Two games for Elvis Merzlikins. Two wins.
Under head coach Rick Bowness, there seems to be a new vibe under the veteran coach's guidance.
Whether it's the temporary bump that you hear about for teams during coaching changes or something deeper that can ultimately turn the club's season around, that's the question.
.@BlueJacketsNHL goalie Elvis Merzlikins was talking big ahead of this one...
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) January 17, 2026
He'll be in net tonight... some bulletin board material for the @penguins? pic.twitter.com/D5NW4RdCrn
But so far, the proof is in the results, as the Blue Jackets can achieve a season-high five-game winning streak when they face the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. Columbus and Ottawa have split the first two games, with the Senators winning 6-3 at Nationwide Arena on Dec. 11, chasing Merzlikins with three goals on five first-period shots. The Jackets beat Ottawa at Canadian Tire Centre 4-1 on Dec. 29, with Jet Greaves in net.
Winners of four straight games, and a perfect 3-0-0 with Bowness at the helm, the vibe is something of a new lease on life for some players, and maybe none more so than goaltender Evlis Merzlikins.
Having started and won the last two games for the Blue Jackets, Merzlikins was named the First Star of the Game behind 30 saves in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
With 30 saves on 31 shots, Elvis Merzlikins performance (based on save percentage) in Thursdays win was his best game since a 26-save shutout against the Islanders on Oct. 30th, 2024.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 16, 2026
A span of 65 games and 443 calendar days. #CBJ
He got the nod again for Saturday's critical road game in Pittsburgh, in which he turned aside 29 shots, including six in overtime and three of the four in the shootout, as the Blue Jackets beat the Penguins 4-3. The Jackets' penalty kill was 3-for-3, as they contained the league's third-best power play (28.7%) to four shots.
Columbus lost defenseman Dante Fabbro in the first period due to a lower-body injury, forcing the Jackets to play with five defensemen the rest of the night, only highlighting the need for everyone to step up, including in goal.
"Look how great Elvis played," Bowness said. "You go down to five D, they're going to be tired. They're going to be under pressure. You need big saves. Elvis was outstanding. He really was."
Merzlikins, Saturday's Third Star of the Game, is 3-0 in the shootout this season. He was 5-0 last year, where he was something of a stalwart, making 14 of 15 saves in the skills competition.
Since entering the league in 2019-20, Merzlikins is tied for second among all goalies with 16 shootout wins, good for a .747 winning percentage, which ranks second in the league over that span.
| S/O GP | S/O Wins | S/O Losses | S/O SA | S/O GA | S/O Saves | S/O SV% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jusse Sarros | 25 | 20 | 5 | 93 | 18 | 75 | .806 |
| 2 | Elvis Merzlikins | 25 | 16 | 9 | 91 | 23 | 68 | .747 |
Danton Heinen, who was a late addition to the lineup, was the First Star of the Game with a third-period go-ahead goal. Sidney Crosby, who forced overtime with the tying goal at 18:59 of the third period and had an assist on the night, was the Second Star of the Game.
Thursday and Saturday's starts marked just the second time this season that Merzlikins has started consecutive games, the first coming when he made three straight starts Dec.1–6.
It's only been three games under Bowness, but suddenly, there seems to be a renewed sense of urgency, and the Jackets have begun to get the best out of their embattled goaltender.
The real question about all of this is, will it last?
As bad as things felt just a week ago, when the Jackets lost four straight and five of six, the Blue Jackets are now up to sixth in the Metropolitan Division, and just four points out of third place. They're six points behind the red-hot Buffalo Sabres for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot.
Merzlikins, who is 8-7-1 with a 3.77 goals against average and .884 save percentage, will need to continue the recent two-game sample size. If Bowness is the key to unlocking something within Merzlikins, the Jackets will take it.
They'll also continue to rely on Greaves (14-12-6, 2.72, .908) to remain a calm and steady presence in net. Greaves has been given his first extensive break in a while after starting all but one game between Dec. 22 and Jan. 13.
Whether it's Greaves or Merzlikins, who is potentially in line for a third consecutive start, the Jackets will need every bit of the recent success to continue as Columbus opens up a season-long five-game homestand on Tuesday.
