The Columbus Blue Jackets were hoping to build momentum before their big trip to Canada over the weekend. But it was the Colorado Avalanche who found a win going away Thursday night.
Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews and Charlie Coyle all posted 1-2-3 on the night to lift the Avalanche to a 7-3 win over the Blue Jackets. Coupled with Montreal’s 4-1 win, the Blue Jackets now trail the Canadiens by four with eight games to go.
The story of the night ultimately became the Blue Jackets unraveling after building an early lead.
Game Recap
MacKinnon opened the scoring just 3:25 into the game. He went to the right and shot back to the left against the grain. That was his 31st goal of the season.
Sean Monahan tied the score about three minutes later. He found himself in front on Mackenzie Blackwood and scored on a rebound.
The Avalanche were able to retake the lead late in the first period. Brock Nelson, who was acquired at the deadline, got to a loose puck off the end boards to make it 2-1.
The Blue Jackets then started the second strong and were able to take the lead. Zach Aston-Reese scored his first goal in 57 games from the goal line. Then Boone Jenner scored just over three minutes later. Momentum felt on the Blue Jackets’ side.
Then as Dean Evason admitted postgame, the 3-3 goal seemed to change the entire momentum of the game. Coyle received a pass on a 3-on-2 rush and beat Elvis Merzlikins. The Blue Jackets never recovered from that moment.
Parker Kelly scored what turned into the game-winning goal on a quick shot from the slot. Makar put an exclamation point on the second period by scoring a power-play goal to make it 5-3. He reached 30 goals with that score making him the first to get there since Mike Green 16 years ago.
Toews and Miles Wood scored a pair of quick goals in the third less than two minutes apart to get to the final score of 7-3. Blackwood made 27 saves on the night. Merzlikins stopped 21 of 28 before giving way to Daniil Tarasov.
Merzlikins slammed his stick on the post after the seventh goal. When Evason was asked if he pulled Merzlikins for performance or the stick slam, he said “a little of both.”
The Blue Jackets will have Friday off as a travel day before their big set of games against the Maple Leafs on Saturday and the Senators on Sunday. The Avalanche with the win clinch a playoff berth. They now head to St. Louis for a showdown with the Blues on Saturday night.