The Columbus Blue Jackets came into the night trailing the Boston Bruins for the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference by just three points. With an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, they gain just one point on the Bruins and stand just two points back with 18 games to play in the regular season.
The Blue Jackets started the game with a four-minute power play following a high-sticking call on Quinton Byfield that cut Mason Marchment‘s lip just three seconds into the game. The Blue Jackets registered seven shots on the power play but just could not sneak one past Anton Forsberg.
This would go on for much of the first period with the Blue Jackets struggling to get shots past Forsberg, and again struggling to get on the board first. Something that has plagued them in both of these back-to-back overtime losses.
Slow Start Causes Heroics
The Blue Jackets acquired Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks in an attempt to solidify their offense and make a real push for the playoffs. He was the main catalyst for the Blue Jackets’ scoring efforts on Monday with two goals, the second of which gave them their first lead of the game at the 12-minute mark of the second period.
However, falling behind 2-0 early really proved to be a massive difference maker as the Blue Jackets battled from behind just to steal a point with a power-play goal by Kirill Marchenko to tie the game 4-4 with just under two minutes to play in the third period.
Related: Blue Jackets Acquire Conor Garland From Canucks For Draft Picks
In overtime, the Blue Jackets couldn’t find a way to get possession of the puck, and the Kings scored a goal off a timely line change by Adrian Kempe, as he potted number 25 on the campaign, and the Kings won a thriller in overtime.
This is also where sometimes stats can be deceiving as well. The Blue Jackets outshot the Kings 17-7 in the first period; however, they did not control the pace of the game until Garland’s first goal with his new club made it 2-1, and Columbus went into the first intermission with some confidence.
They needed every bit of Garland’s efforts to sneak away with a point, but they have to find a way to start faster on the road tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning if they want a better chance to come away with a massive road win.
Defense Lacking Structure
The Blue Jackets were unable to stay attached defensively in the overtime period, which is one of the main reasons they gave up an unevaded look from Kempe just off the left circle in their defensive zone. Kempe, fresh off a line change, walked right into the zone and ripped it past Jet Greaves.
The biggest problem in both of their most recent overtime periods has been unchecked defenders with far too easy looks at a goaltender with no help. They have not done a great job of playing within the defensive structure that led them to back-to-back shutouts heading into the Olympic break.
#CBJ has allowed 3.71 goals/game in their seven games since the Olympic break.
— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) March 10, 2026
Rick Bowness postgame: “We’re scoring four goals. We should be winning games. We give up five back-to-back. Thats really disappointing. That’s not who we are.”
The defensive efforts reach farther than just the goals per game metric that head coach Rick Bowness touched on. It is also about controlling the defensive zone and the neutral zone, which, uncoincidentally the Blue Jackets have also struggled to do.
If their defensive effort is going to turn around, it might be short one of the Blue Jackets’ best defenders in Erik Gudbranson. He took an uncalled cross-check to the ribs from Artemi Panarin in the first period, and didn’t return to the game the rest of the way. It may have been precautionary, but that would be a big loss for the Blue Jackets if he has to miss significant time.
The Blue Jackets need to find a way to once again limit slot chances in front of their netminder. One of the big reasons they were able to limit goals so much was the solid structure in front of the net, and lately that has been supremely lacking. They need to get back to the basics, and force shots from out wide, and at the top of the zone.
Goals Come in Bunches
The positive from this game, and the previous one against the Utah Mammoth that the Blue Jackets lost in overtime, is that when they score, they can do it in bunches. They have found a way to rally quite a bit when they are behind, and they find ways to tally goals and do it in a hurry.
Monday was nothing short of the same for Columbus, as they quickly fell behind 2-0, and rallied back to take a 3-2 lead on the back of two goals from Garland, and a goal from Denton Mateychuk on a tight window shot.
The scoring punch against the Mammoth came from the top line, but against the Kings, the depth proved worth it for the Blue Jackets yet again as they came up clutch to secure a point. Garland also proved he was worth the trade for the Blue Jackets.
As the Blue Jackets continue to score at a rate they haven’t been able to capture, the defense has to be adequate enough for them to rely on the goals to get by. The defense has to improve, as the schedule doesn’t get any easier, and the goal scoring they are going to face doesn’t get any lighter.
The biggest thing the Blue Jackets need is consistency, because they are good enough to win with the scoring they have. If they can continue to score in bunches, they will be in a good spot to win a lot of games. However, if the offense can’t keep producing at this current rate, a dry spell could mean the end of their season.
