The Blue Jackets’ Wild Ride: Five Wins That Define a Chaotic, Hopeful Season
If you had to sum up the 2025-26 Columbus Blue Jackets in one word, “unpredictable” might be your best bet. In their 25th anniversary season, the Jackets have delivered just about everything - third-period collapses, milestone moments, dramatic shootout wins, a midseason coaching change, and now, a seven-game heater heading into the Olympic break.
It’s been a tale of two seasons in Columbus. But through the chaos, there have been moments - key wins that didn’t just stop losing streaks or boost morale, but helped shape the identity of a team trying to find its footing. Let’s take a closer look at five of the most unforgettable victories in this rollercoaster campaign.
Oct. 11 at Minnesota - Marchenko Makes History, Merzlikins Stands Tall
Game two of the season, and Columbus already found itself in the middle of a barnburner.
After a tight 2-1 loss to Nashville on opening night, the Blue Jackets bounced back with a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Wild - a game that offered early signs of the emotional whiplash this season would bring.
Miles Wood opened the scoring with his first goal as a Jacket, but the real fireworks came in the second period. Kirill Marchenko scored just seven seconds into the frame - the fastest goal to start a period in franchise history - and went on to complete a hat trick. The Wild and Jackets combined for six third-period goals, but it was Columbus that pulled away.
The unsung hero? Elvis Merzlikins. He turned aside 48 shots and earned Second Star of the Night honors, anchoring the Jackets to their first win of the season in a game that was anything but ordinary.
Nov. 13 vs. Edmonton - Redemption in a Nail-Biter
Sometimes, revenge games come fast. Just three nights after letting a 3-1 third-period lead slip away in Edmonton - a loss sealed by former Jacket Jack Roslovic in overtime - Columbus got a second crack at the Oilers.
This time, they weren’t about to let history repeat itself. Or at least, they tried not to.
Up 4-2 in the third period after Mathieu Olivier’s third goal of the year, the Jackets looked like they had this one in the bag. But then came the pushback.
Vasily Podkolzin scored just 27 seconds later. Leon Draisaitl followed up minutes later to make it 5-4.
Déjà vu was setting in.
But Columbus held on. No overtime, no heartbreak.
Just a gritty, much-needed win against a high-powered Oilers squad. It wasn’t pretty, but it was personal - and it showed this team was learning how to close.
Dec. 4 vs. Detroit - Shootout Chaos and a Fantilli Equalizer
The Red Wings have been a thorn in Columbus’ side this season. Back on Nov. 22 in Detroit, the Jackets blew a 3-1 lead and lost 4-3 in overtime. So when the Wings came to Nationwide Arena two weeks later, the Jackets had something to prove.
And boy, did they make us sweat.
After taking a 1-0 lead through one on an Ivan Provorov goal, the second period turned into a track meet. Both teams scored three goals apiece, setting up a 4-3 Columbus lead heading into the third.
Then came the Detroit surge. Patrick Kane tied it.
Alex DeBrincat gave the Wings their first lead of the night. But Adam Fantilli - the rookie with a knack for big moments - tied the game late to force overtime.
From there, it was Kent Johnson’s time to shine. He buried the shootout winner, and Columbus walked away with a wild 6-5 victory. It was messy, it was dramatic, and it was exactly the kind of game that’s come to define this season.
Jan. 17 at Pittsburgh - Bowness Era Finds Its Spark
The Jackets and Penguins have had a heated back-and-forth this season, with each team winning on the road. But heading into their fourth and final meeting in Pittsburgh, Columbus had already let two third-period leads slip away to the Pens.
Enter Rick Bowness.
In just his third game behind the bench - and his first road test - the veteran coach saw his team take another third-period gut punch when Sidney Crosby tied the game with just one second left in regulation.
But this time, the Jackets responded.
Kent Johnson and Charlie Coyle scored in the shootout, and Columbus walked away with a 4-3 win - their second victory in Pittsburgh this season, a franchise first.
Danton Heinen, acquired in December for Egor Chinakhov, picked up First Star honors with a goal. Chinakhov, fittingly, scored for the Penguins in the shootout.
It was a full-circle moment in a game that felt like a turning point. The Bowness era was officially underway, and the Jackets were starting to believe.
Jan. 24 vs. Tampa Bay - Marchment’s Hat Trick Headlines an Eight-Goal Explosion
Just a week after the emotional win in Pittsburgh, the Jackets returned home and delivered arguably their most electric performance of the season - an 8-5 win over the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning.
Columbus came out firing, building a 4-2 lead after the first period thanks to late goals from Adam Fantilli and Dmitri Voronkov. But Tampa, riding a 15-game point streak, wasn’t going away quietly. They tied the game early in the second.
Then came the response.
Mason Marchment and Charlie Coyle restored the lead before the second intermission. Sean Monahan added an empty-netter in the third, and after Jake Guentzel cut it to 7-5, Marchment sealed the deal with another empty-net goal - his third of the night.
Marchment’s four-point night (three goals, one assist) made him the first Blue Jacket to score eight goals in his first nine games with the team. Coyle, in his 1,001st NHL game, notched his 200th career goal and kicked off a three-game multi-point streak.
Columbus’ eight goals were a season high and the most they’ve ever scored against Tampa Bay. The win also snapped the Lightning’s 15-game point streak, making it the second time this season the Jackets ended a double-digit streak - they also halted Buffalo’s 10-game run earlier in January.
Final Thoughts: A Team That’s Still Writing Its Story
There’s no sugarcoating it - the Blue Jackets have had their share of late-game letdowns and growing pains this season. But these five wins show something more: a team learning how to fight back, how to finish, and how to find its identity in the chaos.
With a new coach, a surging rookie class, and a seven-game win streak heading into the Olympic break, Columbus isn’t just surviving - they’re starting to believe. And if the second half looks anything like these games, buckle up. The ride isn’t over yet.