Blue Jackets hold on in furious third period for win
Saturday, November 1, 2025
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com
Charlie Coyle (3) scores before crashing to the ice in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues at Nationwide Arena Saturday. Photo: Kevin Lam
The Columbus Blue Jackets came into Saturday’s home game with St. Louis having won three in a row. In front of 17,130 fans at Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets took a 3-1 lead early in the third period, then held on as goaltender Jet Greaves was peppered with shots coming down the stretch for a 3-2 victory.
St. Louis got on the board first when Justin Faulk scored just 3:37 into the opening period. Charlie Coyle tied things at 1-1 when he poked in a rebound as he fell to the ice at the top of the crease.
Just six seconds after the ensuing faceoff, Columbus’s Mathieu Olivier and the Blues’ Tyler Tucker dropped the gloves, sending them to their respective penalty boxes for five minutes. The action picked up after that, with the Jackets outshooting St. Louis 17-14 in the period, though no more shots found the net before the first intermission.
Goaltender Jet Greaves makes one of his 37 saves during the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 home win over the St. Blues Saturday. Photo: Kevin Lam
Blue Jacket defenseman Zach Werenski scored the only goal of the second period. Werenski’s blue line partner, Denton Mateychuk, found him in the right circle and he snapped a shot past St. Louis goalie Joel Hofer.
Columbus took a 3-1 lead early in the third period on a power play when Sean Monahan knocked the puck into the net as it sat on the goal line behind Hofer after a shot from Werenski hit the post. It was Monahan’s first goal of the season and the 600th point of his career.
St. Louis then stepped up their offensive pressure. With 10:12 left in the period, Nick Bjugstad scored to narrow the Blue Jacket lead to 3-2. For the next ten minutes, the Blues ratcheted up their offensive zone presence and sent shot after shot at Jet Greaves in goal.
Columbus’s Mathieu Olivier (24) faces off with Tyler Tucker of the St. Louis Blues in the first period of the Blue Jackets’ win Saturday at Nationwide Arena. Photo: Kevin Lam
Greaves stopped everything after Bjugstad’s goal. On the night, he made 37 saves, a save percentage of .949. In his six starts, Greaves is 3-3 with a save percentage of .916 and a goals against average of 2.67.
The Blue Jackets are now 7-4-0, and in third place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division, behind New Jersey and Pittsburgh. They travel to Elmont, N.Y. to take on the Islanders Sunday beginning at 5:00 p.m. It is the third straight set of back-to-back games for Columbus and they have won four of the previous five contests.
Columbus and St. Louis face off Saturday during the Blue Jackets’ fourth win in a row, downing the Blues’ 3-2 in front of 17,130 fans at Nationwide Arena. Photo: Kevin Rouch