Consecutive wins? In this economy?
A three-goal second period propelled the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Monday night at Nationwide Arena for their second straight win.
Alex Nylander scored twice. Kirill Marchenko had two points with a goal and an assist. Cole Sillinger also scored to extend a three-game point streak (two goals, two assists).
Erik Gudbranson had two assists. Johnny Gaudreau, Dmitri Voronkov, Ivan Provorov, Jake Bean, and Alexandre Texier had an assist.
Danill Tarasov made 45 saves. His .978 save percentage on the night set a career-high as a starter.
Chris Wanger scored for Colorado.
Sean Walker and Artturi Lehkonen had the assists.
Justus Annunen made 21 saves.
Justin Danforth returned after missing 11 games with a concussion. Boone Jenner missed his second straight game due to illness.
Tarasov Continues To Impress
Tarasov has been the Blue Jackets' ace in net over the second half of the season, and he impressed once again on Monday night.
After a 46-save performance in which he let up one goal against the Avalanche, he's now first among all goaltenders in save percentage (.935%) since Feb. 21 (minimum of 10 starts). He's fifth with a 2.40 goals-against average and is 5-5-1 in that span.
He was Monday's First Star of the Game.
#CBJ Daniil Tarasov since Feb. 21: 5-5-1, .935 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) April 2, 2024
27 goalies have started at least 10
— Dylan Tyrer (@DylanTyrer) April 2, 2024
games since February 21.
Daniil Tarasov is first among them with a .935 save percentage.#CBJ
Marchenko Joins 20-Goal Club
Marchenko's goal at 9:35 of the second period started the scoring to give Columbus the 1-0 lead. Gudbranson and Gaudreau had the assists. The Blue Jackets have scored first in seven straight games (2-4-1).
Marchenko from Gudbranson and Gaudreau. pic.twitter.com/eo9MUmd0DL #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 2, 2024
The goal gives Marchenko 20 on the year, making him the second player in Blue Jackets history to start his career with at least 20 goals in his first two seasons joining Pierre Luc-Dubois (20 in 2017-18 and 27 in 2018-19).
Back-to-back 20-goal season for Kirill Marchenko to start his career. He is the second player in franchise history to score 20 goals in each of their first two seasons with the club, per @stathead, joining Pierre-Luc Dubois. #CBJ
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) April 2, 2024
Marchenko has goals in consecutive games (two goals, one assist) and joined Jenner (22 goals) as the only 20-goal scorers on the club this season.
Nylander's Back
Nylander has been a revelation for the Blue Jackets such as when he scored eight goals in nine games.
He then went five games without a point while battling illness and injury in between and missing two games — the 6-2 loss on Mar. 26 to the Arizona Coyotes and the 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Mar. 28.
Against Colorado on Monday night, Nylander stormed back with a vengeance.
As part of a three-goal second period, Nylander scored twice, the first goal at 14:12 with Voronkov and Provorov getting the assists.
Nylander from Voronkov and Provorov. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/alPMahpf1t
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 2, 2024
At 18:03 he scored the second goal with Bean getting an assist and Gudbranson picking up his second of the game.
Nylander from Bean and Gudbranson. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/osEzOI1cy0
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 2, 2024
Nylander has 10 goals to tie a career-high in 17 games. He also scored 10 goals in 65 games for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019-20.
#CBJ Johnny Gaudreau has 11 goals this season. Alex Nylander has 10.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) April 2, 2024
This game doesnt make a lot of sense sometimes.
"We just stuck with it," Nylander said about the three-goal second period. "We know we've had to get better in that area. We really focus on playing a full 60, even though we've had really good starts.
"(Tarasov) was great tonight so that helps."
Islanders Series Finale
The Blue Jackets take on the New York Islanders at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 4 at Nationwide Arena. New York leads the season series 2-0-0 after beating the Jackets 2-0 at Nationwide Arena on Oct. 28 and 7-3 at UBS Arena on Dec. 7.
