The Columbus Blue Jackets saw their five-game point streak come to an end Tuesday night, falling 5–2 to the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre. Winnipeg capitalized on their chances, controlled the pace late, and used a three-assist performance from Mark Scheifele to pull away. Zach Werenski and Miles Wood scored for Columbus, while Elvis Merzlikins made 25 saves in the loss.
Despite the result, the Jackets showed flashes of their recent strong play — but too many breakdowns and missed coverages proved costly against a sharp Jets team.
Game Summary
Blue Jackets 2 – Jets 5 — Columbus Point Streak Snapped at 5
The Columbus Blue Jackets ran into a well-rested, structured, and opportunistic Winnipeg Jets team on Tuesday night, falling 5–2 at Canada Life Centre and seeing their five-game point streak come to an end. Winnipeg controlled key moments of the game, outshooting Columbus 30–22 and winning the special-teams battle, while Mark Scheifele celebrated his franchise milestone with a three-assist performance.
1st Period — Jets Attack Early, Jackets Counter Late
Shots: CBJ 11 – WPG 11
Winnipeg came out with jump knowing Columbus was finishing a back-to-back. They pressed the Blue Jackets early, winning puck battles and funneling pucks to Elvis Merzlikins.
At 7:35, the Jets were rewarded when Adam Lowry scored his first of the season.
- Assist: Niederreiter (8), Pionk (4)
- Play: Lowry parked in the slot, took the Niederreiter feed, and snapped it quickly past Merzlikins.
- 1–0 Winnipeg
Columbus responded with their best push of the night late in the period. At 18:27, Miles Wood tied the game 1–1 on a breakaway after Damon Severson fired a beautiful stretch pass that caught Winnipeg’s defense flat-footed.
Wood blew past DeMelo, deked to the backhand, and slid it five-hole.
- Wood (5)
- Assist: Severson (5), Merzlikins (1)
- 1–1
Evason liked the effort, but not the inconsistency:
“Every time we had a little push, it sagged again on us,” Evason said.
“We were in the game early, but it got away from us at the end.”
2nd Period — Jets Take Control
Shots: CBJ 4 – WPG 8
The second period was where Winnipeg separated the game. Columbus struggled to get out of their zone cleanly and managed only four shots in the frame.
At 1:12, Josh Morrissey restored the Jets’ lead on a backdoor tap-in after a perfect Scheifele pass:
- Morrissey (4)
- Assist: Scheifele (14), Connor (13)
- 2–1 Winnipeg
Winnipeg then struck again on the power play at 15:30.
Neal Pionk hammered a one-timer off a Niederreiter feed:
- Pionk (1) PPG
- Assist: Nyquist (6), Niederreiter (9)
- 3–1 Winnipeg
Columbus generated no high-danger chances in the second and entered the third chasing the game heavily.
3rd Period — Jackets Push, Jets Answer
Shots: CBJ 7 – WPG 11
Winnipeg extended the lead to 4–1 at 2:45, when Kyle Connor banked a sharp-angle shot off Merzlikins’ shoulder:
- Connor (11)
- Assist: Scheifele (15), Morrissey (17)**
Columbus finally responded at 4:04.
Zach Werenski, who reached 400 career NHL points, walked into the slot and wired one home:
- Werenski (6)
- Assist: Sillinger (6), Coyle (11)
- 4–2
Werenski gave credit to Winnipeg post-game:
“They didn’t give us much. A couple breakdowns and it’s in the back of our net.
I didn’t hate how we worked, but clean up a few things and it’s a closer game.”
But the Jets closed it down quickly.
At 6:23, Logan Stanley blasted a slapshot from the left circle to make it 5–2, effectively ending the night.
- Stanley (3)
- Assist: Scheifele (16), Schenn (2)
Notes:
Zach Werenski reached a major milestone, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history to hit 400 career points.
He is now two points away from tying Cam Atkinson (402) for second on the Jackets’ all-time list, trailing only Rick Nash (547).
Kirill Marchenko’s 12-game point streak (15 points) came to an end.
Columbus’ point streak ends at five games (3-0-2).
The Jackets were coming off a win the night before in Montreal and looked fatigued at stretches
Game Stats
| Stat | Blue Jackets (CBJ) | Jets (WPG) |
|---|---|---|
| Shots on Goal | 22 | 30 |
| Faceoff % | 45.2% (28/62) | 54.8% (34/62) |
| Power Play | 0% (0/1) | 50% (1/2) |
| Penalty Minutes | 4 | 2 |
| Hits | 13 | 16 |
| Blocked Shots | 11 | 18 |
| Giveaways | 18 | 13 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 3 |
Blue Jackets Highlight Players
M. Wood 1G 1PTS TOI 15:54 2SOG
Z. Werenski 1G 1PTS TOI 24:10 2SOG
D. Severson 1A 1PTS TOI 20:24 3SOG
3 Stars of the Game
1- M. Scheifele G: 0 | A: 3 | P: 3
2- A. Lowry G: 1 | A: 0 | P: 1
3- J. Morrissey G: 1 | A: 1 | P: 2
My 3 Takeaways
1. Zach Werenski continues to lead the Blue Jackets
Zach Werenski reached a major milestone tonight, becoming the first defenseman in Blue Jackets history to record 400 career points — an elite accomplishment that places him among the franchise’s all-time greats.
His goal was a reminder of his offensive talent, and he remained one of the steadier players on the ice in terms of rush support and transition play.
But even with a strong personal performance, it wasn’t enough to tilt the game. Winnipeg’s pressure and speed exposed Columbus at key moments, and despite Werenski’s leadership, the Jackets couldn’t generate enough from the back end to counter the Jets’ momentum.
2. Point streak ends for Kirill Marchenko — and for the team
This wasn’t a no-show from the Blue Jackets. Given the schedule — a back-to-back and travel — they competed hard and stayed in the fight for most of the night. But Winnipeg executed better when it mattered.
Kirill Marchenko, whose 12-game point streak came to an end, had a quieter game than usual. The Jets’ shutdown line limited his time and space, and he didn’t have his usual jump or possession influence. Much like the team, he looked a bit fatigued.
But this streak showed how important he is to the offense, and there’s every reason to expect a bounce-back performance in their next outing.
3. Defensive breakdowns cost them at critical moments
Columbus struggled against Winnipeg’s east-west puck movement, especially in the second period. Missed assignments, late coverage on backdoor plays, and an unnecessary offensive-zone penalty all turned into goals against.
Elvis Merzlikins didn’t provide the stabilizing presence they needed either. With a .833 save percentage, he wasn’t able to deliver the timely saves that can keep a tired team alive. It wasn’t all on him — defensive lapses were frequent — but nights like this require a goalie to steal one or two moments. That didn’t happen.
In games where energy levels are low and the opponent is fresh, those miscues become magnified, and tonight they were the difference.
My Final Thought
Columbus showed resilience in a tough building on the second half of a back-to-back, but breakdowns and an 0-for-1 power play hurt them. Winnipeg converted on the chances Columbus couldn’t, especially on special teams. The Jackets’ effort remains encouraging, but tightening defensive structure — particularly around the net and on backdoor plays — has to be an emphasis moving forward.
Next Game
Thursday – 7:00 PM EDT on the road
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Toronto Maple Leafs
