{"id":445493,"date":"2026-02-04T18:05:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T18:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/445493\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T18:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T18:05:18","slug":"columbus-blue-jackets-shut-out-devils-3-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/445493\/","title":{"rendered":"Columbus Blue Jackets Shut Out Devils 3-0"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Devils\u2019 return to the Prudential Center on Tuesday didn\u2019t go as planned, as they were unable to find the offensive spark needed to bounce back from Saturday\u2019s loss in Ottawa. Despite a determined effort to reset on home ice, New Jersey was stymied by a red-hot Columbus squad in a 3-0 shutout loss, leaving Jacob Markstrom to fend for himself against a relentless Blue Jackets attack that has now secured six straight victories. Elvis Merzlikins stopped all 24 shots he faced to keep the Devils off the board, while Mathieu Olivier netted two goals and Dante Fabbro added another to seal the result. It was a frustrating outcome for the Devils, but they\u2019ll have an opportunity to turn the page as they\u2019ll be hosting the New York Islanders on Thursday, while the Blue Jackets head back to Columbus to host the Blackhawks on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Columbus Blue Jackets Lineup:<\/p>\n

Marchment \u2013 Fantilli \u2013 Lundestrom
Voronkov \u2013 Monahan \u2013 Johnson
Sillinger \u2013 Coyle \u2013 Olivier
Heinen \u2013 Jenner \u2013 Wood<\/p>\n

Werenski \u2013 Severson
Provorov \u2013 Mateychuk
Fabbro \u2013 Gudbranson<\/p>\n

Merzlikins<\/p>\n

New Jersey Devils Lineup:<\/p>\n

Meier \u2013 Glass \u2013 Brown
Gritsyuk \u2013 Hischier \u2013 Hameenaho
Bratt \u2013 Cotter \u2013 Mercer
Lammikko \u2013 Glendening \u2013 Tsyplakov<\/p>\n

Siegenthaler \u2013 Kovacevic
Pesce \u2013 Hamilton
Dillon \u2013 Nemec<\/p>\n

Markstrom
Allen<\/p>\n

After a scoreless 40 minutes, Dante Fabbro<\/a> opened the scoring to get the Blue Jackets on the board 1-0 at 14:36 for his fourth goal of the season when Jonas Siegenthaler tried to get the rebound of a shot by the opposing team to a Devils\u2019 player, but Fabbro got a hold of the puck from the top of the right face-off circle and fired on a snap shot through a screen past Jacob Markstrom. Fabbro had previously missed his past six games due to a lower-body injury. Mathieu Olivier<\/a> made it 2-0 for Columbus at 7:57 of the third period when he scored on a backhand off a breakaway, picking up his seventh goal of the season. With little time remaining, Charlie Coyle dived to get the puck out of the Blue Jackets\u2019 zone, and Olivier<\/a> picked up the puck to put it in the empty net, but was slashed by Dougie Hamilton. Olivier was then credited with his second goal of the night for the 3-0 final.<\/p>\n

Jonas Siegenthaler<\/a> on how disappointing a loss like this is, and if it\u2019s tough in moments like these, not feeling a sense of urgency knowing what\u2019s at stake, and Jacob Markstrom: \u201cIt is disappointing. Especially when I would say we played a pretty good 50 minutes, and then they scored the first one, and we just kind of stopped playing. I think we just gotta know that a game requires 60 minutes. Even though you\u2019re down a goal, I think 10 minutes to score a goal is enough.\u201d \u2013 \u201cYeah, we know the situation. We just have to win. I think that\u2019s the only option, and it\u2019s not easy to win in this league, but I think we showed earlier this season that we\u2019re able to win a couple of games in a row. We just gotta find it somehow. \u2026He played great. He had a couple of big saves. It wasn\u2019t on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Game Notes:<\/p>\n

\u2013 In the first period, it appeared the Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead when Danton Heinen struck from the right face-off circle, but the Devils successfully challenged the play for goaltender interference in the crease on Miles Wood.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Jacob Markstrom made a total of 22 saves for New Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u2013 The Devils are 28-26-2, and they have lost four of their past five games.<\/p>\n

\u2013 For Elvis Merzlikins, this was his 12th career shutout, and ties Marc Denis for the third most in Blue Jackets history. This was his first shutout of the season, his second shutout against the Devils, and his first since October 30th, 2024 (2-0 against New York Islanders).<\/p>\n

\u2013 Through two periods, Merzlikins made 17 saves, denying Timo Meier on a snap shot off a spin-o-rama from the slot in the middle frame. The Blue Jackets were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.<\/p>\n

\u2013 The Blue Jackets are 28-20-7, and since Rick Bowness took over as coach on January 12th, they are 9-1-0.<\/p>\n

\u2013 The Blue Jackets have nine wins when scoring first since the New Year, tying with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second most among all teams behind the Pittsburgh Penguins (10).<\/p>\n

\u2013 Dante Fabbro\u2019s goal was the 42nd by a Columbus defenseman this season, passing 2016-17 (41) for the fifth most in a single season in franchise history. The only campaigns with more are 2024-25 (51), 2021-22 (43), and 2014-15 (43).<\/p>\n

\u2013 With his assist, Zach Werenski recorded his fourth career five-game assist streak. He ties Rick Nash for the most in Blue Jackets history. \u2026Recording his assist on their third goal, Werenski (19-42\u201361) surpassed both Evan Bouchard (60 in 2025-16) and Mike Green (60 in 2009-10) for the most points by a defenseman before an Olympic break.<\/p>\n

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