What can you say?
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
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3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
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CBJ GOALS: |
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Sidney Crosby scored in overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins completed the comeback to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-4, on Sunday afternoon at Nationwide Arena. Crosby also had an assist as the Penguins have won five straight.
Ville Koivunen, Noel Acciari, Tommy Novak, and Richard Rakell scored for the Penguins. Arturs Silovs made 21 saves.
Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski each had a goal and an assist for Columbus. Dmitri Voronkov and Mason Marchment also scored. Denton Mateychuk had two assists.
Jet Greaves stopped 38 shots.
Columbus stopped the Buffalo Sabres' 10-game winning streak with Saturday's 5-1 win, and was looking to break another streak 24 hours later. Pittsburgh, winners of four straight, beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday. The Penguins limited the Red Wings to one goal on 12 shots — the fewest amount of shots allowed in a game this season.
Koivunen's second career NHL goal at the opening 1:50 mark propelled the Penguins to the early 1-0 lead.
At 8:21, Voronkov scored his ninth of the season, giving him goals in back-to-back games. Just 27 seconds later, Marchment added his fifth goal as a Blue Jacket to put the Jackets on top 2-1.
For the second straight day, the Blue Jackets had a 3-1 first-period lead when Marchenko scored at 18:38.
Werenski's goal inside the first minute of the second period made it four straight goals for Columbus to make it 4-1.
A string of four straight goals by Pittsburgh started with Acciari's fourth, cutting the deficit at 16:51 of the second period.
Novak's power-play goal brought Pittsburgh back within one goal in the third period. Rakell scored at 19:46 to force overtime. Crosby's winner came at 2:22.
Here's how the Blue Jackets coughed up another chance at two points:
1st Period:
(1:50 — PIT Goal): Koivunen put Pittsburgh ahead 1-0 when he cleaned up the rebound down in front of Greaves. Ben Kindel (9) and Jack St. Ivany (3) got the assists.
BACK IN THE LINEUP, BACK ON THE SCORE SHEET
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) January 4, 2026
VILLE KOIVUNEN STRIKES FIRST! pic.twitter.com/ExI5wOPgg8
(8:21 — CBJ Goal) Voronkov scored goals in consecutive days, with his team-leading 15th of the year tying the game 1-1. Denton Mateychuk's assist (12) gives him points in back-to-back days.
Dento let's one fly!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 4, 2026
CBJ x @FanaticsBook pic.twitter.com/ElsJQVxPLX
(8:48 — CBJ Goal) Marchment was held off the scoresheet for the first time as a Blue Jacket during Saturday's win, but he was back to old tricks on Sunday with his ninth of the year to put Columbus ahead. The goal was his first home goal at Nationwide Arena. Adam Fantilli (14) and Marchenko (18) added the assists.
MUSH AIN'T MESSIN' AROUND!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 4, 2026
CBJ x @FanaticsBook pic.twitter.com/3pFtVSk3HR
(18:38 — CBJ Goal) Marchenko's 15th moved him into a tie for the team lead in goals with Voronkov. Werenski (29), the franchise leader in assists, added another to his ledger with the 300th of his career. Mateychuk (13) had a two-point period.
MARCHY BROUGHT THE MAGIC
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 4, 2026
CBJ x @FanaticsBook pic.twitter.com/gOhKleMDJw
2nd Period:
(0:47 — CBJ Goal): Werenski already had an assist and then added a goal for his fifth consecutive multi-point game to put Columbus up 4-1 early in the second frame. Boone Jenner (13) and Mathieu Olivier (7) got the assists.
Werenski is the first Blue Jacket defenseman and second player in club history (Artemi Panarin, 2017-18) to have five straight multi-point games. Panarin had exactly five such games.
pic.twitter.com/TVVdtLcIpw Werenski joins Voronkov and Marchenko with his team co-leading 15th goal. Jenner and Olivier with the assists.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 4, 2026
After adding his 300th career assist earlier, Werenski has his fifth straight multi-point game.
(11:46 — PIT Goal): Acciari ended a streak of four straight Blue Jackets goals with his fourth. Connor Dewarr (7) scored the assist.
We have a two-goal game pic.twitter.com/J3vcyRVSQP
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 4, 2026
3rd Period:
(3:28 — PIT Goal): Novak (8) scored to make it 4-3 for the third-ranked power play coming in, and you wondered if the inevitable might happen. Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau each added their ninth assists.
The power play cashes in, and so can you!@BetMGM players score on NHL casino games tonight. Dont forget to play weekly for your chance to win. Learn more: https://t.co/XK3NWfPOj0 pic.twitter.com/pPflKgM1TP
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 4, 2026
(19:46 — PIT Goal): With the goalie pulled, Rakell tied the game, 4-4, with 14 seconds left. Assists went to Anthony Mantha (15) and Crosby (23).
NO QUIT IN THE BLACK & GOLD pic.twitter.com/sXtkAQ8ju5
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 4, 2026
Overtime:
(2:22 — PIT Goal): Who else? Crosby's 24th, assisted by Erik Karlsson (28) and Yegor Chinakhov (4). The Penguins are 4-9 beyond regulation this season, with two wins coming against Columbus. All three matchups between Pittsburgh and the Jackets have been decided beyond regulation.
Simply a privilege to watch Sidney Crosby do his thing. pic.twitter.com/svP3RcZrWm
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 4, 2026
| PIT | GAME STATS | CBJ |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | SHOTS | 25 |
| 53.1% | FACEOFFS | 46.9% |
| 1/3 | POWER PLAY | 0/0 |
| 0/0 | PENALTY KILL | 2/3 |
| 14 | HITS | 22 |
| 14 | GIVEAWAYS | 21 |
| 5 | TAKEAWAYS | 7 |
| 14 | BLOCKED SHOTS | 19 |
| ALL SITUATIONS ADVANCED STATS | ||
| 92 | SHOT ATTEMPTS | 53 |
| 40 | SCORING CHANCES | 29 |
| 14 | HIGH-DANGER CHANCES | 10 |
| Data via NHL.com & NaturalStatTrick.com | ||
Stat Chat:
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Columbus has points in six of their last seven games against the Penguins (4-1-2).
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With a goal and an assist, Werenski is now on a seven-game point streak (six goals, eight assists) and a 14-game home point streak (10 goals, 16 assists). Werenski is the first defenseman since Cale Makar (five games, 2023-24) to have five straight multi-point games.
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Columbus was a combined 0-for-1 on the power play for the weekend, with the only attempt coming in Saturday’s win over Buffalo. The combined opposition was 1-for-8, including the Sabres being 0-for-5.
- For the ninth time in 23 losses this season, the Blue Jackets had a third-period lead.
Up Next:
The Blue Jackets embark on a four-game trip westward when they take on the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Puck drop is set for 10 p.m. from SAP Center.
