Calgary Flames @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Season 25 1/13/26

It's the beginning of a new era in Columbus tonight as Rick Bowness takes over the Blue Jackets bench as the team parted ways with Dean Evason yesterday. To me, it was a shock, and I didn't post anything because I wanted Don Waddell, our General Manager, to speak first about the decision today. I've covered this team since May 2020, and I've seen my share of coaching changes, but this is the first to happen during the season. Personally, I expected this, but thought leadership would wait until after this season concluded. Why? To me, last season was one of learning and mourning after the loss of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother. So, I expected Dean to have the rest of this season to prove he could help the team rebound. That said, I'm not surprised leadership didn't wait, but instead tried to change the narrative during this 25th Season in Columbus and save the historic season that way. Rick Bowness has an extensive resume, including time with the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets, which resulted in recent cup runs. Although I am sad to see Dean Evason go and wish him the best after all he helped this team and fanbase through, I look forward to seeing how this change affects our boys. 

With the elephant on the ice addressed, let's get into Rick Bowness's first game in Columbus. Our boys would come out strong, adding the first goal to the scoreboard at 3:57. This would become goal number three this season for Dante Fabbro! Zach Werenski continues to rack up points with his thirty-second assist this season on the primary, while the secondary becomes number twenty for Charlie Coyle. Then, at 13:24, Charlie Coyle would gain a multipoint night, 1-1-2, with goal number eight of his season! Jake Christiansen adds assist number two to his season with the primary, while Dimitri Voronkov gets his fourteenth on the secondary. The period would close with the Blue Jackets in the lead on the scoreboard, 2-0, and also leading in shots on goal, 10-8. 

Period 2 would see the ice shift, as the Flames would match the Blue Jackets' two goals in period one, doing so on the power play. Their first power play goal would come with Zach Werenski in the box after slashing Flames' Adam Klapka. This would be goal nine for Morgan Frost. Mikael Backlund comes away with assist number eighteen of his season on the primary, while Yegor Sharangovio adds his seventh assist this season on the secondary. The second power play goal for the Flames would come at the tail end of the period, at 19:18, and it would give Rasmus Anderson his tenth goal this season. Yegor Sharangovich gets his second assist of the night, his eighth this season, on the primary, while the secondary assist becomes the eighth for Connor Zary.  Although the game would be tied 2-2, the Blue Jackets would still lead shots on goal for the second period in a row, 14-7. 

It's also worth noting that 9:01 into Period 2, Flames Resmus Anderson and Blue Jackets' Captain Boone Jenner would share a fight. Both men would get a five-minute major for the fight, but neither of the Flames' goals would directly come from these penalties. Also, both men would continue to play after serving their time, so no injuries to report, at least tonight, from this fight. We prefer this!  

Period 3 would see a night of competitive hockey continue. First, the Blue Jackets would snatch the lead back after Zach Werenski achieved yet another multipoint night, 1-1-2, after goal number seventeen of his season at 4:56! With this goal, which was a power play goal as Flames' Yan Kuznetsov sat in the box for tripping Kent Johnson, Zach also reclaims the team lead in goals. Adam Fantilli adds his seventeenth assist this season with the primary, while the secondary assist goes to Kirill Marchenko, becoming his twenty-second of the season. Not long after this, Ivan Provorov would take a nasty puck to the side of his head. It wasn't pretty, and would result in him leaving the game and not returning. I really hope he's alright. Back to the game, the Flames would come back, yet again, scoring at 10:05 via Mikael Backlund as Dante Fabbro sat in the box for interfering with Nazem Kadri. This marks the Flames' third power play goal, taking us to a 3-3 tie, again. Morgan Frost adds an assist to his earlier goal, giving him a multipoint night as he picks up assist number thirteen for his season on the primary, while Connor Zary gets his second assist tonight, ninth overall this season on the secondary. Then, at 18:26, our Captain Boone Jenner would have a goal all his own, his eighth this season, snatching back the lead for the Blue Jackets again! Charlie Coyle would then put the cherry on top, scoring on the Flames' empty net at 19:57! This is his second goal tonight, his ninth this season! Boone Jeenner adds an assist to his goal in this third period, giving him fifteen this season after picking up the assist on this empty net goal. Also, who else but Zach Werenski, as he extends his points tonight to three, 1-2-3, after adding his thirty-third assist on this last goal of the game! The Blue Jackets WIN 5-3 on the scoreboard, and complete the shots on goal win for all three periods, 19-17. What a memorable game for the beginning of the Rick Bowness era! 

The Stars tonight shine as bright as the win. Charlie Couyle, with his 2-1-3 night, gets the Third Star of the Game. 

Boone Jenner, with a 1-1-2 night, and a fight to round out the Gordie Howe hat-trick, gets the Second Star of the Game. 

Who else but Zach Werenski? With a 1-2-3 night, Zach Werenski gets the First Star of the Game tonight!      

Our next game will be Thursday night as Superman Night takes over Nationwide Arena. The Vancouver Canucks will travel to Columbus for a super night (I had to). The puck will drop at 7:00 p.m.

GO CBJ!! 

P.s. It was great to see you fire that cannon to start the game with two of Johnny and your babies, Meredith. Always wishing your family the best, and Johnny with forever come to my mind when I see the number 13.