Nashville Predators @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Season 25 3/3/26

Last night was a nailbiter in Madison Square Garden. 61:06 of hockey allowed the Blue Jackets to win 5-4 in a game they led 4-0 with 20 minutes left in the game. They got their much-needed two points, but it was a quick turnaround with no time to celebrate as they flew home to face Nashville tonight. Both teams were coming off a game, with the Nashville Predators losing at home last night to the Detroit Red Wings, 4-2. Each team is trying to fight its way to a playoff spot, so tonight promised to be a good game, and it was! 

The first goal tonight was scored by the same Blue Jacket who scored the first goal in New York last night. Adam Fantilli adds goal number seventeen to his season at 14:23. and he's getting hot! The goal gives Kirill Marchenko his twenty-ninth assist this season on the primary, while the secondary goes to Mason Marchment, becoming his sixteenth assist this season. The Blue Jackets nearly escaped the opening period with a 1-0 lead, but Mason Marchment would go to the box for hooking former Blue Jacket Nick Blankenburg, putting the Predators on the power play at 17:43. They would cash in on it, tying the game at 1-1, at 19:32 with Filip Forsberg's twenty-seventh goal this season. Steven Stamkos adds his seventeenth assist this season on the primary, and Luke Evangelista adds his thirty-eighth on the secondary. The Predators would edge out the Blue Jackets in shots on goal this period by one, 10-9. 

Something to note: Jet Greaves would leave the net in the opening period. An unintentional collision would happen with Nick Blankenburg's shoulder and his head. Thankfully, after being gone for nearly half the period, most likely being evaluated for a concussion, he would return and finish out this game. The best news, Elvis Merzlikins would come in and play during his absence, and in his 8:16 in the net, he would go 2 for 2. I know some nights it might be in question, but we do have a good goalie tag team here in Columbus, and this is your proof. 

The game would continue to be tight throughout Period 2. Only one goal would come throughout the twenty minutes, and it would belong to the Predators. Ryan O'Rdilly would get an OWN goal at 14:39, giving his road team their first lead of the night. His goal would be unassisted. The Blue Jackets did win the shots on goal battle this period, 10-7. 

The Blue Jackets would make up for their cringeworthy Period 3 last night in this Period 3 tonight. First, with Kirill Marchenko in the box for two minutes following a high-sticking call, Sean Monahan would score a shorthanded goal at 152! Two games, two shorties for Sean Monahan! Then, a few minutes later at 6:07, Charlie Coyle added a sixteenth goal to his season, snatching back the lead from the Predators! Damon Severson gets his twentieth assist this season on the primary for this goal, while Denton Mateychuk adds his fifteenth assist this season on the secondary! The Predators would challenge this for goaltender interference, but we'd keep our goal. There would be a Blue Jackets power play after as the Predators took a delay of game penalty for the failed challenge, but the Blue Jackets wouldn't find a goal during it. What the Blue Jackets did do was defend the net for the remainder of the period, including about two minutes of six-on-five after the Predators brought their goaltender to the bench. Our Blue Jackets pull off the 3-2 WIN, and tonight it's in regulation! The Blue Jackets also won the final period's shots on goal battle, 8-7. 

The Stars of the Game are all Blue Jackets tonight! Adam Fantilli, who scored the first goal of the game, gets the First Star. 

Charlie Coyle, who had the winning goal in Period 3, gets the Second Star of the Game. 

And, Sean Monahan, who scored the tying goal, unassisted and shorthanded, gets the First Star of the Game!  

The Blue Jackets get a hump day off (Wednesday) before the Florida Panthers come to town on Thursday. Tonight, on the road, the Panthers lost big to the New Jersey Devils, 5-1. So, I expect them not be too happy when they get here! That said, the Blue Jackets are still in the thick of the playoff hunt. The Boston Bruins defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at home, 2-1, and in regulation. So, the Bruins are still holding onto that second wild card spot, but only by 3 points. We can do this! Puck drop for Thursday is at 7:00 p.m.!

GO CBJ!!    

  

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