COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets lost a one-goal lead by giving up a third-period power-play goal in only three seconds. They lost the game by allowing a goal in the final 90 seconds of regulation.

And the Blue Jackets, at a crucial stretch of the season, got exactly what they deserved.

Igor Chernyshov scored his second goal of the game with only 1:25 remaining, sending the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets before an above-capacity crowd of 18,874 in Nationwide Arena.

It’s been an almost magical run since Rick Bowness was hired on Jan. 12, but the Blue Jackets appear to have finally lost the rabbit in the top hat. Saturday’s game marked their third loss in four games and the first time they’ve lost consecutive games in regulation since Jan. 10.

“We didn’t have our legs, it’s as simple as that,” Bowness said. “We just didn’t have our legs, and these guys have to learn that when you don’t have your legs, you try to simplify the game a little bit.

“We’re still trying to make plays that just weren’t there. (The Sharks) had their legs; give them credit. They played a fast game. We were caught in between all night.”

With the win, and an earlier win by the New York Islanders, the Blue Jackets slid from third-place in the Metropolitan Division to the second wild-card, but they were clinging to a playoff spot pending the result of the Detroit Red Wings game with Philadelphia later Saturday.

If the Wings win or lose in overtime or a shootout, the Blue Jackets are out of a playoff spot for the first time in 10 days.

Denton Mateychuk and Cole Sillinger scored goals for the Blue Jackets, while goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 33 shots, including all 18 he faced in the second period.

Bowness talked at length on Friday about wanting the Blue Jackets to start playing a more direct and physical style, especially with the puck. He wanted more “nasty,” more “grease,” and more direct play with the puck.

There was no “nasty” in the Blue Jackets’ play on Saturday. They spent long stretches of the game simply defending and heading off for a line change, managing only to clear the puck from the defensive zone, not create scoring chances.

But overall, the Blue Jackets didn’t play in any way that resembled a playoff-worthy club. The Sharks had lost six in a row, but are somehow staying in the race in the Western Conference.

“They played desperate hockey,” Sillinger said. “They played well. They’re fighting for their lives over there, too. We knew (with the six-game skid) they were going to come into our building needing one tonight.

“They were winning more puck battles, and, yeah, it’s unacceptable.”

There are nights over the course of a long season where NHL teams won’t “have their legs,” especially in an NHL season that’s been shortened by the Olympics. The Jackets are in the middle of a stretch where they play five games in eight days.

But that doesn’t explain how passive and soft the Blue Jackets were on both ends of the ice, both trying to score greasy goals on San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic or in defending their net in front of Merzlikins.

The Jackets were credited with 17 hits, but take the under. Mathieu Olivier rattled bones with an early hit along the end boards, and Sean Monahan finished a firm check along the half-wall in the second period. Otherwise, they bumped and pushed instead of leading with their shoulders.

“We didn’t have what we usually have tonight, and we can’t let those two go in at the end,” Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. “That hurts.

“They played well. I mean, they’re desperate for their playoff spot, they’re fighting for their lives, too, just as we were. They were the better team tonight. I think they carried play for the better part of that. They were top of us and we didn’t really get many opportunities to be on the offensive side of those physical confrontations.”

The Sharks tied it only 57 seconds into the third period. And it took them only three seconds after puck drop to light the lamp. Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in 2024, let loose a one-timer from the right circle that sailed past Merzlikins’ glove.

“I would want that one back, I would say,” Merzlikins said. “Even if it was a great shot, it was pretty far away, you know?”

Chernyshov’s winning goal was much the same, just from the other side of the ice.

Gudbranson was on the ice for both of those goals, and after he and Merzlikins had their postgame interviews, they walked over to the wax board on the far end of the dressing room and started working out what happened on one or both of the goals.

There’s no margin for error during a playoff run.

The Blue Jackets made multiple lineup changes, two by preference and the other due to an injury.

Defenseman Damon Severson, who had been playing on the top pair with Zach Werenski, is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Jake Christiansen stepped into the lineup on Saturday and Dante Fabbro played beside, but the pairs weren’t as crisp as they’ve been.

At forward, Bowness opted to put Dmitri Voronkov and Kent Johnson back in the lineup to hopefully spark the offense.

Johnson generated only one shot on goal. Voronkov was injured blocking a shot and will be evaluated on Monday, Bowness said. Voronkov has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game vs. Boston.

Yes, the Blue Jackets play on Sunday against the Bruins. That begs the question — doesn’t it? — that if their legs are too heavy on Saturday … how might they be ready to play again less than 24 hours later?

“Players are going to have to get a night’s rest and rest tomorrow morning and come in and just play a smarter game,” Bowness said. “Don’t complicate the game. You just magnify the problem when you try to make some of the plays we were making. That made matters worse.”