Blue Jackets Suffer Fifth Straight Loss in Frustrating Home Defeat to Golden Knights
The Columbus Blue Jackets welcomed the Vegas Golden Knights to Nationwide Arena on December 13th, but the icy conditions outside mirrored the team’s performance on the ice, as they succumbed to their fifth consecutive loss. A late surge from the Golden Knights sealed a 3-2 victory, leaving the Blue Jackets to lament missed opportunities and a familiar pattern of late-game struggles.
For the first two periods, the Blue Jackets appeared to match the Golden Knights’ intensity, showcasing moments of promise. However, their offensive output faltered significantly in the third period. A much-needed spark ignited when Yegor Chinakhov found the back of the net, seemingly injecting momentum into the Columbus squad. This brief surge of hope was quickly extinguished, however, as the Golden Knights capitalized on a poorly timed line change by the Blue Jackets just over a minute later. The equalizer came from defenseman Ben Hutton, who beat the Columbus goalie to tie the game. The assist on this crucial goal went to Vegas winger Mitch Marner, marking his third helper of the night. Marner then set up Brayden McNabb for the go-ahead goal, a precise shot from the right side of the net that found the top corner.
With less than three minutes remaining in regulation, the Blue Jackets faced further adversity. Adam Fantilli was struck in the face by McNabb’s stick, resulting in a double-minor penalty. This handed Vegas a crucial power play for the final stretch of the game. In a desperate bid to salvage the contest, the Blue Jackets pulled their goaltender, Jet Greaves, creating a 6-on-4 advantage. Despite the extra attacker, Columbus struggled to generate any meaningful scoring chances and failed to register a shot on goal.
“It’d be nice to get that to an overtime or a shootout,” commented Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason. “We hit the post, we had a couple of opportunities there at the end. … As far as our work, as far as our commitment, as far as our valuing how we need to play, we’ve seen a lot of that.”
Early Promise Fades as Penalty Trouble and Missed Chances Haunt Blue Jackets
The game began with the Blue Jackets demonstrating strong offensive pressure, outshooting the Golden Knights in the opening period. Their early efforts paid off at the 13-minute mark when Zach Werenski showcased smooth skating and offensive zone entry. Approaching the net with speed, Werenski quickly dished the puck back to center Charlie Coyle, who delivered a clean wrist shot for his fifth goal of the season, giving Columbus a 1-0 lead.
However, penalty trouble began to plague the Blue Jackets. Vegas capitalized on their first power play opportunity of the night when Pavel Dorofeyev scored. Shortly after, Ivan Provorov appeared to have extended the lead with a shot up the middle, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside infraction involving Miles Wood. The subsequent Blue Jackets sequence saw Brenden Smith attempt to deliver a hit on Dorofeyev, but his aim was off, striking the Vegas player in the head. This resulted in another penalty for Columbus, leading to another power play for Vegas.
In the latter half of the second period, Cole Sillinger had the clearest opportunity for the Blue Jackets to regain the lead. He skillfully maneuvered past the Golden Knights’ defense and unleashed a shot that was stopped by Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson. Coyle was unable to convert on the ensuing rebound, further frustrating the home team.
This defeat marks the tenth game of the season where the Blue Jackets have lost after initially holding a lead. Late-game intensity and the ability to close out games have been a recurring issue for Columbus. In 2025, they have been outscored by their opponents 48-29 in the third period, a stark indicator of where their struggles lie.
“I think defensively, [it] was definitely better,” acknowledged Coyle. “It’s not perfect, but I think it’s a work in progress and it was a step in the right direction.”
With their season record now standing at 13-13-6, the Blue Jackets will be looking to break their losing streak and change their fortunes when they host the Anaheim Ducks at Nationwide Arena on December 16th. The team faces a critical juncture as they aim to find consistency and reverse their recent downward trend.