Blue Jackets edge Lightning to notch first home win of season

Field Level MediaField Level Media|published: Sat 18th October, 22:17 2025
NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue JacketsOct 18, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (23) looks to pass defended by Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

Kirill Marchenko scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period to help the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-2 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Marchenko gave Columbus the lead 1:15 into the third period with a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Tampa Bay goaltender Jonas Johansson under his left arm.

Kent Johnson and Damon Severson also scored for the Blue Jackets, who won their first home game of the season. Jet Greaves made 22 saves.

Ryan McDonagh and Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning, who had their three-game point streak (1-0-2) snapped. Johansson made 28 saves.

Down 2-1 entering the second, Columbus pushed for the equalizer, holding Tampa Bay without a shot on goal in the frame until just over six minutes remained.


The Blue Jackets appeared to tie it midway through the period on a Dmitri Voronkov shot that went in off Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak, but the Lightning challenged for offside and the call on the ice was overturned after video review showed the puck had exited the zone.

They would get it back at 13:59, with Severson taking a pass from Mathieu Olivier in the slot and wiring it over Johansson's left arm.

Johnson, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Saturday, gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 4:58 of the first period. Boone Jenner took a short drop pass from Adam Fantilli along the wall and sent a centering pass to Johnson coming into the slot. The puck went off Cernak's stick and through his legs before Johnson collected it and slipped a backhand past Johansson's left skate.

McDonagh tied it 1-1 at 12:42, firing a rising wrist shot from the top of the left circle that deflected off Greave's glove into the net.

Cirelli scored on the power play to put the visitors ahead 2-1 at 16:22. Greaves made a pad save on Jake Guentzel's shot from the right circle, but the rebound stayed in front for Cirelli, who swept a backhand over the goalie's blocker.

--Field Level Media

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