Zach Werenski and Sean Kuraly Each Score Twice As Blue Jackets Defeat Ducks 7-4

By Coby Maeir on February 22, 2024 at 1:07 am
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly (7) celebrates his goal scored against the against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period at Honda Center.
© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Zach Werenski recorded the fifth multi-goal game of his career as the Blue Jackets beat the Ducks 7-4 on Wednesday at the Honda Center in Anaheim. 

  1 2 3 F
BLUE JACKETS 3 1 3 7
ANA DUCKS 0 4 0 4

1st Period

Werenski opened the scoring at 3:32 after Johnny Gaudreau's left-circle slap shot deflected off him and in. 

Gaudreau scored his eighth goal of the season on a two-on-one rush when he made a nifty move around John Gibson at the left doorstep at 9:32.

Werenski tallied his second of the game and fourth of the season at 18:30 when he banked the puck off Gibson from below the goal line. With that goal, Werenski set the franchise record for multi-goal games by a defenseman. 

The Blue Jackets led 3-0 after the first period despite trailing 10-7 in shots on goal.

2nd Period

Alexandre Texier stole the puck from Gibson below the goal line and found Sean Kuraly in the blue paint where he scored his eighth goal of the season at 2:49. 

Troy Terry put Anaheim on the board at 9:07 with a long wrist shot after going coast-to-coast and weaving through defenders. 

Mason McTavish cut the Columbus lead to two at 16:05 from the right circle. During the play, Adam Boqvist's stick poked through Daniil Tarasov's mask, causing Tarasov to leave the game. He was replaced by Elvis Merzlikins but would return at the start of the third period.

McTavish scored again at 18:49 after getting behind the defense and sliding the puck through Merzlikins' five-hole.

Alex Killorn tied the game at 19:36 with a right-circle wrist shot on a wide-open net. 

The clubs were tied at four heading into the third period with Columbus leading 20-17 in shots on goal.

3rd Period

Yegor Chinakhov gave Columbus a 5-4 lead at 6:50 from the doorstep thanks to a great feed from Gaudreau.

Kuraly scored his second of the game and ninth of the season at 7:39 with a shot from the top of the left circle off a rebound. 

Boone Jenner iced the game with a short-handed empty-net goal for his 18th goal of the season at 19:27.

With the 7-4 win, the Blue Jackets improved to 18-27-10.

Stats

  • Shots on Goal: CBJ 27-31 ANA
  • Face-off %: CBJ 46.8-53.2 ANA
  • Power play: CBJ 0/2-0/4 ANA
  • Giveaways: CBJ 5-10 ANA
  • Takeaways: CBJ 10-9 ANA
  • Blocked shots: CBJ 10-10 ANA
  • Hits: CBJ 22-28 ANA
  • 5-on-5 stats (via naturalstattrick.com):
    • Expected Goals (xG): CBJ 2.30-1.40 ANA
    • Shot Attempts (CF): CBJ 42-43 ANA
    • Shots on Goal (SF): CBJ 24-25 ANA
    • Scoring Chances (SCF): CBJ 20-21 ANA
    • High-Danger Chances (HDCF): CBJ 9-5 ANA

Injury Update

  • Patrik Laine entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and will be away from the team indefinitely.
  • Adam Fantilli suffered a calf laceration on Jan. 28 and is expected to miss eight weeks. 

Next Up

The Blue Jackets will return home on Friday to host the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Ohio and NHL Network.

They'll host the Rangers on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Ohio.

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