As the Columbus Blue Jackets’ three-goal lead started slipping way — 5-3, then 5-4 midway through the third period — there couldn’t have been a person in Nationwide Arena who wasn’t recalling what happened just three days earlier.

On Monday, the Blue Jackets had suffered one of those soul-crushing, gut-wrenching losses to the Edmonton Oilers in Alberta, blowing a two-goal third-period and eventually losing 5-4 in overtime.

On Thursday, the Blue Jackets and Oilers met again in Nationwide Arena. And as the third period ticked away, you could almost feel the “deja vu” in the air, especially when the Oilers took a timeout with 1:28 left to rest superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for a final push.

This time, though, the Blue Jackets managed to hold off the Oilers 5-4, even though the puck was in their zone for most of the final two minutes. That breeze emanating from the Arena District in downtown Columbus was the collective exhale of a beyond-capacity crowd of 18,749.

“We all know what has happened recently,” Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle said. “But I think when you start to let those thoughts creep in, you’re gonna end up in whatever it is you’re thinking about. It’s up to us to learn from it. Let’s turn it over. Let’s get the job done this time.”

The hockey gods can be cruel, but they do have a flair for the dramatic.

Mathieu Olivier had the great misfortune of scoring an own goal to help Edmonton force overtime three days ago. He was trying to keep a Jake Walman pass from reaching Draisaitl on the far post for an easy tap-in, but the puck went into the net off his stick.

He had a huge bounce-back night on Thursday.

A great team response but 2 goals tonight earn Ollie the donkey of the game! 🫏 pic.twitter.com/nRVACNnJAs

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 14, 2025

Olivier had two goals and an assist, including a goal at 7:30 of the third period that pushed the Jackets’ lead to 5-2. It was worth noting that Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason had Olivier, in a strong show of trust, back out on the ice for the crucial final minutes.

“That bounce in Edmonton (off his stick) … I could have tried that 10,000 times, and it never would have gone in, especially in the spot that it did,” Olivier said. “It’s one of those things where … what are you going to do? I tried to make the right play and it went in. Tonight, it was fun to get rewarded and help the team get two points.”

Coyle had a goal and two assists, while Denton Mateychuk and Adam Fantilli also scored for the Blue Jackets. Fantilli has now scored in three straight games. Goaltender Jet Greaves, making a third start in four days, had 21 of his 25 saves in the final two periods.

The Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead early in the second period, but Edmonton needed a span of just 1:40 to tie the score midway through the second. Three unanswered goals by the Blue Jackets made it 5-2 at 7:30 of the third.

“They’ve got good players,” Coyle said. “They’ve been around the (Stanley Cup Final) the last however many years, so you know it’s not going to be easy. They’re not going to just lie down and give up.”

OLLIE DOUBLES UP! 💥

CBJ x @FanaticsBook pic.twitter.com/mWyMIM7mnY

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 14, 2025

Only 27 seconds after Olivier’s goal made it 5-2, the Oilers responded with a Vasily Podkolzin goal to make it 5-3. When Draisaitl scored his second of the night on a one-timer from the right circle, it was 5-4.

Greaves made two terrific saves when Oilers got behind the Blue Jackets’ defense, most notably denying a wide-open look for Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm with three minutes remaining. Draisaitl had a look off a loose puck in the slot, but whiffed.

“We almost let it go, right?” Evason said. “We talked about when we were there. Obviously, they’re pretty special players, and we tried to do everything we could to take those opportunities away where they score. Fortunately, Draisaitl fanned on that one or else it maybe could have been a different story. They’re on the ice all the time, and they’re very special players. So yeah, a win’s a win, right? We’ll take it.”

The Blue Jackets played without captain Boone Jenner, which they’ve had to do too often in recent seasons. Jenner left Tuesday’s shootout win in Seattle after playing one shift in the second period.

On Thursday morning, Evason said Jenner’s injury was “not short-term.” Later in the day, in an interview with The Athletic, Waddell clarified that Jenner suffered a upper-body injury to a muscle.

“No surgery, or anything like that,” Waddell said. “There’s no real timetable. I talked to him (on Thursday), and he felt a lot better. He’s going to be out for a while, but it’s not months, it’s weeks.”

The Blue Jackets have been impressed with center Luca Del Bel Belluz since he was recalled from AHL Cleveland in the middle of their five-game road trip. He may get a chance to stick in Columbus now that Jenner is sidelined indefinitely.

On Thursday, Del Bel Belluz played in Jenner’s spot on a line with center Sean Monahan and right winger Kent Johnson.