Blue Jackets fall to Utah 4-1 Saturday as special teams struggle

Saturday, October 3, 2026
By Ed Francis
efrancis@cbussports.com

Kent Johson (91) scored the Columbus Blue Jackets’ only goal in the team’s 4-1 home loss to the Utah Mammoth Saturday. Photo: Kevin Rouch

In Thursday’s season-opening win, the Columbus Blue Jackets won the game with special teams.

Saturday, it was their demise.

Mikhail Sergachev, Dylan Guenther, and Nick Schmaltz all scored on the power play for the Utah Mammoth, who converted three of their four power play opportunities in a 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets in front of just over 17,000 at Nationwide Arena.

The Mammoth limited the Blue Jackets to just 18 shots on goal, including just four for Columbus in the opening frame.

After Utah took a 2-0 lead through the first, the Blue Jackets’ lone goal came off the stick of Kent Johnson. He found the back of the net after taking a nice pass from Matthew Knies, who Columbus acquired in a trade Monday with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Johnson’s first goal of the season came at the 1:30 mark of the second. The game would stay 2-1 until the third, when Utah would score on both of their power play attempts.

“We got a 2-1 game and we’re taking penalties, and that drove me nuts last year and we’re talking about it again tonight,” said head coach Rick Bowness. “It’s got to stop.”

Utah goalie Sebastian Cossa finished with 17 saves on 18 shots, while Columbus netminder Jet Greaves stopped 27 of 31, including 21 of 22 at even strength.

Here’s the goal-by-goal story from a frustrating night for the Blue Jackets:

1ST PERIOD (UTH: 1, CBJ: 0)

On their second power play of the night, the Mammoth get on the board and take a 1-0 lead with 8:05 left in the first period. Good puck movement from Utah on the man-advantage ends with Sergachev beating Jet Greaves. It was the 9th shot of the game for the Mammoth, compared to just two from Columbus at this point in the game.

1ST PERIOD (UTH: 2, CBJ: 0)

Less than five minutes after a goal as a result of good puck movement, the Mammoth get another one. This one comes off a tight angle from Nick Schmaltz to give Utah a 2-0 lead with 3:29 left in the first period.

2ND PERIOD (UTH: 2, CBJ: 1)

The Blue Jackets get on the scoreboard with Johnson’s goal on a sequence that starts with a great look from Matthew Knies. He makes a no-look pass off the boards to spring Johnson, who collects it near the blue line and skates in hard and tucks it under the shoulder of Cossa to cut the deficit in half.

3RD PERIOD (UTH: 3, CBJ: 1)

Another power play goal for the Mammoth, this one off the stick of Guenther, who was left alone near the faceoff dot to the right of Greaves. Logan Cooley makes a nice cross-ice pass as Utah goes up 3-1 with 14:01 left in the third.

3RD PERIOD (UTH: 4, CBJ: 1)

For the third time in the game, the Mammoth strike on the power play. This one, scored with just 5:47 left, effectively ended the game. Schmaltz skates into the slot and slides it to Cooley by the net. Cooley immediately flips it back to him and Schmaltz rips it home for the 500th point of his NHL career.

CBJ's Jet Greaves makes save

Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves makes a pad save in the second period against the Utah Mammoth Saturday at Nationwide Arena. Photo: Kevin Rouch

QUICK THOUGHTS: That was not the effort head coach Rick Bowness was looking for, and he started his post-game press conference by acknowledging that the Blue Jackets were “exposed” by the Mammoth. The 4-1 score could’ve been worse and probably would’ve been if not for a couple of big saves from Greaves, who played very well at 5-on-5. One other bright spot: it was another spectacular night for Adam Fantilli on the draw. After winning 16 of 20 on Thursday, he won 15 of 20 in this one and is starting to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with at the faceoff dot.  

NEXT UP: As it usually is early in the season, the Blue Jackets now have a lengthy rest before their next game. That’ll come Friday night when they’re back on home ice to battle the Pittsburgh Penguins. Puck-drop at Nationwide Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.