The Blue Jackets built a 4-1 lead on Jan. 4 but failed to pressure the Pittsburgh Penguins on offense past the first period. The result was a 5-4 overtime loss, the third time the Jackets have lost against the Penguins this season after holding a multi-goal lead.

After Rickard Rakell pushed the puck past Columbus goalie Jet Greaves with 12.8 seconds remaining in regulation, Penguins star center Sidney Crosby delivered the game-winner in overtime.

“I feel like sometimes when we get a lead, we just resort to almost playing too simple and just giving the puck to the other team,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said. “Obviously, good teams will make you pay like that.”

The Penguins scored at the 1:50 mark with Ville Koivunen converting an unassisted shot. The Jackets turned on the afterburners shortly after. Getting the puck in the offensive zone, defenseman Denton Mateychuk fired a shot from the left side of the ice that Dmitri Voronkov tipped in for his 15th goal of the season.

Less than a minute later, Kirill Marchenko found Adam Fantilli, who pushed the puck to the goalie. The shot was blocked, but Mason Marchment converted the rebound to give the Jackets a 2-1 lead.

The Jackets got another boost before the end of the first period. Werenski fired a perfect pass to Marchenko on the left side of the net for his 15th goal of the season.

Werenski delivered again to begin the second period. Jackets captain Boone Jenner played physically behind the Penguins’ net to regain possession on a forecheck and passed it to a swerving Werenski in the center of the ice. Werenski took it to the net himself to score.

After Werenksi’s goal, the Penguins surmounted offensive pressure. Taking advantage of sloppy Blue Jackets’ clearing efforts, Penguins fourth-line winger Noel Acciari received a through pass from Connor Dewar. He cut the deficit to two goals against a cooling Blue Jackets’ offense.

A key to the Blue Jackets’ late-December success was penalty kill, as they prevented goals on over nine power-play minutes against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 3. But the Blue Jackets had a breakdown on the Penguins’ first power play minutes of the third period. Despite winning a faceoff in the defensive zone, Mateychuk lost the puck while the Penguins found a wide-open Tommy Novak to make it a one-score game.

With 12.8 seconds remaining, the Penguins got their clutch moment from the first line with 12.8 seconds remaining when Rakell scored directly in front of the net.

“We extended our shift at the end, too. We should have had more jump,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “We’ve got to trust our teammates in that situation as well.”

Ex-Blue Jacket Yegor Chinakhov makes return to Columbus after trade to Pittsburgh Penguins

Last month, Yegor Chinakhov was playing on the second line for the Jackets. On Jan. 3, he entered Nationwide Arena as a visitor for the first time in his career, playing third line for the Penguins six days after being traded for draft capital and Danton Heinen.

Chinakhov scored his first goal for the Penguins Jan. 3 against the Detroit Red Wings. He received some boos in the first period when shown on the Blue Jackets’ jumbotron sitting on the bench. He finished with 12:39 time on ice and a +1 plus-minus rating.

Who was scratched for the Columbus Blue Jackets game against the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The Blue Jackets scratched Sean Monahan and Dysin Mayo in back-to-back games against the Sabres on Jan. 3 and Penguins Jan. 4.

Monahan was a late scratch for “maintenance” ahead of the Blue Jackets’ road game against the Senators Dec. 28 and has yet to return to the lineup. Mayo, a defenseman, remains on the roster because of Brendan Smith’s lower-body injury, but Mayo was scratched because of the return of Zach Werenski. Smith went on IR on Jan. 2.

Columbus Blue Jackets schedule 2025-26

October

Oct 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, Win

November

Nov 1: vs St. Louis, 3–2, WinNov 2: @ Islanders, 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 Rangers, 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, Loss

December

Dec 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, 3-2 WinDec 28: vs Islanders, 4-2 WinDec 29: @ Ottawa, 4-3 WinDec 31: vs New Jersey, 3-1 Loss

January

Jan 3: vs Buffalo, 5-1 WinJan 4: vs Pittsburgh, 5-4 OT, LossJan 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 PM

February

Feb 3: @ New Jersey, 7:00 PMFeb 4: vs Chicago, 7:00 PMFeb 26: @ Boston, 7:00 PMFeb 28: vs Islanders, 6:00 PM

March

March 2: @ Rangers, 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 Rangers, 7:00 PMMarch 21: vs Seattle, 5:00 PMMarch 22: @ Islanders, 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 PM

April

April 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

This story was updated to include quotes.