Forward Mason Marchment scored in his Blue Jackets debut, and defenseman Zach Werenski notched his fifth goal in the last three games, but it wasn’t enough for Columbus (14-15-6) to stave off a 4-3 Anaheim Ducks‘ (21-13-2) win.

Worse yet, Werenski took a shot off his lower leg and tried to crawl off the Anaheim ice with 1:54 to play before hobbling down the tunnel for treatment. Word on his condition wasn’t immediately known, but coach Dean Evason appeared incensed that the Jackets were whistled for too many men on the ice because Werenski couldn’t make it to the bench, and the officials refused to blow the play dead.

Minutes earlier, the Jackets’ inability to clear their zone led to Pavel Mintyukov scoring the game-winning goal on Elvis Merzlikins, who finished with 24 saves.

It was the 53rd time Columbus has given up a third-period goal this year. That’s eight more third-period goals than the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings, who are the second-worst in the NHL in that category.

Skating on a line with Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli, Marchment tallied his fifth goal of the season during the second period, which tied the game 2-2.

However, just two days after Werenski called out the team for “unacceptable” play and Evason bemoaned the club’s “silly mistakes” in a 5-2 loss at home to the Minnesota Wild, Dante Fabbro had a costly second-period giveaway. His error led to Mason McTavish’s snapshot goal and a 3-2 Ducks’ edge.

Werenski knotted things up in the third, extending his points streak to five straight games.

The Blue Jackets’ other goal came when Dmitri Voronkov scored on the power play 5:54 into the contest. Columbus needed that tally to halve Anaheim’s lead because the Ducks scored twice in the first three minutes.

Columbus has lost seven of their last eight games, and six of those losses have come in regulation.

Blue Jackets scratches

The Blue Jackets scratched Jake Christiansen, Miles Wood and Zach Aston-Reese.

Blue Jackets scheduleOctoberOct 9: @ Nashville, 2–1, LossOct 11: @ Minnesota, 7–4, WinOct 13: vs New Jersey, 3–2, LossOct 16: vs Colorado, 4–1, LossOct 18: vs Tampa Bay, 3–2, WinOct 21: @ Dallas, 5–1, WinOct 24: vs Washington, 5–1, LossOct 25: @ Pittsburgh, 5–4 SO, WinOct 28: @ Buffalo, 4–3 OT, WinOct 29: vs Toronto, 6–3, WinNovemberNov 1: vs St. Louis, 3–2, WinNov 2: @ New York, 3–2, LossNov 5: @ Calgary, 5–1, LossNov 8: @ Vancouver, 4–3, LossNov 10: @ Edmonton, 5–4 OT, LossNov 11: @ Seattle, 2–1 SO, WinNov 13: vs Edmonton, 5–4, WinNov 15: vs New York, 2–1 SO, LossNov 17: vs Montreal, 4–3 SO, WinNov 18: @ Winnipeg, 5–2, LossNov 20: @ Toronto, 3–2 OT, WinNov 22: @ Detroit, 4–3 OT, LossNov 24: @ Washington, 5–1, LossNov 26: vs Toronto, 2–1 OT, LossNov 28: vs Pittsburgh, 4–3 OT, LossDecemberDec 1: @ New Jersey, 5–3, WinDec 4: vs Detroit, 6–5 SO, WinDec 6: @ Florida, 7–6 OT, LossDec 7: @ Washington, 2–0, LossDec 9: @ Carolina, 4–1, LossDec 11: vs Ottawa, 6–3, LossDec 13: vs Vegas, 3–2, LossDec 16: vs Anaheim, 4–3 OT, WinDec 18: vs Minnesota, 5–2, LossDec 20: @ Anaheim, 4-3 LossDec 22: @ Los Angeles, 10:00 PMDec 28: vs New York, 5:00 PMDec 29: @ Ottawa, 7:00 PMDec 31: vs New Jersey, 7:00 PMJanuaryJan 3: vs Buffalo, 3:00 PMJan 4: vs Pittsburgh, 3:00 PMJan 6: @ San Jose, 10:00 PMJan 8: @ Vegas, 10:00 PMJan 10: @ Colorado, 4:00 PMJan 11: @ Utah, 7:00 PMJan 13: vs Calgary, 7:00 PMJan 15: vs Vancouver, 7:00 PMJan 17: @ Pittsburgh, 7:00 PMJan 20: vs Ottawa, 7:00 PMJan 22: vs Dallas, 7:00 PMJan 24: vs Tampa Bay, 7:00 PMJan 26: vs Los Angeles, 7:00 PMJan 28: vs Philadelphia, 7:30 PMJan 30: @ Chicago, 8:30 PMJan 31: @ St. Louis, 7:00 PMFebruaryFeb 3: @ New Jersey, 7:00 PMFeb 4: vs Chicago, 7:00 PMFeb 26: @ Boston, 7:00 PMFeb 28: vs New York, 6:00 PMMarchMarch 2: @ New York, 7:00 PMMarch 3: vs Nashville, 7:00 PMMarch 5: vs Florida, 7:00 PMMarch 7: vs Utah, 7:00 PMMarch 10: @ Tampa Bay, 7:00 PMMarch 12: @ Florida, 7:00 PMMarch 14: @ Philadelphia, 7:30 PMMarch 17: vs Carolina, 7:00 PMMarch 19: vs New York, 7:00 PMMarch 21: vs Seattle, 5:00 PMMarch 22: @ New York, 7:00 PMMarch 24: @ Philadelphia, 7:00 PMMarch 26: @ Montreal, 7:00 PMMarch 28: vs San Jose, 5:00 PMMarch 29: vs Boston, 5:00 PMMarch 31: vs Carolina, 7:30 PMAprilApril 2: @ Carolina, 7:00 PMApril 4: vs Winnipeg, 7:00 PMApril 7: @ Detroit, 7:00 PMApril 9: @ Buffalo, 7:00 PMApril 11: @ Montreal, 7:00 PMApril 12: vs Boston, 6:00 PMApril 14: vs Washington, 7:00 PM