In a rematch Nov. 13 at Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets did what they couldn’t do four days earlier at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Starting the third period with a two-goal lead over the Edmonton Oilers, like they did Nov. 10 in a stunning overtime loss, the Jackets eked round two out by the same score, 5-4, they’d lost to the Oilers by, starting a three-game homestand with their second straight win.
Mathieu Olivier led the way with three points on two goals and an assist. Charlie Coyle, who centers Olivier’s line, added three points of his own on a goal and two assists. Oliver set up Coyle’s goal for his assist, whil Coyle got the primary assists on Olivier’s goals in another big night for their line.
Adam Fantilli and Denton Mateychuk also scored goals for the Blue Jackets (9-7-1), who started goalie Jet Greaves (xx saves) for the third straight game.
Leon Draisaitl scored two goals to lead the Oilers, who got their other goals from Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin. Draisaitl scored his first of the game in the second period, tying it 2-2, and his second pulled the Oilers to within 5-4 with 8:33 left in the third.
It was almost a carbon copy of what happened four days earlier in Edmonton, when Connor McDavid brought the Oilers back from a two-goal deficit with two goals. In that one, a 4-3 lead disappearred for the Blue Jackets with a short-handed goal for the Oilers with 58 seconds left in regulation that deflected off Olivier’s stick.
Edmonton won that one with a breakaway goal in OT by Jack Roslovic, who’s from Columbus and played four seasons for the Blue Jackets.
Getting a chance to redo that scenario on home ice, and getting the job done, had to feel good for the Blue Jackets in their first game back off a rough five-game trip. The Oilers pushed hard, but this time Greaves came up with enough saves and the Jackets’ defense ran the clock out.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social