Blue Jackets Come Up Short, Fall 3-2 To Wild In Season Opener

The Columbus Blue Jackets came up short in the season-opener, falling 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

But if game one of 82 was any indication, this is a team that has made huge strides since last season. 

Here's how it all went down:

	1	2	3	F
	0	1	1	2
	1	1	1	3

1st Period

(0:43): The Wild almost struck in the first minute after Jake Middleton used the boards to find a breaking Matt Boldy just past the Columbus blue line. Zach Werenski stuck with him and got his stick in there just enough to prevent Boldy from getting off much of a shot. 

(15:15): The first power play of the season comes to the Blue Jackets after Cole Sillinger draws a tripping penalty that goes against Minnesota's Marcus Foligno. The penalty is short-lived, lasting just :30 seconds before Sillinger commits a hooking penalty to make it a 1:30 4-on-4. There was some brief confusion on the Columbus side, with Merzlikins momentarily skating to the bench to give the Blue Jackets an extra attacker before realizing the penalty was going against his team. Disaster averted.

(17:36): Huge stop by Elvis, gloving a one-timer from point-blank range by Mats Zuccarello. A beautiful no-look pass from Kirill Kaprizov set it up, but Merzlikins was in prime position to make the difficult save as the Wild power play entered its final seconds. 

(17:51 — 1-0 MIN): Just as the Minnesota power play comes to an end, Minnesota makes it 1-0. Boldy finds the back of the net this time, getting a shot past Merzlikins who was screened by the Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek.

2nd Period

(2:00 — Tied 1-1): The Blue Jackets waste no time in the second frame tying it up, with Kent Johnson making it a 1-1 game at exactly 2:00. Great effort here by Johnson to pick up the loose puck and fire its past the stick side of Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson. Sillinger and Damon Severson pick up the assists. 

ATTENTION #5THLINE, WEVE GOT A KENT JOHNSON GOOOALLL

Our first of the season!@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/tEFrD8vWOv

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 11, 20244

(5:51): Johnson goes off on a tripping minor to give the Wild their second power play of the night. The Blue Jackets successfully kill the penalty — but barely. Merzlikins sprawled out for a save near the mid-point of the penalty kill and a quirky bounce off the boards put the puck right in front of the net before Elvis could get back to his feet. A pair of Wild skaters were ready to put it in, but Sillinger swept the puck away before they could do it. 

(10:24): Minnesota goes off for the second time in the game, a too many men penalty after the Wild decided to roll with six skaters for several seconds. James van Riemsdyk briefly was credited with a goal during the power play, but it was rightly reversed on a Wild challenge for goaltender interference.

(17:35 — 2-1 MIN): In a period largely dominated by the Blue Jackets, it's the Wild who regain the lead in the final minutes of the second period after a misplay by Adam Fantilli. The young center fanned on a clearing attempt, which allowed Minnesota to keep the puck in the zone and Erikkson Ek scored to make it 2-1 Wild.

3rd Period

(3:51): The Blue Jackets catch the Wild in a line change and Werenski nearly ties it, but Gustavsson makes a great save to maintain the Minnesota lead. This was an  intelligent sequence of hockey from the Blue Jackets, despite not skating away with the goal. 

(9:58 — 3-1 Wild): With just 11 seconds left in a Sean Monahan crosschecking minor, Zuccarello connects on a wrister to make it 3-1 Wild. Really good puck movement from Minnesota here. Boldy gets his second assist and third point of the night and Kaprizov gets the secondary assist. 

(17:06 — 3-2 Wild): Werenski halves the Minnesota lead with a power play goal after Middleton flips the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. Johnson dangled it in the slot, dropped it back to Yegor Chinakhov who found Werenski for the 84mph one-timer past the glove-side of Gustavsson. 

Power play goal for Columbus!

Scored by Zach Werenski with 02:54 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Yegor Chinakhov and Kent Johnson.

Minnesota: 3
Columbus: 2#CBJvsMIN #mnwild #CBJ pic.twitter.com/nXiW3m7mWs

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 11, 2024

(THE FINAL MINUTE): Columbus had a few really good chances to tie it late, particularly from Fantilli and Chinakhov, but Gustavsson came up with key saves in the final seconds to deny a tying goal from the Blue Jackets. 

Next Up

The Blue Jackets stay on the road for one more before Tuesday's home opener. They'll face the Colorado Avalanche with a 9:00 p.m. start from Denver.