoring happened.

Denton Mateychuk scored his third goal of the season at 5:31 of the second period to give Columbus the 1-0 lead. Jenner stretched his point streak to four games with the assist. James van Riemsdyk (15) picked up his 15th assist. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight career outdoor games.

Just as he's done most of the season, Merzlikins came up huge.

In arguably the biggest NHL game of his and his teammates' careers, the goaltender had a career night in front of the second-largest crowd for an outdoor game, and any game, in NHL history as 94,751 witnessed the spectacle at Ohio Stadium.

"The confidence that Elvis has given us all year, forget about just tonight, clearly he was incredible tonight," head coach Dean Evason said. "(Detroit) made a conscious effort to get to the net, put pucks on the net ... (Elvis) has competed his ass off."

Merzlikins was named First Star of the Game.

JVR Ties Outdoor Mark

Columbus begins a four-game road trip with the first leg of the trip starting in Tampa as they battle the Lightning on Tuesday, Mar. 4 at 7 p.m. ET.

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