GAME AT A GLANCE

GOAL SCORERS
Columbus: G. Carlsson (1), A. Texier (3), C. Sillinger (4), EN – O. Bjorkstrand (5)
Colorado: A. Burakovsky (2), A. Burakovsky (3)

GOALTENDERS
Columbus: E. Merzlikins (34 saves, W)
Colorado: D. Kuemper (38 saves, L)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

• The Blue Jackets improved to 7-3-0 with tonight’s regulation win, giving them 14 points in their first ten games.  It’s tied for the best start in franchise history through the first ten games of a season (2017-18).
• Columbus earned its fifth win of the campaign at Nationwide Arena (5-1-0, 10 pts).  This is the best start in the first six home games of a season in franchise history (previously 4-1-1, 9 pts in 2007-08).
• The Blue Jackets earned their third-straight win when trailing heading into the third period.  It’s the first time in club history and the 25^th instance in NHL history of a team winning three consecutive games and overcoming a deficit entering the third period in each contest (MR: Boston from Feb. 1-5, 2021). (Stat courtesy NHL Stats).
• Columbus swept the home-and-home set with the Avalanche (5-4 OT win on Wednesday) and swept the season series against the club for the fourth time in franchise history (4-0-0 in 2008-09 and 2-0-0 in 2015-16, 2018-19 and 2021-22).
• CBJ are 8-3-1 overall in the last 12 meetings in the series and have collected points in 18 of the past 25 games (14-7-4), including wins in two-straight contests
• The winning team in the series has scored at least three goals in 38 of the last 43 games in the series. 
• CBJ improved to 4-1-1 in the last six games vs. Colorado at Nationwide Arena.
• Columbus denied Colorado on all four power play attempts tonight and have now killed off all 10 opponent power plays over the past three games.

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

·        D Gabriel Carlsson scored his first goal of the season and second of his NHL career (Feb. 20, 2021 vs. Nashville).  He has picked up points in two-straight games (1-1-2), tying his career best point streak (1-1-2; Feb. 20-23, 2021).

·        RW Yegor Chinakhov notched his first two career NHL points with two assists.

·        C Cole Sillinger tallied his first career game-winner with his fourth of the season.  He notched 3-1-4 in the home-and-home set with Colorado.

·        RW Jakub Voracek recorded his team-leading 10^th assist of the campaign (0-10-10 in 10 GP), including assists in three-straight games (0-5-5).  He is the third player in franchise history to hit the 10-assist mark through his first 10 games (Wennberg, 1-11-12 in 2016-17; Panarin, 5-10-15 in 2018-19).

·        D Vladislav Gavrikov registered two assists for his second multi-point game of the season and now has 0-5-5 in 10 GP.

·        C Boone Jenner (6-1-7, 10 GP) tallied his first assist of the campaign to stretch his point streak to three-straight games (2-1-3).

·        C Alexandre Texier scored his third goal of the campaign (3-0-3 in 10 GP).

·        RW Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his first game-winning goal of the season to give him 5-8-13 in 10 GP.  He leads the club in points and ranks second in goals and assists.  Only two players in franchise history have tallied more points in their first 10 contests (Panarin, 5-10-15 in 2018-19 and Nash, 6-9-15 in 2009-10).

·        LW Eric Robinson tallied his second assist of the campaign (1-2-3 in 10 GP).

·        G Elvis Merzlikins stopped 34-of-36 shots (.944 SV%) to improve to 5-1-0 on the campaign.  He also recorded his second career regular season assist on Texier’s third period goal (first reg. season assist on April 8, 2021 vs. Tampa Bay).

·        D Zach Werenski tied the franchise record for the most shots in a single game with 10.  It was the 12^th instance by a Blue Jackets player (MR: Bjorkstrand, Dec. 5, 2019 vs. NY Rangers) and the second by a blueliner (also Werenski, Dec. 5, 2017 vs. New Jersey).

POST-GAME VIDEO INTERVIEWS

HC Brad Larsen  |  G Elvis Merzlikins  |  F Cole Sillinger  |  F Alexandre Texier

COURTESY CBJ COMMUNICATIONS