Again, again, and again — the Columbus Blue Jackets find a way to let another one slip away. Columbus started the third period with the lead, but lost it in overtime with three seconds left, dropping a wild one 7–6 in Florida. Just two nights ago, it was 6–5, and this continues a brutal trend: 10 overtime games in their last 15, with a record of 4–6 in those extra sessions. Another chaotic night, another blown lead, and another missed opportunity for a team that simply can’t close.
Game Summary
1st Period – Trading Blows Early
The opening period in Sunrise had the feel of two teams ready to run. Columbus struck first on the night’s only penalty of the frame — after the Panthers went shorthanded on a slashing call, Damon Severson stepped up and tipped a Provorov point shot for his 2nd of the season at 7:40. A clean deflection, perfect timing, and a 1–0 Jackets lead.
Florida answered quickly. Just over two minutes later,
Evan Rodrigues buried his 8th with a smooth wrist shot from the slot at 9:47, beating Merzļikins clean and tying the game 1–1.
The pace stayed high, both teams created rush looks, and the goaltenders had to be sharp. Florida finished with 9 shots, Columbus with 8, a tight opening frame that set the table for one of the wildest second periods of the season.
2nd Period – Chaos, Collapse, and a Momentum Meltdown
If the first period had structure, the second period threw it out the window. Columbus exploded early and completely took over the game — only to watch Florida rip it right back.
At 5:26, Dmitri Voronkov fought for positioning and redirected another Provorov shot for his 10th, making it 2–1. Seconds later, the building went silent again when Miles Wood jumped on a loose puck, cut to the middle, and beat Bobrovsky with a quick backhand for his 8th, stretching the lead to 3–1.
Columbus wasn’t done. At 10:24, Kirill Marchenko made a power move to the net, shifted to his backhand, and lifted it over the pad for his 10th, pushing the lead to 4–1 and stunning the Panthers.
But this is the Blue Jackets. And this is their story all season:
build the lead, lose the structure, lose the game.
Florida began the comeback at 11:15. Carter Verhaeghe slipped behind coverage and tapped in a loose puck for his 6th, cutting it to 4–2. Columbus challenged, lost, and immediately went shorthanded. Florida punished them.
On the power play, Verhaeghe struck again — a clean one-timer for his second of the game and 7th of the season, turning the game into a 4–3 track meet.
Then disaster: a Provorov tripping penalty at 14:27, and Florida tied it on another man-advantage. Seth Jones hammered a point shot, a pure slapshot through traffic, tying the game 4–4 and flipping the momentum completely. The crowd erupted. Columbus unraveled.
But hockey is strange — sometimes chaos gives you a bounce. At 18:26, totally against the flow, Cole Sillinger walked into the slot and ripped a wrist shot for his 3rd, stealing back a 5–4 lead heading to intermission.
It was seven goals, two blown leads, two costly penalties, and a perfect snapshot of Columbus’ season:
when they get ahead, it never feels safe.
3rd Period – Another Collapse in Plain Sight
Columbus entered the third period holding a 5–4 lead and, once again, had the perfect start to close out a game. At 2:27, Isac Lundeström scored his 1st of the season, snapping a shot from the slot after a clean feed from Miles Wood. That made it 6–4 Blue Jackets, and for a brief moment, it looked like Columbus had finally found breathing room.
But as we’ve seen all year, no lead is ever safe with this team.
Florida pushed immediately. At 4:21, Brad Marchand walked in off the wing and beat Merzļikins with a precise wrist shot for his 16th, cutting the deficit to 6–5. It was a simple play — too simple — and another example of the Jackets losing their defensive structure after scoring a big goal.
Columbus then took a penalty they couldn’t afford. Werenski’s cross-check at 6:01 shifted momentum again, forcing the Jackets to defend instead of building on their lead. Florida didn’t score directly on that power play, but the pressure never stopped.
The Panthers owned the puck, owned the zone time, and eventually broke through. At 14:18, Anton Lundell found space in the high slot and snapped home his 7th of the season, tying the game 6–6. The entire building felt the shift — Florida was surging, Columbus hanging on.
And as the period ended, it was the same script:
Columbus had the lead, lost it, and entered OT hoping to steal a point instead of securing two.
Overtime – Three Seconds From Surviving
Overtime was frantic from the start. Florida controlled possession, Columbus tried to counter, and both teams traded rushes. Columbus even got a lifeline when Sam Reinhart took a hooking penalty at 0:58, giving the Jackets a four-on-three power play — a golden chance to win a game they kept trying to give away.
But they couldn’t execute. Florida’s PK boxed them out, took away the shooting lanes, and the Jackets generated almost nothing with the extra man.
The missed opportunity came back to haunt them.
With time winding down and OT seemingly heading to a shootout, Florida made one last push. Sam Bennett, who had been everywhere all night, jumped on a loose puck in the slot and fired it past Merzļikins with just three seconds left on the clock.
A dagger.
A 7–6 loss.
And another game where Columbus had the lead in the third period — and couldn’t hold it.
It was their 10th overtime game in the last 15… and another bitter chapter in a season defined by blown leads and missed chances.
Game Stats
| Stat | Blue Jackets | Panthers |
| Final Score | 6 | 7 (OT) |
| Shots on Goal | 31 | 40 |
| Faceoff % | 42.6% (29/68) | 57.4% (39/68) |
| Power Play | 1/4 (25%) | 2/4 (50%) |
| Penalty Minutes | 8 | 8 |
| Hits | 15 | 30 |
| Blocked Shots | 20 | 7 |
| Giveaways | 21 | 12 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 4 |
3 Stars of the Game
1st Star – Sam Bennett (FLA): 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS
2nd Star – Carter Verhaeghe (FLA): 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS
3rd Star – Brad Marchand (FLA): 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS
Final Thoughts
Columbus scored six goals and still walked out with one point — and that tells the whole story. They led 4–1, they led 6–4, and they still could not finish the job. Special teams hurt them again, discipline hurt them again, and the habit of collapsing under pressure showed up for the 10th time in their last 15 games.
The offense did enough to win. The effort was there. But until this team learns how to manage momentum, protect the slot, and stay composed after scoring a big goal, nights like this will keep happening.
Florida didn’t quit. Columbus didn’t close.
Another blown lead. Another overtime loss. Another reminder that the Blue Jackets are not losing because of talent — they’re losing because they can’t control the game when it matters most.
Next Game: Sunday, Dec. 7 – Blue Jackets at Capitals
Columbus jumps right back into action with a tough back-to-back on Sunday in Washington. The challenge won’t be easy. The Capitals return home after a long road trip riding one of the hottest stretches in the league — an 8-1-2 record in their last 11 games.
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