COLUMBUS, Ohio — In an exciting game on Wednesday night, Damon Severson scored the game’s first goal in the third period, and Elvis Merzlikins recorded 28 saves for his first shutout of the season as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the New York Islanders 2-0.
This victory marked the Blue Jackets’ first back-to-back wins of the season, pushing their record to 5-3-1. Over the last four games, they have secured seven out of a possible eight points.
The match remained scoreless until Severson capitalized on an opportunity early in the third period. His shot from a sharp angle ricocheted off New York defenseman Ryan Pulock’s skate, finding its way into the net at 5:43, marking Severson’s second goal of the year.
Semyon Varlamov, the Islanders’ goaltender, made 24 saves but was pulled for an extra skater with 2:30 remaining in the game. Just 27 seconds later, Justin Danforth sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.
Throughout the first period, the Islanders managed only five shots on goal, but they improved in the second period. However, Merzlikins was solid in goal for Columbus, denying several quality attempts.
Despite numerous scoring chances for the Blue Jackets in the early stages, their breakthrough came from an unexpected bounce off an opponent’s skate. This was a stark contrast to their previous games, where they had scored six goals in each of their wins. They had to hold on tightly in this matchup for a narrow victory.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Severson appeared to score late in the first period, but the goal was disallowed by officials due to interference against Varlamov by James van Riemsdyk.
In a noteworthy statistic, Merzlikins achieved the 11th shutout of his NHL career. This remarkable feat followed closely on the heels of a previous game where he narrowly missed a shutout due to a late power play goal against Edmonton, in a game the Blue Jackets eventually won 6-1.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to return to the ice on Friday. The Islanders are scheduled to face off against Buffalo, while the Blue Jackets will be hosting Winnipeg.