Coyle's hat trick propels Blue Jackets to win in Chicago
Friday, January 30, 2026
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com
Charlie Coyle (3) recorded the second hat trick of his career as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat Chicago 4-2 at the United Center Friday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
The Columbus Blue Jackets took their act on the road Friday, playing the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center while the snow piled up outside. The Blue Jackets never trailed in a 4-2 win that saw Charlie Coyle post the second hat trick of his career and assist on the other goal from Mathieu Olivier.
Coyle has been the center of conversation around the team recently, having celebrated his 1,000th game on the last home stand, then scoring just 38 seconds after the ceremony concluded. Friday’s performance was his third straight multi-point game. He also scored his 200th career goal against Tampa Bay last Thursday.
Elvis Merzlikins won his second game in three nights, stopping 22 of 24 Chicago shots in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ victory Friday at the United Center. Photo: Kevin Rouch
The Columbus defense was also on its game against the Blackhawks. Chicago did not post its first shot on goal until more than seven minutes had elapsed in the opening period. In the third period, the Blue Jackets killed off a penalty and withstood a withering 6-on-5 attack, instead adding an empty net goal from Coyle.
And it was the execution of the little things that garnered big results. On Olivier’s goal in the second period, Cole Sillinger set an effective screen in front of Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight, a screen that was so good it drew an unsuccessful challenge for goalie interference.
The Columbus Blue Jackets attack the Chicago net but the Blackhawks’ defense sweeps the puck away during the Jackets’ 4-2 win at the United Center Friday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 22 of 24 shots, making key saves down the stretch to earn his second win in a row. Since new head coach Rick Bowness arrived in Columbus, Merzlikins has won four of his five starts, the only loss coming in a game that he left early because of illness.
Once the post-game interviews were conducted, the Jackets headed to the airport to fly to St. Louis for a game against the Blues Saturday night. Friday’s victory moved Columbus into a tie with the Florida Panthers, just one spot out of third in the Metro Division, six points behind the New York Islanders.
Columbus head coach Rick Bowness watches the action as Adam Fantilli (19) and Kirill Marchenko review a previous play during the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 win Friday at the United Center. Photo: Kevin Rouch
EXTRA TIME:
- Columbus ties: Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy, an alternate captain with the Blackhawks, is a Central Ohio native who played for the AAA Blue Jackets. Former CBJ captain Nick Foligno, now the Blackhawks’ captain, did not play after being banged up in their game at Pittsburgh Thursday.
- The performance of the Star-Spangled Banner was impressive. The crowd clapped and cheered throughout “dramatic tenor” Jim Cornelison’s operatic rendition with the accompaniment of the arena’s booming organ. Cornelison has been the full-time anthem singer for the Hawks since 2007.
- The center-ice scoreboard at the United Center is “ginormous”, with lots of real estate for every possible statistic to be displayed during the action in easy-to-read type. If you’re lucky enough to sit in the lower bowl, you can see the same info on a second display on the underside of the board.