Blue Jackets Spoil Lightning’s Point Streak with Offensive Barrage on 25th Anniversary Night
On a night when the Blue Jackets were honoring 25 years of hockey in Columbus, the home team made sure the celebration extended well beyond the pregame ceremony. With alumni like former Lightning forward Cam Atkinson in the building, the Blue Jackets delivered a statement performance, outgunning the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-5 and putting an emphatic end to Tampa’s 15-game point streak.
An Early Spark-and a Strange Equalizer
The action got going early. Just over five minutes into the first period, Cole Sillinger-whose father, Mike, once suited up for the Lightning-got Columbus on the board with his sixth goal of the season. It was a sharp finish and a fitting start to the night for the home crowd.
But the Lightning didn’t wait long to respond. A routine dump-in by Jake Guentzel took a bizarre turn when Columbus goaltender Jet Greaves mishandled the puck.
His attempted pass ricocheted off Isac Lundestrom’s skate and slid into the net. Guentzel got credit for the goal-his 23rd of the season-but it was one of those head-scratching sequences that leaves both teams shaking their heads.
Initially, Simon Lundmark and Jonas Johansson were credited with assists, which would’ve been the first NHL points for both. But after review, the league pulled the assists, so their milestone moments will have to wait.
Momentum Swings and Power Play Punches
Columbus didn’t dwell on the miscue. Just moments after the fluky equalizer, Mason Marchment-acquired in December-restored the Blue Jackets’ lead with his 10th of the season. He’s been a spark since arriving, and this was another example of his ability to find space and finish.
Tampa Bay would get their first power play of the night after Ivan Provorov tripped Brandon Hagel midway through the first. The Bolts didn’t waste it. Darren Raddysh uncorked a one-timer that beat Greaves clean, knotting the game at 2-2.
The Lightning had a chance to take their first lead after Dmitry Voronkov was called for interference, but the Columbus penalty kill held strong.
Late in the period, a scary moment unfolded when Erik Cernak took a heavy hit from Mathieu Olivier. Cernak stayed down for a while before eventually making his way off the ice under his own power. There was no penalty on the play, but it was a moment that clearly shook up the Lightning bench.
Blue Jackets Take Control
With the first period winding down, Adam Fantilli snapped an 18-game goal drought, capitalizing on a turnover by J.J. Moser to put Columbus up 3-2.
Then, with just seconds left before intermission, Voronkov broke free on a breakaway and buried it to make it 4-2. That late-period dagger gave Columbus all the momentum heading into the locker room.
Sillinger nearly added his second goal of the game just a minute into the second period, but Johansson made a strong stop to keep the deficit at two.
Lightning Strike Back-Briefly
Tampa Bay showed their resilience early in the second. Nikita Kucherov, always dangerous on the rush, pulled the Bolts within one after receiving a slick pass from a falling Brandon Hagel.
Just a few minutes later, Anthony Cirelli tied the game 4-4 with his 14th of the year. It was vintage Tampa Bay-quick-strike offense turning the tide in a matter of minutes.
But the game’s physicality was ramping up. Yanni Gourde and Marchment both took minors less than seven minutes into the second, setting up a four-on-four stretch that only added fuel to the fire. The intensity ratcheted up from there, with scrums and big hits becoming the norm.
Marchment, fresh out of the box, wasted no time making an impact. He scored his second of the game to give Columbus a 5-4 lead, once again shifting momentum back to the home team.
Columbus Capitalizes on Special Teams
The Lightning’s bench started thinning out as the second wore on-Gage Goncalves left the game at some point in the period, and the wear and tear was beginning to show on Tampa’s blue line.
Nick Paul had a golden opportunity to tie the game late in the second with a breakaway chance, but Greaves stood tall, denying both the initial shot and the rebound.
Columbus finally got their first power play of the night after Fantilli was tripped by Declan Carlile. Tampa killed that one off, but they weren’t as lucky the second time around.
After Charle-Edouard D’Astous was called for delay of game, the Blue Jackets cashed in. Charlie Coyle scored his 200th career goal in his 1001st NHL game-a milestone moment that gave Columbus a 6-4 lead heading into the third.
Lightning Depth Tested, Blue Jackets Finish Strong
The third period was an uphill battle for Tampa Bay, and it got steeper when D’Astous became the third Lightning player to leave the game, leaving the defense corps with just four healthy blueliners.
With just over five minutes remaining, Tampa pulled Johansson for the extra attacker, but Columbus made them pay. Sean Monahan fired a long-range empty-netter to push the lead to 7-4 and all but seal the win.
Still, the Lightning didn’t go quietly. Guentzel added a late goal-his second of the night-to cut the deficit to 7-5. But Marchment capped off his hat trick with another empty-netter in the final 30 seconds, putting the finishing touches on an 8-5 Blue Jackets win.
Final Thoughts
This was a night to remember for Columbus-not just because of the anniversary celebration, but because of the way they played. Marchment’s hat trick, Coyle’s milestone, Fantilli breaking his slump-all of it added up to a complete team effort.
For the Lightning, the point streak ends at 15, and the injuries are starting to pile up. But if there’s any silver lining, it’s that their offensive firepower is still very much intact. They’ll regroup, but tonight belonged to the Blue Jackets.