Jackets motor past Detroit in first of home and home games
Thursday, February 27, 2025
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com
James van Riemsdyk had two goals for the Columbus Blue Jackets in Detroit Thursday. The veteran moved up to the second line when Cole Sillinger missed the second and third periods after a big hit. File photo
With the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings trying to earn a spot in postseason play, the game at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena Thursday had the air of a playoff game. Columbus was two points behind Detroit coming into the game.Trailing 1-0 in the second period, the Blue Jackets scored four straight goals and came away with a 5-2 win.
Columbus had a couple of challenges in their contest in the Motor City. The first they knew before the game started. Goalie Daniil Tarasov had not played in net since Jan. 31 at Utah. The other challenge developed in the first period. Center Cole Sillinger suffered a big hit in the middle of the ice and did not return for the final two periods.
Tarasov picked up his sixth win of the season, stopping 29 of 31 shots. James van Riemsdyk said that it looked as though Tarasov “had not missed a beat. He did a tremendous job for us and made a lot of key saves.”
Blue Jackets’ netminder Daniil Tarasov had not played in nearly a month, but made 29 saves to help his squad win on the road at Detroit Thursday. File photo
van Riemsdyk played a part in how the Blue Jackets took on the second challenge of the evening. After Sillinger went down, van Riemsdyk moved up to the second line, moving Boone Jenner to center and that group excelled. van Riemsdyk scored two goals, the other winger Kent Johnson scored a goal on a tip-in, and Jenner recorded three assists.
Head coach Dean Evason noted after the game that it was van Riemsdyk who was moved down to the fourth line when Boone Jenner rejoined the team three games ago. “We had a chat with JVR and said it has absolutely nothing to do with how he was playing the game. He just thanked us and understood exactly what was going on.”
Kent Johnson scored a goal on a tip-in off a Dante Fabbro shot, his 20th of the season, as the Blue Jackets won at Detroit Thursday. File photo
The other two goals in the second period were posted by Kent Johnson and Sean Kuraly. Both were near the net with Johnson tipping in a Dante Fabbro slap shot and Kuraly knocking down a rebound with his glove, then knocking it past goalie Cam Talbott with his stick.
The final goal game late in the third when Kirill Marchenko streaked into the offensive zone and dived ahead of the defense to record an empty-netter. It was his team-leading 24th tally of the season. The teams are now tied with 66 points in 59 games played, both in wild card positions.
The Blue Jackets and Red Wings will practice at Ohio Stadium Friday to get used to the outdoor venue. On Saturday, as part of the NHL’s Stadium Series, the teams will do battle again, with the puck scheduled to be dropped at 6:00 p.m. in the ‘Shoe.
Sean Kuraly scored a goal in the second period when he knocked down a rebound in front of the net, then chipped it in. File photo