The CBJ Writer

Welcome back from the Olympic break, 5th Line! Tonight, during the second commercial break, the Boston Bruins honored their players and ours who played in the 2026 Winter Olympics. It was a nice touch of sportsmanship that I had to include in this blog post.  When the puck dropped for Period 1, we'd see a contest between a current Columbus Blue Jacket goaltender and a former Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender. Elvis Merzlikins would hold our net, while Joonas Korpisalo would hold the home net for the Bruins. Kirill Marchenko would be the first player to get a puck past either of them, giving the Blue Jackets an early 1-0 road lead. The breakaway goal, at 4:32, would advance Kirill Marchenko into a club that only Zach Werenski was part of to this point; twenty goals this season! The primary assist would become Mason Marchment's fourteenth this season, while the secondary assist would bring Adam Fantilli to a twenty-fourth this season. But, after several solid stops, Viktor Arvidss...

The chills that ran through my body at typing the title of this blog post were second to none. After 46 years, our United States Men's Olympic Hockey Team comes home with gold around their neck, and I could not be prouder! This game was all you could have wanted and more. A battle between two countries with deep roots in the game of hockey. The first goal would be scored by the United States' Matt Boldy, his second of the Olympics, at 6:00 into the opening period. Austin Matthews would come away with his fourth assist of the games with the primary, while Quinn Hughes would come away with his seventh of the Olympics with the secondary. But, at the very end of the middle period, 18:16, Cale Makar would add his second goal to his Olympic total, tying this game at 1-1. Devon Toews would get his second assist in the games, and this would be the only assist on Canada's tying goal. In the final period of regulation, Connor Hellebuyck was a force in net for the United States, and J...

It's Semifinals day for the Men's Olympic Hockey Teams at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and it did not disappoint. Game one early this afternoon featured a close game between Team Canada and Team Finland. The game was all Team Finland as they led 2-0, but Team Canada came all the way back, winning 3-2 with a game-winning goal from Nathan MacKinnon with only about a minute before the game would be forced into overtime. So, Team Canada would await the winner of Team Slovakia at Team U.S.A, and if you were a Team U.S.A and/or Zach Werenski fan, this game did not disappoint either! At 4:19, Zach Werenski would come away with his first assist of the game on the first goal of the game, scored by Dylan Larkin! The Secondary assist would go to Tage Thompson. For those at home keeping track of our Blue Jacket, Zach Werenski, this brings Zach to a 1-2-3 at the Olympics so far. Know this number will increase exponentially as the night goes on! Before this opening period would close, Tage Thom...

Yesterday, Elvis Merzlikins and Team Latvia were knocked out of the Olympics after their loss to Team Sweden. The final score was 5-1. That said, I know Elvis Merzlikins made Latvia and Columbus, Ohio, proud, and he'll always be an Olympian.  Today, in the Men's Hockey Quarter Finals, I have no doubt that Elvis Merzlikins was rooting for Team U.S.A for two reasons. First, Columbus Blue Jackets teammate Zach Werenski is on this team. Second, I have little doubt he was hoping that Team U.S.A. could knock out the team that knocked him and Team Latvia out yesterday, Team Sweden. The game would be a nailbiter, and here I thought they could grow back before NHL play resumed for our Columbus Blue Jackets in Boston next Thursday. Ha! A goal wouldn't be scored in this game until over halfway through Period 2. Dylan Larkin would get his first goal of the Olympics at 11:03, with assists from Jack and Quinn Hughes. This gives Jack three assists so far and brother Quinn five! It would l...

Tonight, we saw Team U.S.A play Team Latvia. The United States team has Columbus Blue Jackets' Defenseman Zach Werenski, while Team Latvia has Columbus Blue Jackets' Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. Zach Werenski would come away with the secondary assist on the first goal scored for Team U.S.A tonight by Brady Tkachuk at 5:29 in Period 1. This would be the only point for Zach Werenski in this opening game.  Elvis Merzlikins was fantastic in the net, doing all he could to keep his team in the game. That said, Team U.S.A would score three goals in Period 2, breaking the 1-1 tie the period started with. Team U.S.A would score one more goal in Period 3 to seal their 5-1 win.  Team Latvia will host Team Germany on Saturday at 6:00 p.m., and the game will be on Peacock.  Team Germany will then host Team U.S.A on Sunday at 3:00 p.m., and that game will also be on Peacock.   As always, I wish both our Blue Jackets luck in their next game! 

With the way our Blue Jackets played tonight at home, you'd have no idea that they played last night, on the road at the New Jersey Devils, and won 3-0. Tonight, Elvis Merzlikins would sit on the bench following his first shutout of the season, and Jet Greaves would hold the home net. The transition would be seamless. The Blue Jackets would lead shots on goal, 8-5, and Jet Greaves wouldn't let any of those 5 Blackhawks shots past him. The Blackhawks couldn't say the same for goaltender Spencer Knight. Mr. Team U.S.A., Zach Werenski, would get the scoring started for the Blue Jackets at 4:46, marking goal number twenty of his season! With the primary assist, Cole Sillinger would also add his twentieth assist to his season, while Charlie Coyle continues his impressive season with assist number twenty-six with the secondary. Then, at 12:50, the defenseman would double it up to give the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead! The goal would become the sixth this season for Ivan Provorov. Adam...