Make it three straight wins for the Blue Jackets plus something else that’d become a rarity around Columbus.
After downing the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Oct. 29 at Nationwide Arena, the Jackets entertained a crowd of 16,558 by sweeping their second of 15 back-to-back sets on this season’s schedule. That might not sound like a big, but the Blue Jackets (6-4-0) had done six times in the previous five years.
After pulling off an exciting 4-3 overtime win with a late comeback Oct. 28 in Buffalo, the Blue Jackets returned home looking for the sweep against the Leafs, who were looking for the same outcome after downing the Calgary Flames Oct. 28 in Toronto.
The Jackets found the broom closet first.
“Sometimes, maybe it’s just the way you approach it, knowing the year prior it hasn’t gone your way (in back-to-backs),” said forward Mathieu Olivier, who scored his first goal of the season and added a career-high three assists. “Maybe you bring a more ready and focused attitude towards it. … it just feels like this year we know how to stay composed and handle ourselves in those situations.”
Paced by an outstanding performance from the checking line of center Charlie Coyle, left wing Cole Sillinger and Olivier on right wing, Columbus cruised to a third straight win.
Coyle dished out a career-high four assists, Olivier added his four points with a goal and three assists, and Sillinger tacked on three points with two goals and one assist. They were also on the ice in the first period when the puck stopped within less than an inch of fully crossing the Maple Leafs’ goal line. That would’ve been the first of five goals the Jackets’ third line instead of their four that counted.
“They’ve played really well for awhile now,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “They just hadn’t gotten rewarded. They’ve been around the net and doing the right things in all three zones, so it’s nice for them to get rewarded here tonight.”
Elvis Merzlikins made 34 saves for the goaltending win, frustrating the Maple Leafs (5-5-1) on a night they finished with a 37-25 edge in shots, and three Blue Jackets defensemen scored goals: Zach Werenski, Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov.
Cayden Primeau took the loss in net for the Maple Leafs, who got goals from Sammy Blais, John Tavares and Nicholas Robertson. Tavares’ goal was the 500th of his NHL career.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social