The Blue Jackets are wasting no time making improvements on one of the biggest reasons they missed the playoffs last season.
After struggling on the road in 2024-25, they’ve started this season by winning two of their first three road games after downing the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Oct. 21 at American Airlines Center.
Clinging to a 2-1 lead starting the third period, the Blue Jackets (3-3-0) pulled away on goals by Denton Mateychuk and Dmitri Voronkov before Kent Johnson scored into an empty net to seal it with 3:00 left to play. Adam Fantilli and captain Boone Jenner scored the first two Columbus goals in the first period, including Jenner scoring the first of two power-play goals for the Blue Jackets.
Elvis Merzlikins (2-1-0) was outstanding in net for the Blue Jackets (3-3-0), making several great stops 22 saves. Jake Oettinger (24 saves) started for the Stars (3-3-0), whose goal was scored by Tyler Seguin.
Trailing 2-0 starting the second, the Stars pulled within a goal at 2-1 when a puck shot by Colin Blackwell deflected off Seguin and past Merzlikins with 8:02 left. It was the lone goal the Blue Jackets’ goalie allowed in the second despite his team being outshot 13-6 while chasing the puck more than controlling it.
It was completely the opposite of how the game started.
In the first period, the Blue Jackets capitalized with Dallas missing key injured forwards Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene. Columbus dominated play in the opening frame, outshooting the Stars 14-5 to build a 2-0 lead on goals by Fantilli at 4:33 and Jenner with 1:18 left to cap a power play.
Jenner, who assisted Fantilli’s goal, had two points at the first intermission. Merzlikins, meanwhile, made a dazzling stop among his five saves in the first to keep the Stars from scoring a tying goal on a power play.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social