The Columbus Blue Jackets finally got the result they wanted against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but not without leaving behind a little frustration in the process.
After a game they controlled for long stretches, the Jackets beat Pittsburgh in a shootout at home and picked up the win. Still, they also handed the Penguins a loser point - the kind of detail that can sting later, especially after last season’s pattern against this same opponent.
Columbus had late leads in all four meetings with Pittsburgh a year ago, and every one of those games needed extra time. The Jackets won two shootouts, the Pens won twice in overtime, and that split wound up costing Columbus in the standings by six points.
Damon Severson’s return was one of the biggest bright spots. Last spring’s collapse was made worse by the shoulder injury that ended his season, and Columbus felt his absence in the first two games this year while Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro were also out.
Against Pittsburgh, Severson made his mark immediately. He scored the opening goal and later set up Mathieu Olivier’s second-period goal, but his influence went beyond the points.
His return to the top pair with Zach Werenski pushed Denton Mateychuk down to the second pair, which let the Blue Jackets lean on either 8 or 5 for most of the night. That, in turn, allowed Emil Andrae and Erik Gudbranson to handle low-drama third-pair minutes, which they did well. Severson’s numbers backed up the eye test too: his 5v5 CF% finished at 67.31, and after the first period it was almost at 90%.
The Jackets were also getting strong goaltending - just not from the side they might have expected. Over the first two periods, Columbus outshot Pittsburgh 32-10 and held a 3.62-0.87 edge in expected goals, yet the score at the second intermission was only 2-1.
Sergei Murashov was a big reason why. He was excellent while Columbus spent most of the night in the offensive zone.
On the other side, Cam Talbot made his Blue Jackets debut and set the NHL record for most teams played for by a goaltender. For the first 30 minutes, he barely had to be involved.
The two goals he allowed came from very dangerous areas, and there was a case for interference on the second one, though not enough to justify a challenge. Talbot then answered with a clean overtime and shootout.
What Columbus didn’t do was finish enough of the chances it created. That showed up most painfully in overtime on a 2-on-0 breakaway, when Matthew Knies shot instead of finding Adam Fantilli and Fantilli couldn’t gather the rebound. The timing across the attack felt just a touch off all night.
That’s the part to watch going forward. The Jackets had the puck, had the looks, and had the territorial edge.
They just didn’t turn enough of that into goals. It may be something that sharpens with more time, but for now it remains the clearest area to clean up.
There was also some line shuffling late, with Sean Monahan and Fantilli swapping spots, along with Danton Heinen and Dmitri Voronkov. And if the team wants a little more pop, Luca Del Bel Belluz would be a logical name to consider for tomorrow.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Fans Still Face One Big Access Issue Next Season
The Blue Jackets have lined up a clearer path for fans to watch their non-nationally televised games in 2026-27, with in-market subscribers set to get access through Spectrum, Prime Video and Fubo. It is the sort of distribution update that matters well beyond the fine print, because for plenty of Columbus-area viewers, where a game lands each night can shape how closely they follow the season.
Even so, one familiar access problem remains unsettled. The club says it is still talking with DIRECTV and Breezeline, and those providers have not yet agreed to carry the games, leaving a notable gap in the local viewing picture for next season. Columbus is encouraging fans to contact those companies and push for access, a reminder that the broadcast side of the sport is still very much part of the teams day-to-day fight for attention. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Fans Get An Early Read On Bowness' Game Plan
An early look at Rick Bowness lineup gives Blue Jackets fans a sense of how Columbus plans to handle its matchup with the St. Louis Blues, with several moving parts still to sort through before puck drop. The game is set to be available on The Blue Jackets Hockey Network and 97.1 The Fan, giving fans multiple ways to keep tabs on a roster that is still being shaped by recent injury and availability issues.
The projected group reflects a team trying to work around a few absences while keeping its structure intact, and the scratches and injured reserve list only sharpen the focus on how Bowness wants this one played. For Columbus, the lineup watch matters just as much as the result against St. Louis, because the choices on the sheet can hint at where the coach sees stability and where he still needs answers. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face Their First Real Test Away From Columbus
The Blue Jackets head to St. Louis on Oct. 10 for their first road game of the season, and it arrives with a little more context than a simple early-night trip. Columbus is still sorting through its own lineup picture, but the matchup at Enterprise Center offers an immediate look at how this group handles a new building against a Blues team that has already spent the opening stretch reshaping parts of its roster and settling into a new look.
Columbus will also be leaning on Jet Greaves in net, which adds another layer to an already useful measuring-stick game. The Blues have made notable changes of their own, with Kyrou now in Washington and Mason McTavish already making an impact after arriving from Anaheim, so the Jackets are walking into a game that could say plenty about where they stand once the schedule starts pulling them away from home ice. [Read more 🡒]