Three Things: The Streak Is Dead, Voronkov, Power Play Stay Hot, Fantilli Steps Up

By Will Chase on January 8, 2025 at 8:15 am
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (86) and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) celebrate after Marchenko scored the game-winning goal in a shootout against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.
© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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It's a new beginning.

Kirill Marchenko scored the winning goal in the shootout. Elvis Merzlikins was perfect in the overtime and shootout, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. 

Evgeni Malkin, day-to-day (upper body), was a late scratch for Pittsburgh. Denton Mateychuk, who grew up a fan of the Penguins, played against his cousin, former 2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering.

Sean Monahan left the game in the third period due to an upper-body injury but extended his point streak to four games with an assist (one goal, seven assists). Damon Severson was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.

The Streak Is Dead

Tuesday's win over the Penguins means the Blue Jackets have a 2-0 lead in the season series.

The win also ended Pittsburgh's home-ice mastery over Columbus.

Searching for its first win in the Steel City since Nov. 13, 2015, the Jackets finally put those demons to bed after overcoming a 3-1 third-period deficit to beat the Penguins in the shootout and end a 15-game losing streak (0-10-5) in Pittsburgh.

As you'd expect, it wasn't easy, as the Penguins made them earn it, with two of their three goals coming inside the first minute of each period.

Michael Bunting (13) tied the score 1-1— Sidney Crosby (32), Erik Karlsson (25) — in the second period with his team-leading eighth power-play goal at 0:51. Bunting is on a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist).

Rickard Rakell scored the first of two third-period goals to extend a three-game point streak (three goals, one assist). His 19th put the Penguins ahead 2-1 —  Karlsson (26), Matt Grzelcyk (21) — at 0:24, and then his second of the frame pushed the lead to 3-1 — Crosby (33) — at 10:09. Grzelcyk is on a three-game point streak (three assists).

Merzlikins made 20 of 23 saves while Tristan Jarry made 26 of 29 saves.

Voronkov, Power Play Stay Hot

Who's leading the club with seven power-play goals and is tied for the overall team lead with 17?

Dmitri Voronkov stayed hot with his second consecutive two-goal game. He has nine goals in the last seven games and scored his first goal in the first period at 3:20.

Voronkov scored his second goal in the third period at 12:05.

The Jackets are fourth in the league with 43 first-period goals and are tied with the Blackhawks for the most games (25) when scoring first.

Since Dec. 1, the Jackets' power play is sixth (30.0%) and overall on the whole season, they're 10th in the league (23.9%).

While they're third at home this season on the man advantage (31.6%) it's been a struggle on the road where they're 28th (15.4%), but they were perfect Tuesday night going 2-for-2.

Fantilli Steps Up

With the absence of Monahan, someone had to step up.

Enter the kid, Adam Fantilli.

Fantilli's third-period power-play goal at 17:24 completed the comeback as the Jackets evened the score 3-3 after going down 3-1 earlier in the period.

Home Date With The Kraken

Columbus returns home to Nationwide Arena to face the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. ET.

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