Kirill Marchenko’s return to Nationwide Arena did not turn into the kind of homecoming the Columbus Blue Jackets wanted to spoil, and the night unraveled fast once the second period got rolling.
The Jackets actually struck first, getting on the board just 2:38 into the game when Jake Christiansen finished a setup from Dmitri Voronkov and Valeri Nichushkin. Columbus had looked jittery early, with Toronto denying clean entries for the first few minutes, but the second line eventually created enough pressure to break through.
That lead didn’t last long. After Vinni Lettieri hooked Mattieu Olivier on an early Jackets power play, the momentum flipped in a hurry.
Nichushkin then botched a zone entry, leading to a 2-on-0 for Toronto and forcing Voronkov to take a hooking penalty to stop it. The Maple Leafs made good on the power play at 8:16, with Auston Matthews finding Kirill Marchenko on a deflection to make it 1-1.
Columbus had chances to regain control in a scrappy first period. Kent Johnson took an incidental high stick on Jake McCabe that drew blood, the kind of play that likely would’ve gone uncalled otherwise.
The ensuing shot ended up wedged in the net’s outer stuffing, a bizarre scene in itself, and the Jackets survived that kill. They also killed off a Voronkov trip in the offensive zone, with Damon Severson stripping William Nylander on a breakaway chance to keep the game tied.
Then, after more 4-on-4 play, Columbus got a late power play and nearly cashed in on a net-front scramble before Johnson snapped home a buzzer beater with 0.9 seconds left. A brief review stood, and the teams went into the intermission tied 1-1.
The second period was where it all came apart. Toronto scored twice in 44 seconds, with William Nylander striking at 2:26 and Auston Matthews following at 3:12.
Columbus had just drawn a penalty and should have had a chance to settle the game back down, but instead the Maple Leafs added a shorthanded goal from Easton Cowan at 6:48 off an Oliver Ekman-Larsson assist. Jack Roslovic tacked on another at 12:03, set up by Morgan Rielly and Cowan, and the Jackets spent the rest of the frame trying to survive the damage.
Erik Gudbranson fought, Brandon Duhaime took a penalty, and the game had long since slipped beyond reach.
There was at least one more burst of life in the third. Charlie Coyle scored at 4:13 for his first goal of the season, with Emil Andrae and Damon Severson getting the assists. Later, Marshall Rifai scored his first NHL goal in garbage time, which fit the way the final 30 minutes had felt anyway.
The game ended with the same question the night seemed to be asking for a while: Are we embarrassed yet?
In Other News...
Leafs Suddenly Have A Blue-Line Problem Blue Jackets Fans Will Notice
The Maple Leafs blue line took a hit during their game against Columbus when veteran defenseman Jake McCabe left with a facial injury in the first period. McCabe, who has been skating on Torontos top pairing, was ruled out for the rest of the night, adding to a defensive group that is already working around injuries and shuffling roles.
Toronto has been leaning on depth more than it would like, with Chris Tanev out on a week-to-week basis and Troy Stecher stepping into the second pairing. For Blue Jackets fans, it is the kind of early-season roster wrinkle worth watching because any more strain on Torontos defense could change how the Leafs manage matchups and minutes the next time these teams meet. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Fans Should Watch This Penguins Trade Twist Closely
The Penguins are again weighing whether to move Rickard Rakell as they keep reshaping their roster around younger pieces, and that is the sort of development Blue Jackets fans should keep an eye on. Rakell has not met expectations this season, but Pittsburgh still has to balance that with the fact that he has produced solid scoring before and remains under contract beyond this year, which gives the situation a little more layers than a simple deadline dump.
For Columbus, the intrigue is less about the Penguins direction and more about where a name like Rakell could surface if Pittsburgh decides to shop him before the deadline. Previous trade talks around him went nowhere, and the Penguins are said to be looking for a sensible return rather than simply taking the first offer, so this may not move quickly. Still, with Pittsburgh open to changing course and a veteran scorer on the block, it is the kind of storyline that can ripple beyond one division and into conversations the Blue Jackets have to watch closely. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Power Play Problem Is Becoming Impossible To Ignore
Through the first stretch of the 2026-27 season, Columbus has not been able to lean on its special teams the way it hoped, and the power play has become the clearest issue hanging over the early schedule. The Blue Jackets have managed only one regulation win in their first eight games, and the last time they scored with the man advantage came in that opening night game against Buffalo.
Since then, the chances have piled up without the payoff, leaving a unit that is searching for answers and a staff looking back at what worked in that first game. The opening-night goals offered a useful snapshot of both the promise and the problems, showing a group that can create looks but has not sustained enough of them to change the direction of its season. [Read more 🡒]