Kirill Marchenko scored again — this time a third-period, game-winning goal — as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning by a final of 3-2 Saturday.
Kent Johnson and Damon Severson also scored for the Jackets, with each finding the back of the net for the first time this season.
After two losses to start the home schedule, Saturday's win gives Columbus their first two points on home ice.
Here are the three takeaways from a victorious night at Nationwide:
THING ONE: The Compete Level Was "100%" There
The compete level was not there in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, and head coach Dean Evason called the team's effort "soft" after their worst loss of the young season.
When asked if the Blue Jackets' compete level Saturday is what Evason was looking for, the answer was simple.
"Yeah. 100%," said Evason.
"It's one thing for coaches to talk and yell and point out things but it's another thing for them to understand it and be accountable for what happened, and they did that."
"It's one thing for coaches to talk and yell and point out things but it's another thing for them to understand it and be accountable for what happened, and they did that." -dean evason
The game could've went the other way — after Columbus took a 1-0 lead early in the game, the Lightning scored twice in less than four minutes to take a 2-1 lead.
But the Blue Jackets response in the second period was phenomenal: they didn't allow a shot on goal until there was just 6:11 left in the period, and ten seconds after Jet Greaves turned that shot away, Damon Severson scored to tie the game at 2-2.
That sequence came just moments after the Blue Jackets had a replay review overturn a goal for the third time in five games.
“We’ve talked about our team’s composure in those situations,” said Evason. “It probably would have been easy for them to say, ‘Oh, again, another negative situation against us,’ or turn negative, but they didn’t."
"There’s a lot of leadership qualities within there.”
Crisis averted, and it led to an eventual two points in the standings.
THING TWO: Another Banner Night For Marchy
The 25-year-old Marchenko became the first player in franchise history to score five goals in the team's first five games to start the season.
His goal just 1:15 into the third period put Columbus back on top and it was a lead they would not surrender.
Kirill Marchenko gets his fifth goal of the season to give the #CBJ a 3-2 lead early in the third. We're still at 3-2, now with 11:16 to go.pic.twitter.com/L97kGDWPXN
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 19, 2025
“It’s a great play by (Voronkov) and a good pass for my backhand," said Marchenko. "I had to close my eyes and shoot. It’s all I did there, every time, and it works. There was one guy behind me, and I try to not let him go around me and just protect (the puck). After that, I have the puck and try to shoot it. It’s simple.”
Evason said that Marchenko's play goes beyond finding the back of the net.
“We want him to score goals, which he does, but we need him to continue to have that competitiveness, that two-way game that he can be on the ice in all situations," said Evason. "He’s done that.”
The goal was his 80th in a Columbus sweater, and in just 221 games, Marchenko is now 10th all-time in goals by a Blue Jacket. Geoff Sanderson, with 88, is next on the list.
To put Marchenko's goal-scoring ability in comparison, Rick Nash averaged 0.42 goals per game while with Columbus and Cam Atkinson averaged 0.34. They're 1-2 on the Blue Jackets' all-time goal-scoring list. Marchenko is averaging 0.37.
THING THREE: Birthday Boy Finds The Back Of The Net
Johnson's first-period goal didn't just put the Blue Jackets out in front; it was another goal for a Columbus skater celebrating their birthday.
According to the Blue Jackets Public Relations team, Johnson — now 23 — became the 13th player in franchise history to score a goal on their birthday and the fourth since the beginning of last season.
Adam Fantilli and Sean Monahan, both born on October 12th, as well as Mikael Pyyhtia (December 17th) scored on their birthday's during the 2024-25 season.
It's 2-1 Bolts after one period, but the birthday boy got the #CBJ on the board first. pic.twitter.com/kWDmvwsH9D
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 18, 2025
In case you're wondering, the next Blue Jacket birthday on a game day isn't for a while: Ivan Provorov on January 13th, when the Blue Jackets battle the Calgary Flames.
Up Next:
Columbus heads to Dallas for a Tuesday night with the Stars. Puck-drop at American Airlines Center is set for 8:00 p.m.
