By Joe Coopersmith

GAME AT A GLANCE

THREE STARS
1^st – K. Marchenko (1-2-3, GWG); 2^nd – D. Voronkov, CBJ (2-0-2); 3^rd – S. Monahan, CBJ (0-3-3)

GOAL SCORERS
Columbus: D. Voronkov (9), K. Johnson (10), J. Harris (1), PPG – D. Voronkov (10), K. Marchenko (13)

Montreal: D. Savard (1), L. Hutson (2), J. Evans (8), J. Armia (6)

GOALTENDERS
Columbus: J. Greaves (27 saves, W)
Montreal: S. Montembeault (27 saves, L)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Columbus PP:  1-for-3, 3 shots
Montreal PP:  0-for-2, 0 shots

BLUE JACKETS TEAM NOTES

• Columbus has recorded points in three-straight games (2-0-1) following tonight’s victory over Montreal.
• The Blue Jackets have collected points in nine of their last 10 home contests (6-1-3) as well as 12 of their last 14 games at Nationwide Arena (9-2-3).
• CBJ have scored the first two goals tonight and have now recorded the first goal in 20 (11-5-4) of the 35 games this season.
• The club has recorded 116 goals (not including SO goals) in the first 35 games this season.  It’s the second-most goals scored through the opening 34 contests of a campaign in franchise history, trailing the 2016-17 season’s 121.
• Columbus has scored goals in 72-of-the-105 periods played in regulation this year after scoring in all three periods tonight for the third consecutive game.  It’s the 14^th time this season the club has scored in all three periods in regulation and the 10^th time at home.
• CBJ have registered 33 multi-goal periods this season after scoring two goals in the first and third periods.
• CBJ scored a third period power play goal and have now recorded PPG in seven of the last nine games (7-of-27; 25.9 pct.)
• Columbus denied Montreal on both of its power play attempts tonight and has now killed off 12-of-13 penalties in the last seven games played since Dec. 12 (92.3 pct.).
• Tonight’s attendance was 17,875.

BLUE JACKETS PLAYER NOTES

• G Jet Greaves (1-1-2, 3.50 GAA and .889 SV%) secured his first win of the season tonight after stopping 27 shots on goal.
• D Jordan Harris (1-1-2, 23 GP) scored his first goal as a Blue Jacket and of the season tonight against his former team.
• LW Kent Johnson (10-10-20, 21 GP) became the fourth player on the team to score 10 goals tonight and has points in back-to-back games (1-1-2).  He now has 1-3-4 in six career games vs. Montreal, including points in all three games of the 2024-25 season series (1-2-3).
• D Denton Mateychuk made his NHL debut tonight, finishing with 18:36 time on ice and 1:06 powerplay TOI.
• RW Kirill Marchenko (13-24-37, 35 GP) tallied his third three-point game of the season with a goal and two assists tonight and set a new career high with points in six-straight games (3-7-10).  His three points mark his team-leading seventh multi-assist and 11^th multi-point effort of the campaign.
• C Sean Monahan (11-20-31, 35) picked up three assists tonight for his fourth three-point effort of the season.  It also marks his fifth multi-assist and ninth multi-point contest of the year.  He has now registered 10-12-22 with 7 multi-point outings in 28 career contests against the Canadiens, including 3-5-8 and three multi-point efforts in his last seven home contests vs. the club.
• RW Mathieu Olivier (9-6-15, 35 GP) collected an assist and has now points in three-straight (1-2-3) and 1-3-4 in his past six games.  He also has recorded points in all four career home games against Montreal (3-1-4).
• LW Dmitri Voronkov (10-9-19, 26 GP) scored his ninth and 10^th goals of the season tonight for his first multi-goal and fifth multi-point game of the season, becoming the fifth Jacket to reach double digits for the campaign in the third period.  He has now picked up points in five-straight games (3-4-7), one shy of his career long (4-4-8, Nov. 18-Dec. 1, 2024).  He has registered 2-3-5 in six career outings against Montreal, with points in all three career home games (2-2-4).
• D Zach Werenski (11-24-35, 35 GP) extended his home points streak to 11-straight games (8-12-20), setting a new franchise record, with his fifth multi-assist effort and second three-point game (0-3-3) tonight. With 35 points in 35 games this season, he became the first blueliner in club history with 35 points or more through his first 35 games of a campaign.  The three helpers mark the 35^th game of his CBJ career with multiple assists, passing David Vyborny (34) for the second-most in club history.  His first assist was the 335^th point of his NHL/CBJ career (101-237-338 in 521 GP), passing Nick Foligno (142-192-334 in 599 GP) for fourth on the all-time franchise points list.  The blueliner has posted points in 16 of the past 22 played this season (8-18-26).  He has 3-13-16 in 21 career GP against Montreal, including 1-4-5 in back-to-back games and has 2-11-13 in his last 12 outings overall as well as points in four of his past five at Nationwide Arena (1-6-7).

BLUE JACKETS POST-GAME AUDIO INTERVIEWS

HC Dean Evason | F Kirill Marchenko & F Dmitri Voronkov | D Denton Mateychuk | D Zach Werenski

HURRICANES POST-GAME AUDIO INTERVIEWS

HC Martin St. Louis (French Only) | F Kirby Dach | F Jake Evans

BLUE JACKETS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Dec. 24            No Practice

Wednesday, Dec. 25     No Practice

Thursday, Dec. 26          No Practice

Friday, Dec. 27                7pm vs. Boston (Nationwide Arena)

COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS