Bold takeaway: A dramatic overtime win keeps the Islanders rolling, while Columbus shows flashes of resilience that hint at bigger things to come. But here’s where it gets controversial… team depth and overtime success may be masking underlying issues in the Blue Jackets' consistency. And this is the part most people miss: Columbus keeps grinding in a tight game but still struggles to close when it matters most in the final minutes of regulation.
In a high-energy Saturday night showdown in Columbus, the Islanders edged the Blue Jackets 4-3 thanks to a timely overtime strike from Simon Holmstrom just 1:50 into the extra period. Holmstrom accepted a pass from Tony DeAngelo, moved with purpose along the right wing, cut toward the net, and ripped a wrist shot past Columbus goaltender Jet Greaves to seal the victory. This was Holmstrom’s 14th goal of the season and his second overtime tally, underscoring his growing clutch potential for New York. Notably, the Isles are undefeated in overtime this season, an 8-0 mark that makes them the league’s only team yet to lose in overtime games.
The visitors got on the board with a late surge in the second period. Scott Mayfield contributed a goal and an assist, while Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau combined for two goals just 22 seconds apart to erase a two-goal deficit. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin turned aside 27 shots to secure the win.
Columbus answered with a strong all-around effort from Zach Werenski, who continued his standout season with two assists. Werenski extended his points streak to nine games, the longest by a defenseman in franchise history, and pushed his season totals to 65 points, ranking second among NHL defensemen. The 621-game veteran reached the milestone of 100 multipoint games in his 10-year career and became one of the fastest active defensemen to reach that count. Werenski’s performance, along with contributions from teammates Isac Lundeström, Mason Marchment, and Adam Fantilli, kept Columbus competitive throughout.
Goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 22 shots for the Blue Jackets, while Columbus’ offense also benefited from Jack Hughes’ Olympic gold-medal connection and contributions from several players who helped keep the game tightly contested.
Standout Columbus notes: Marchment, who opened the scoring with a goal just 3:58 into the second period to push Columbus ahead 2-0, has reached double-digit goals in a compact 16-game stretch with the Blue Jackets since the December 19 trade from Seattle—the fastest any Columbus player has achieved that milestone.
Standings and implications: Columbus sits seven points behind the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division and five points behind Boston for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, highlighting how every point from here on out will be crucial in the tight playoff race.
Up next:
- Islanders host Florida on Sunday.
- Blue Jackets visit the New York Rangers on Monday.
Source: AP/NHL game recap coverage, with full box details and player stats available through ESPN.
