CBJ 4, NYI 2: Jackets Flip Script, Stun Islanders With Late Three-Goal Third Period

	1	2	3	F
	1	1	0	2
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CBJ GOALS:  Marchenko (1st, 8:09) Provorov (3rd, 15:27) Marchenko (3rd, 16:41) Sillinger (ENG) (3rd, 18:54)

Kirill Marchenko scored twice to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the New York Islanders on a late Sunday afternoon at Nationwide Arena.

Columbus has won two straight games for the first time since Dec. 1-4. It's the first time since Oct. 18-21 that the Jackets have kept opponents to two goals or fewer in consecutive games.

Ivan Provorov and Cole Sillinger scored for Columbus. Denton Mateychuk and Sean Monahan each had two assists. Jet Greaves made 24 saves.

Maxim Shabanov and Bo Horvat scored for New York. David Rittich made 31 saves.

Both teams were slightly banged up coming out of the Christmas break. The Islanders, 2-0 winners over the New York Rangers on Saturday night at UBS Arena, placed goaltender Ilya Sorokin on IR before Saturday's game.

Zach Werenski (lower body) did not practice on Saturday and was placed on IR after a blocked shot during last Monday's 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Werenski is day-to-day. Isac Lundestrom left Saturday's practice with a lower-body injury. Mathieu Olivier returned to the lineup after missing 13 games (upper body).

#CBJ head coach Dean Evason on Zach Werenski's status: "He's obviously a tough guy, so we expect him back sooner than later, but I don't know (the) timeline."

— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) December 28, 2025

The Jackets got on the board first when Mason Marchment found Marchenko all alone for the breakaway to beat Rittich in the first period.

Shabanov tied the game at 17:16.

Second-period chaos and tempers between the teams ensued after Marchment tripped Matthew Schaefer in the neutral zone, and Mat Barzal gave Marchment a baseball swing whack at the legs in retaliation. Marchment received two minutes for tripping. Barzal was given a five-minute major for slashing and a game misconduct.

"It's part of my game to get in the other team's head a little bit," Marchment said. "I was never trying to hurt (Schaefer) there. Luckily, they took a penalty right after."

In the second period, Horvat's team-leading 20th goal and 32nd point put New York ahead for the first time.

The Jackets had several third-period chances that Rittich was able to stop. Until Provorov's fifth goal of the season pulled the Jackets even 2-2. Marchenko's second goal of the game flipped the script as Columbus took the lead 1:14 later.

Sillinger scored the empty net goal to preserve the win.

"I think we had a really good first period," Provorov said. "Obviously, we got away from our game a little bit in the second, and we knew if we came out and played the right way in the third, we were able to tie the game and win it."

Columbus has had its share of third-period woes this season. Sunday's game represented a role reversal.

"The important part is that the Columbus Blue Jackets played the right way in the third period," Evason said. "We were very straightforward. We were very direct. Second (period), we were swinging all over the place, trying to make plays through the middle of the ice. In the third period, we're getting it up, we're getting it in, we're getting it deep, we're getting after it. Simple, we're playing north, and we had success."

Here's how the Blue Jackets moved one game over .500:

1st Period:

(8:09 — CBJ Goal): Marchenko scored first for the Blue Jackets to make it 1-0. The goal is his 12th, assisted by Marchment (10) and Mateychuk (9). Marchment continues a three-game point streak (three goals, one assist), all with Columbus. Mateychuk also continued a three-game point streak with his third assist in as many games.

Kirill Marchenko gets his 12th of the season here to put the #CBJ up 1-0. Mason Marchment, in his home debut with the team, picks up the primary assist. He's boomin' for the Blue Jackets, right now: three goals and an assist in 2+ games.pic.twitter.com/g9kKEtSNb2

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) December 28, 2025

New York had one shot on goal until just over seven minutes remaining in the first period.

(17:13 — NYI Goal): Shabanov's fourth tied the game. The goal was looked at for a kicking motion, but the call on the ice stood. Jean-Gabriel Pageau (9) and Anthony Duclair (9) picked up the assists.

Good work from Maxim Shabanov and J.G. Pageau on the rush and Shabanov gets rewarded for crashing the net.

Shabanov Ties it at 1. #Isles pic.twitter.com/m7eRq84BRH

— Isles Rumor (@IslesRumor) December 28, 2025

2nd Period:

(13:24 — NYI Goal): Horvat's go-ahead goal put the Islanders on top 2-1. Check out the pass by Ryan Pullock (16) to find the goal scorer.

Bo Horvat hits the 20-goal mark. What a pass from Pulock. #Isles pic.twitter.com/SHMhZTEp7S

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) December 28, 2025

3rd Period:

(15:27 — CBJ Goal): A 2-1 Islanders lead late into the third period, Provorov's fifth tied the game 2-2. Mateychuk (10) and Monahan (13) got the assists.

(16:41 — CBJ Goal): Marchenko's (13) second of the game, 1:14 later, gave Columbus the lead back. Adam Fantilli (12) and Damon Severson (11) assisted on the would-be game-winning goal.

COLUMBUS COMES BACK TO TAKE THE LEAD WITH TWO QUICK GOALS pic.twitter.com/iogx2xYZwN

— NHL (@NHL) December 29, 2025

(18:54 — CBJ Goal): Sillinger's empty net goal (4) was assisted by Monahan (14).

Stat Chat:

• Following the win, the Blue Jackets improved to 3-6-2 within Metropolitan Division play. Columbus is in the middle of a five-game stretch against the Eastern Conference.
   
• Sillinger's empty-net goal was Columbus' third empty-net goal of the season.
   
• Fantilli had a season-high eight shots on goal. He had a career-high 10 shots on goal on Nov. 16, 2023, against the Arizona Coyotes.
   
• Kent Johnson played a season-low 7:41.
   
• The Jackets were able to flip the script against the Islanders. On Nov. 2 at UBS Arena, the Islanders scored twice in the final 1:07 to beat Columbus 3-2.

Up Next:

The Blue Jackets head north to face the Ottawa Senators from Canadian Tire Centre on Monday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m.