The Columbus Blue Jackets entered Saturday night’s game with a four-game losing streak. Thanks to another third-period blown lead, that streak is now at five.
Brayden McNabb’s first goal of the season turned out to be the game winner. Carter Hart made 26 saves. The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Blue Jackets 3-2.
The story of this game was the Blue Jackets again not being able to find success in the third period.
Game Recap
The Blue Jackets came into Saturday’s game trying to focus on a more defensive effort. Not only were they able to do that in the opening period, they scored the game’s first goal.
Charlie Coyle sniped a shot past Carter Hart to open the scoring. Zach Werenski’s pass made the goal happen. Cole Sillinger drew the second assist.
The rest of the first was a back-and-forth affair with each team taking a penalty. Both teams were able to successfully kill the resulting power plays off. The Blue Jackets held a 9-8 shot advantage in the first.
The Golden Knights however didn’t waste any time to tie the game early in the second. With Damon Severson in the box, Pavel Dorofeyev scored his 13th goal of the season to tie Tomas Hertl for the team lead. Dorofeyev’s shot found just enough room under Jet Greaves.
The Blue Jackets thought they scored shortly after. But a quick Golden Knights’ challenge for offside came. Dmitri Voronkov was ahead of the play on the left wing before the goal.
Then with Brendan Smith in the box, the Golden Knights had another quick chance to take the lead on the power play. They failed to score.
The rest of the second was a tighter-checking game. Hart made three outstanding saves later in the second to preserve the 1-1 tie. He stopped Sillinger on a breakaway and then Coyle on the rebound. Hart then sprawled over to glove down a Boone Jenner chance. The Blue Jackets held a 19-15 shots advantage after 40 minutes.
The Blue Jackets had the Golden Knights at the end of their road trip. There was a chance to take advantage of a tired team. At 4:49 of the third, Yegor Chinakhov scored his third goal of the season to make it 2-1.
But as has been normal of late, the Blue Jackets not only couldn’t hold onto the lead, they gave it up in short order.
It took defenseman Ben Hutton just 1:03 to make it 2-2. The Blue Jackets’ forwards made a line change creating a 3-on-2 Golden Knights’ rush. Hutton beat Greaves from the slot to gain momentum back.
That momentum created the game-winning goal as well. McNabb went upstairs for the 3-2 goal. That was his first goal of the season.
The Blue Jackets had one more chance to tie it late. McNabb high-sticked Fantilli drawing blood. Fantilli raced back to the room, got repaired and came back on the ice to play late on the power play.
Chinakhov hit the post, but that was as close as the Blue Jackets got. The 3-2 loss puts them four points clear in the basement in the Metropolitan Division at 13-13-6.
The Blue Jackets continue their homestand Tuesday night when they host the Anaheim Ducks. The Golden Nights will head home and take on the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
