1-1-0, a .950 save percentage, and 1.84 goals against average.
You'll take that, right?
Those are the numbers for Elvis Merzlikins through the first two Columbus Blue Jackets hockey games. To be precise, those numbers are through five of six periods.
Merzlikins surrendered two first-period goals in the home opening 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 12 and allowed one first-period goal to the New York Rangers in 40 minutes of the 5-3 win over the weekend on Sat. Oct. 14. He missed the third period due to flu-like symptoms.
Against the Rangers, Merzlikins allowed a goal 50 seconds into the game when Erik Gustafsson deflected the puck through to give New York a 1-0 lead. The Rangers thought they had at least two more goals in the first period but both goals were wiped away due to successful off-side challenges.
Columbus was also victim to having a goal taken off the board as part of three goals disallowed in the first period.
Merzlikins appeared sharp early as he allowed his team to mount the comeback including four straight goals and Boone Jenner's natural hat trick.
For the night, Merzlikins made 24 saves.
Spencer Martin made 15 saves on 17 third-period shots, allowing two goals but doing everything he could to secure the team victory. The Rangers outshot the Jackets 17-2 in the third period and the first shot on goal for Columbus in the final frame came on Justin Danforth's goal with 4:06 remaining in the contest. New York outshot Columbus 42-21 for the game.
It's an important season for Merzlikins to show he can be counted on. Through five periods, he's done well to stop the puck. In 40 minutes against the Rangers, he had goals saved above expected of 1.56. Against the Flyers, his GSAx was 0.74.
What's his status for Monday's game against the Detroit Red Wings?
Martin is slated to get the start with Jet Greaves up from Cleveland on emergency recall to back up.
Roslovic and Bemstrom back in, Martin in net for #CBJ tonight.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) October 16, 2023
Head coach Pascal Vincent says Elvis Merzlikins (stomach bug) is feeling better. Pazzy says he cant believe Elvis played two periods the other night based on how he felt. https://t.co/CMNSemiKW6
Merzlikins missed the 2022-23 opening night game in Carolina due to illness and the Jackets lost Patrik Laine to injury in that game.
When Zach Werenski was kneed by Garnet Hathaway in last Thursday's opener against the Flyers, it felt a bit like déjà vu. Fortunately for the Jackets, Werenski's quad contusion should only keep him out of action for 1-2 weeks.
You never want to lose a caliber of player like Werenski, but his absence led to the recall of David Jiricek. The Jackets arguably could have had Jiricek on the opening night roster but sent him to Cleveland due to an abundance of defensemen on the NHL club, and wanting to do right by Jiricek's continued ice-time and development in the AHL.
Once the injury to Werenski occurred, it was obvious Jiricek would be the person to fill in on the blue line.
Playing in four games last season, the 2022 sixth-overall pick did not register a point. In game two of the 2023-24 season, Jiricek scored his first career NHL goal as part of a two-goal second period to give the Jackets a 4-1 lead over the Rangers.
David Jiricek scored his first career NHL goal. Assists from Patrik Laine and Provorov. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/xppszZSyL4
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 15, 2023
For the evening, Jiricek played 16:39 with the goal and had two shots, a blocked shot, one hit, and one takeaway.
"A big piece about (Jiricek) is he’s a confident man," head coach Pascal Vincent said. “He knows he can play here and he just showed it to us, which is great."
The Blue Jackets hope to have Werenski back sooner than later, but this could be just what was needed for both Jiricek and the team to see what things can look like with him in the NHL from the start.
Columbus continues its four-game homestand with the Detroit Red Wings Monday night at Nationwide Arena.
