Pittsburgh Penguins @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Season 26 Game 3 Recap

Welcome back, Damon Severson! Our defenseman, who missed the last 11 games of the 2025-26 NHL Season, and the first 2 games this season following shoulder surgery in the offseason, came back strong tonight. He scored the only goal in period 1 at 10:52! Zach Werenski added his third assist this season on the primary, and Cole Siollinger added his first assist of the season on the secondary. The Blue Jackets carried that 1-0 lead into period 2, where they continued to dominate. The shots on goal this period were in favor of our Blue Jackets, 9-3! 

Period 2 would have a second goal for our Blue Jackets, scored at 11:40 by Mathieu Olivier! This is his second goal of the season. Damon Severson would add his first assist of the season, and coupled with his first goal of the season in period 1, he now has a multi-point night! Cole Sillinger would add a second assist to his season and night, giving him two this season. So, our Blue Jackets would lead 2-0, but if there's one thing to know about the Penguins, it's to never count them out. Bryan Rust would cut our lead to a goal at 14:30 after scoring his second goal of the season. Samuel Girard would have the only assist on this goal, his fourth of the season. This would be the last goal of period 2, meaning our 2-1 lead would hold for the final minutes of the period. The shots on goal would again be in favor of our Blue Jackets, 22-7. 

The Penguins would close the gap, tying the game 2-2 at 3:19. Evgeni Malkin would add his third goal of the season, and the only assist would become the fifth this season for Erik Karlsson. The potential to challenge for goaltender interference was there, but the Blue Jackets chose not to. Given that this goal tied the game, and a lost challenge would've given them a 2-minute power play, I think it was the best decision not to challenge and play on. There would be no further goals this period, giving us a 2-2 tie and the first overtime battle of the Blue Jackets season. The shots on goal for the final period of regulation still saw the Blue Jackets lead, but by a smaller margin, 10-8.

Let me tell you, overtime was lively. Seriously, it was like each team got a pep talk from their head coach while chugging an energy drink! The Penguins would win their first shots-on-goal battle in this overtime period, 4-3. The 4th shot on goal was so close to ending this game in favor of the visiting Penguins, but Cam Talbot had the save of the game with the tip of his glove! With that, we go to a shootout! 

For anyone wondering why Kent Johnson is so valuable to this team, his talent in a shootout is the best on this team, and he's proven that to be fact again tonight. His shot was the first of the shootout, and only to find the back of the net! Cam Talbot stopped all three shooters for the Penguins, including former Blue Jacket Egor Chinakov, and our home boys win, 3-2!

Sergei Murashov would get the Third Star of the Game. He'd finish with a .956 save percentage after stopping 44 of our Blue Jackets' 46 shots on his net. Honestly, I give credit where it is due, and he earned this. 

Kent Johnson gets the Second Star of the Game after his overtime winner!

Damon Severson, who played his first game of the season tonight and had a goal and an assist, gets the First Star of the Game! Welcome back! 

It's a nice win. I wish we hadn't given the Penguins a point, but at least we got two. So, I'll take it! Our Blue Jackets will now catch their first flight of the seeason as they head to St. Louis for a matchup with the Blues tomorrow night. Yes, it's the first road trip and back-to-back of the season all rolled into one. The puck will drop at 7:00 p.m.! 

GO CBJ!  


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