Zach Werenski led the way with three assists in the first period, marking his second straight game with three points and his seventh of the season, as the Columbus Blue Jackets extended their point streak to 12 games with a 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday at Nationwide Arena.
With the win — and a loss by the New York Islanders — Columbus now sits three points ahead of the Islanders and just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins with 13 games remaining.
Game Summary
Columbus came out flying, scoring three goals in the opening 15 minutes and never looking back.
Danton Heinen (5th), Damon Severson (7th), and Mathieu Olivier (14th) all found the back of the net early against Joey Daccord, who was often left exposed by his defense.
Vince Dunn cut the lead to 3-1 late in the first with a slap shot past Elvis Merzļikins, who finished the night with 15 saves on 17 shots.
Werenski was involved in all three Columbus goals in the first period, helping the Blue Jackets outshoot Seattle 13-7 and completely control the pace early.
During the second period, both teams didn’t generate many quality chances, mostly due to poor execution and stronger defensive play on both sides. There wasn’t much space in front of the net, and it resulted in just one goal for each team.
The Seattle Kraken cut the lead to one at 8:31 with a power-play goal from Kaapo Kakko. However, they couldn’t build on that momentum, as the Columbus Blue Jackets responded just over a minute later with Kent Johnson scoring his seventh of the season to restore the two-goal lead.
In the third period, Seattle didn’t generate enough push to get back into the game, largely due to Columbus’ excellent forecheck. Cole Sillinger sealed it with his seventh of the season — his third point of the night — scoring into the empty net to make it 5-2 for Columbus.
Game Stats
| Stat | Kraken | Blue Jackets |
| Shots on Goal | 17 | 28 |
| Face-off % | 42.9% | 57.1% |
| Power Play | 1/1 | 0/3 |
| Penalty Minutes | 6 | 2 |
| Hits | 14 | 15 |
| Blocked Shots | 13 | 13 |
| Giveaways | 19 | 10 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 5 |
My Takeaways
1. Bowness is Changing Everything
What a turning point for the Columbus Blue Jackets since hiring Rick Bowness.
He didn’t overhaul the entire system—but the adjustments he made, especially defensively, have completely transformed this team. Their structure is tighter, their coverage is better, and as a result, their offense has improved too.
During this 12-game point streak (8-0-4), Columbus is averaging 3.8 goals per game while allowing just 2.75 goals against. That’s a +1 goal differential per game—elite level production.
Since January 1st, the Blue Jackets are second in the NHL with 45 points, just one behind the Buffalo Sabres, posting an incredible 20-5-5 record.
This is not a hot streak anymore—this is a legit contender playing elite hockey.
2. Werenski Playing at an Elite Level
Zach Werenski is playing the best hockey of his career.
With 75 points in 62 games (20 goals, 55 assists), he is dominating from the blue line. He was in the Norris conversation last season—and he absolutely deserves to be right back in it again.
He’s only four points behind Evan Bouchard, but Werenski is the more complete defenseman. His all-around game, maturity, and decision-making have taken another step.
And let’s give credit—Bowness has a track record of developing elite defensemen. Just look at Josh Morrissey and Miro Heiskanen during his time in Dallas.
3. Consistency Across the Board
This team is playing a complete, 200-foot game right now.
They are more disciplined, their forecheck is aggressive and effective, and both special teams units are delivering—power play and penalty kill.
But the biggest difference? Structure and effort.
Columbus is giving a full 60-minute effort every night, and their system is finally matching their talent. That’s why they’re winning—and that’s why this run feels sustainable.
Next Games
The Columbus Blue Jackets are heading into a crucial stretch with 5 games in 8 nights.
It starts on the road tonight, Sunday, March 22, against the New York Islanders, followed by a matchup in Philadelphia on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
They’ll then travel to Montreal on Thursday to face the Montreal Canadiens, before wrapping up the week with a tough back-to-back: Saturday against the San Jose Sharks and Sunday versus the Boston Bruins.
This is a defining week for Columbus. With the playoff race tightening, how they perform in this stretch could make—or break—their push.
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