Jet Greaves was outstanding in net, stopping all 28 shots he faced as the Columbus Blue Jackets shut out the Dallas Stars 1–0 on Thursday night. The win marked Columbus’ fifth victory in their last six games, as the team continues to trend upward with a 4-1-0 record under head coach Rick Bowness. Defenseman Zach Werenski scored the lone goal, his 19th of the season, extending his lead among all NHL defensemen and sealing another strong team effort at Nationwide Arena.
Game Summary
The Columbus Blue Jackets earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena, powered by a strong defensive effort and a flawless performance from goaltender Jet Greaves.
Zach Werenski scored the lone goal of the game at 8:48 of the first period, firing a wrist shot from the right face-off circle that beat Casey DeSmith through traffic. The goal stood as the game-winner and marked Werenski’s 18th career game-winning goal, allowing him to pass David Vyborny (17) for fifth-most in Blue Jackets franchise history.
“I feel like most goals, I’m just trying to miss the screen in front of me,” Werenski said. “When guys are in front of the net it’s really tough to see, so just trying to get it by them. Sometimes pucks find their way into the net.”
Werenski also praised the team’s overall effort in a tightly checked game. “Everyone played hard. We played our team game. Guys were blocking shots, and Jet obviously made a ton of huge saves. Those games are hard to win, but they feel really good when everyone is bought in.”
Greaves was outstanding between the pipes, stopping all 28 shots he faced to record his first shutout of the season and the third of his NHL career. Dallas controlled much of the play, outshooting Columbus 28-22 overall and holding a 22-13 edge in shots over the final two periods, but Greaves remained calm and composed throughout.
“Just a lot of commitment to the details,” Greaves said to NHL.com. “That’s something we’ve been preaching lately, and I thought the guys did a great job tonight. I felt good, and the team in front of me was excellent. It’s a great opponent with a lot of skill, and we handled the little things really well.”
The win was made even more special as Columbus forward Charlie Coyle played in his 1,000th NHL game. Coyle reflected on the milestone following the victory.
“It’s just nice to win,” Coyle said. “Those milestones are fun, but when you get the two points, it makes it that much better. That was a great game by us to get the job done.”
With the victory, Columbus completed a season sweep of Dallas, having also earned a 5-1 win in Texas back in October.
Next Game
The Blue Jackets return home on Saturday, Jan. 24, to host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:00 PM EDT. Columbus will face a red-hot Lightning team that is 9-0-1 in its last 10 games, setting up a tough test at Nationwide Arena.
