One streak ends. Another continues.
Nick Suzuki's eighth of the season in overtime secured the 4-3 win for the Montreal Canadiens over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night.
The Canadiens have won seven straight games over the Blue Jackets, and one more game will be played between the two clubs at Nationwide Arena on Dec. 23.
Home Win Streak Ends
Believe it or not, the Blue Jackets are one of the best home teams in the NHL with a 7-3-1 mark.
Even though they came up a goal short of two points on Wednesday night, ending the three-game home winning streak, Columbus extended its four-game point streak at Nationwide Arena. Their overall three-game winning streak ended and is bookended by losses to Montreal. Columbus lost at Bell Centre 5-1 on Nov. 16.
Columbus has surrendered power play goals against in seven straight contests after Montreal converted on one of two chances. Cole Caufield scored his team-leading 13th on the man advantage.
So to recap, 13 Cole Caufield scored his 13th goal of the season with 13:26 left in the second period. #CBJ #GoHabsGo #JohnnyGaudreau
— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) November 28, 2024
#CBJ Sean Kuraly is on the bench -- and doesn't appear to be injured -- but hasn't played since 5:57 of the second period, when he took his second minor penalty of the game.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) November 28, 2024
Elvis Merzlikins made 19 saves while Cayden Primeau made 21 stops.
Werenski's Gordie Howe Hat Trick
Fresh off First Star of the Week honors, Zach Werenski might be up for an encore.
Career firsts and franchise records defenceman Zach Werenski led the league in points while capping his week with the OTG in a @BlueJacketsNHL win as our NHLPA Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/yAeeMXxHD0
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) November 22, 2024
Werenski had a two-point night on Wednesday, starting with an assist on Mathieu Olivier's goal which started the scoring at 9:08 of the first period.
Mathieu Olivier's seventh goal of the season to give the #CBJ a 1-0 lead. Wonderful look from Zach Werenski, who gets the primary assist and (at least for now) his team-leading 21st point.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 28, 2024
Montreal just scored at 13:00 in the first, so we're now 1-1. pic.twitter.com/CnBzAlhz5K
Then for the first time since 2021, he dropped the gloves with Brendan Gallagher.
Zach Werenski can do everything, and if you tell him otherwise, he'll make you pay. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/IbImV7GiMk
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 28, 2024
Zach Werenski now has three NHL fights, and two of them have come in Gordie Howe hat tricks. The other was in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs vs. Tampa Bay, you may recall. #CBJ
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 28, 2024
First fight for Z in 1,409 days. #CBJ https://t.co/OCPTHtfqpR
— CBJ Stats (@BlueJacketStats) November 28, 2024
Mathieu Olivier on the Zach Werenski fight: "That was probably the most fired up I ever was on the bench. It was unbelievable. He did unreal. He looked like hes been doing this for years. Had the left, the right going, he had everything. ... Its nice to get a break." #CBJ
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 28, 2024
At 12:22 of the third period, his seventh goal of the season tied the score 3-3 to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick. Werenski is on a six-game point streak (four goals, eight assists) and leads the team with 22 points. Damon Severson (6) and Dmitri Voronkov (3) assisted on the play. Voronkov is on a four-game point streak (three goals, two assists).
Werenski and Gallagher each spent seven minutes in the box for fighting and slashing penalties, but Werenski still played 24:15 for the game. Ivan Provorov led the Blue Jackets with 24:22 ice time.
Chinakhov's Seventh
Yegor Chinakhov scored at 4:27 of the second period to give Columbus the 2-1 lead. His linemates Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson each assisted on the play.
Chinny's seventh of the season comes at 4:27 of the second. Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson get the apples on a line that looks like a lot of fun.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 28, 2024
The goal gave the #CBJ a 2-1 lead, but we're now 2-2.pic.twitter.com/bo28csQmuh
Johnson extended his point streak to all seven games he's played in and has 10 points (four goals, six assists). Fantilli is up to 10 points (three goals, seven assists).
Black Friday
The Blue Jackets conclude their four-game homestand with the Calgary Flames on Friday, Nov. 29 at 3:00 p.m. ET.