Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadians: Season 25 4/11/26

The last three games of this season are must-wins for our Columbus Blue Jackets for a few reasons. First, this is our last road game of the regular season, and our last regular-season game against a Canadian team. Second, we're still in a race for a spot in the 2026 NHL playoffs. Third, even if we can't get in, the momentum from these last games will carry over into the franchise's 26th season. Fourth, our team has performed well enough that players can be nominated for NHL Honours. For example, our captain, Boone Jenner, has been nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy already this week. Speaking of Boone Jenner, guess who scored first tonight? 

Our captain would kick off the goal-scoring tonight on the road at 1:13 with goal number twelve of his season! The tip-in goal would give Zach Werenski his fifty-ninth assist this season on the primary, while Danton Heinen added his fourth assist this season on the secondary. Not long after, Charlie Coyle would double our lead on the road, 2-0, with goal nineteen of his season at 5:42! This goal would give Jake Christiansen his third assist this season on the primary, and Mason Marchment his twenty-fifth assist this season on the secondary. Our two-goal lead would hold until the Canadians got one back, thanks to former Blue Jacket, Josh Anderson. This goal, at 11:48, would become his fourteenth this season. Jake Evans would add his twelfth assist this season on the primary, while Lane Hutson would add his sixty-fourth assist this season on the secondary. The opening period would conclude with this score: A 2-1, Blue Jackets lead. The Blue Jackets would also put up impressive numbers in shots on goal, with 12 compared to only 8 for the Canadians. 

With only 1:24 gone in Period 2, Kirill Marchenko would give his Blue Jackets back their two-goal lead with his twenty-seventh this season! Ivan Provorov gets on the score sheet with his twenty-second assist this season on the primary, while Adam Fantilli jumps on the score sheet, too, with his thirty-fourth assist this season on the secondary. The Blue Jackets would get a power play, their second tonight, at 8:18 after the Canadians' Oliver Kapanen hooked the Blue Jackets' Ivan Provorov. A lot of good chances at the Canadians' net would be had, but no goal would come... until 10:36, when Sean Monahan scored his thirteenth goal this season! Kent Johsnon would have the only assist on this goal, giving him his fifteenth this season. This would make the Blue Jackets lead 4-1 with still a half game to play! At 18:57, Boone Jenner would go to the box after being assessed a 2-minute penalty for tripping Lane Hutson. The good news is that the Blue Jackets would hold the Canadians back till the end of the period, leaving them less than a minute on the power play to begin the final period of regulation tonight. The shots on goal differential would be outstanding, 14-5 in favor of our Blue Jackets!        

The Blue Jackets would kill off the remainder of the late penilty against Boone Jenner in Period 3. That said, Jake Christiansen would head to the box at 2:13, after a cross check on Josh Anderson. On this power play, Canadians' Cole Caufield would add ggoal fifty-one to his season, and yes, he has the most on the Canadians' team this season. Nick Suzuki adds his seventy-first assist this season on the primary, while Juraj Seafkovsky adds his forty-second assist this season on the secondary. So, this goal cuts the Blue Jackets to a 4-2, two-goal lead. There would be a few other penilty box trips, for both teams, between this goal and the next. The good news? The next goal I'm refering to would give our Blue Jackets back their three-goal lead! First, Canadians' Alexandre Texier, former Blue Jacket, would be sent to the box for holding current Blue Jacket Charlie Coyle at 8:27. This would lead to Charlie Coyle's second goal of the night, his twentieth this season, at 9:59! Kirill Marchenko adds his fourtieth assist this season on the primary to his goal in Period 2, while Adam Fantilli adds his se cond assist tonight, thirty-fifth this season, on the secondary. The remaining time would fall off the clock, and our Blue Jackets win their last road game of their 25th regular season, 5-2! What an outstanding game and the best answer to Sunday nights loss. The Canadians did win the final shots on goal battle, 9-7, but I'd rather have the 2 points, especially when we had the most total shots, 33-22! 

Our Captain, Boone Jenner, adds the Third Star of the Game to his goal that opened the scoring tonight! 

Kirill Marchenko adds the Second Star of the Game to his goal and assist tonight! 

Charlie Coyle adds the First Star of the Game to his two goals tonight!

The Playoff Standings Update:

A few big updates from today. First, the Detroit Red Wings lost at home to the New Jersey Devils, 5-3. This loss eliminated them from the playoffs. So, they're no longer chasing us. That said, a moment for sportsmanship. I said some great teams in the East would be left out of the playoffs this season, and the Red Wings are one of those teams. Congratulations to them on a great season. And, if you're annoyed I gave credit to a Michigan team as an Ohio fan. Well, I don't know, write your own blog then! 

The Washtington Capitals beat the Pitsburgh Penguins at home today. They won 6-3. The Penguins are already in, but this win keeps the Capitals alive with 91 points this season. 

Perhaps the biggest advantage today in regard of other NHL teams winning and losing was that of the Ottawa Senators shuting out the New York Islanders 3-0. This keeps the Islanders, who are also chasing us, at 91 points, too. 

With their win today, the Ottawa Senators lock up Wildcard 1 in the East with 96 points. 

Even after a loss today against the Tampa Bay Lighting, 2-1, the Boston Bruins also lock down Wildcard 2 with 96 points.

After tonights win, we sit at 92 points. Our only way into the playoffs is to win out over the Philidelphia Flyers, who currently sit at 94 points after they beat the Winnipeg Jets 7-1. Yeah, thanks for nothing, Jets! That said, the croud is thinning out. The flyers have to play the Hurricanes at home, then the Canadians at home. We host the Boston Bruins tomorrrow night at home. The puck will drop at 6:00 p.m. Then, we host the Washington Capitals Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.

One other note that's very exciting. Zach Werenski, with his assist tonight, currently sits at 81 points this season. Last season he set a record for the most points by any Blue Jackets' Defenseman with 82. Also, he matched former Blue Jacket Artemi Panarin with the most points scored by a Blue Jacket in franchise histroy with 82. He has 2 games left! My hope is that he can make that record of most points by a Blue Jacket his own as I believe it would help his Norris Trophy campagne immensly! 

GO CBJ!!


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