Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness (Via Getty Images) The Columbus Blue Jackets’ unbeaten run under new head coach Rick Bowness finally came to an end on Tuesday. While the team tried to be competitive, the Ottawa Senators proved to be too overwhelming for the home side. In the end, Bowness’ side fell 4-1 to the visitors.The loss also brought the Blue Jackets’ slow climb atop the Eastern Conference to a halt. Under the new head coach, Columbus had won three straight games and momentum was building in their favor. But with Tuesday’s loss, Bowness got his taste of defeat but he addressed the fans immediately post-game.
Rick Bowness blames slow start for Blue Jackets’ recent loss
Senators vs. Blue Jackets | NHL Highlights | January 20, 2026
The Blue Jackets’ head coach did not mince words when addressing his team’s performance after the loss. The veteran coach, who took over the bench on January 12, expressed particular frustration with how Columbus began the contest.”Our slow start really hurt, so that’s been addressed already, and we’ll continue to address that, because I hate slow starts,” Bowness said. “The difference tonight is we had 10 scoring chances in the second period, and we didn’t score. We get to the third period, and they’ve got a two-goal lead. They’re sitting on it.”Ottawa opened the scoring just 3:34 into the first period when Tyler Kleven beat Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins with a snap shot to the upper left corner. Tim Stutzle extended the lead later in the period with a goal that defined the night, skating an entire lap in the Blue Jackets zone before beating Merzlikins from 10 feet out.The loss was compounded by Merzlikins exiting after the first period despite initially insisting he was healthy enough to play. The netminder had told coaches he was feeling under the weather during the afternoon but said he felt better before the game. After allowing two goals on seven first-period shots, Merzlikins did not return for the second period. “He’s been playing really well, and the guy comes and says, ‘I want to play,'” Bowness said. “We let him play. And it didn’t work out.”The head coach mentioned that they would rest the goalie in their next contest against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. In Merzlikins’ absence Jet Greaves took the spot between the pipes and while he saved 12 out of the 13 shots he faced, the Senators were already done by then.Ridly Greig pushed the lead to 3-1 early in the third period, and Ottawa added an empty-net goal late to seal the victory. With a 22-20-7 record, they now occupy the seventh spot in the Metropolitan Division. It will be interesting to see if the franchise can bounce back from yesterday’s loss.