Blue Jackets 5, Devils 3: Grit, Goals, and a Gut-Check Win in New Jersey
After dropping four straight and watching key pieces fall to injury, the Columbus Blue Jackets needed more than just a win Monday night - they needed a jolt. And they got one, in the form of a feisty, full-throttle, gloves-on-the-ice kind of night at the Prudential Center.
This one had everything: fights, comebacks, and a whole lot of team-wide buy-in. Let’s break down three takeaways from a win that might just be a turning point in the Jackets’ season.
1. A Gut-Check Win That Could Spark Something Bigger
Coming into this one, Columbus was reeling. Four straight losses.
A depleted lineup missing key leaders like Boone Jenner and Erik Gudbranson, along with offensive sparkplug Kirill Marchenko and physical winger Mathieu Olivier. The vibes?
Understandably tense.
But what unfolded in New Jersey felt like a team deciding it had had enough. It wasn’t just the five goals - it was the emotion, the edge, and the way the Blue Jackets responded when things got chippy.
It all kicked off in the second period. With Columbus on the power play, Dmitri Voronkov dropped the gloves with Brenden Dillon, setting the tone for what became a chaotic, old-school stretch of hockey.
A few shifts later, rookie Adam Fantilli got into his first NHL fight. Voronkov wasn’t done either - he squared off again, this time with Stefan Noesen.
And just 12 seconds after that, Paul Cotter tangled with Brendan Smith in yet another scrap.
By the time the dust settled, the Jackets had racked up 28 penalty minutes in the second period alone - and 34 for the game. This was the first time since 2015 that both Columbus and their opponent topped 30 PIMs in a game. It was also the first time in over eight years the Jackets were hit with four fighting majors in one contest.
It was messy. It was emotional. And it might’ve been exactly what this team needed.
Even without some of their most physical presences on the ice, Columbus didn’t back down. Instead, they rallied, scoring five of the final six goals to take the win. It was a throwback kind of night, fittingly in the franchise’s 25th anniversary season - a reminder of the grit and edge that defined the early years.
“Everything that unfolded tonight, it was just us sticking up for each other and having each other’s backs,” Zach Werenski said. “That’s important in a long season. It’s a great win for our group.”
Whether this becomes a defining moment remains to be seen. But for a team that’s been searching for traction, this was a big step in the right direction.
“I think that’s the one thing that I took away from this game and I think we all did - just how we stuck together through the good and the bad,” said forward Miles Wood. “That was a tough second period there. We didn’t back down and we got through it as a team, and that’s the most important part.”
2. Contributions Up and Down the Lineup
This wasn’t a one-line win. This was a full-team effort - the kind of night where nearly everyone in a Blue Jackets sweater did something to help push the team over the top.
Sean Monahan led the charge with a pair of goals. Charlie Coyle chipped in a goal and two assists, while Werenski and Wood each added two points of their own. Wood, in particular, played with fire all night - scoring, assisting, and bringing the kind of energy that’s contagious in a game like this.
Denton Mateychuk got the comeback started with the Jackets down 2-0 early, scoring his first of the season to stop the bleeding. Cole Sillinger, Isac Lundeström, and Ivan Provorov all picked up assists, showing how deep the contributions went.
And then there was Elvis Merzlikins. After giving up two goals in the opening three minutes, he settled in and locked it down, finishing with 30 saves - many of them coming in critical moments as the Devils tried to claw back.
This wasn’t just about offense or toughness. It was about execution, resilience, and a roster that refused to fold under pressure.
3. The Fight Brought the Fire - and the Focus
Let’s be clear: the game didn’t turn because of the fights alone. But they did something important - they galvanized the team.
In a season that’s had its share of frustration, those second-period scrums gave the Jackets a reason to rally. And they did.
Voronkov, Fantilli, Cotter - they didn’t just drop the gloves, they sent a message: this team isn’t going to be pushed around. And the rest of the group responded in kind, both emotionally and on the scoreboard.
It’s one thing to say you’re sticking together through adversity. It’s another to show it - in the corners, in the faceoffs, in the net-front battles, and yes, in the fights. Columbus showed it all Monday night.
This was more than two points in the standings. It was a statement. And if the Blue Jackets can build on this - if they can bottle that energy and channel it into consistent play - this might be the night we look back on as a turning point.
For now, it’s a win. A big one. And for a team that’s been grinding through injuries and tough breaks, it couldn’t have come at a better time.