COLUMBUS, Ohio — It had been 2 1/2 weeks since Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins played. It was a rare day game, which Merzlikins has never found comfortable. And it was the Vancouver Canucks, who had climbed atop the NHL standings with five straight road wins.
But that’s not what made Merzlikins feel so awkward Monday, and that’s not why he felt so triumphant in the minutes after the game.
The Blue Jackets came back from three deficits — 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 — before beating the Canucks 4-3 on Kirill Marchenko’s fourth-round shootout goal. The day had a Russian flare for Columbus, with Dmitry Vorokov scoring twice and Yegor Chinakhov adding a goal in regulation.
There were plenty of players deserving accolades in this one, but Merzlikins was, as he prefers it, the star attraction.
With trade winds swirling, Merzlikins stopped 27 shots in regulation and overtime, then stoned all four Vancouver shooters in the shootout to earn a win.
“I had to do this,” Merzlikins said. “I’m happy for the win and happy for the boys. After my last interview (on Friday), everybody knows in here that I requested a trade. They were playing for me and blocking the shots for me. This was awesome, and I really appreciate them.
“It wasn’t an easy game for me, and they made me feel easier. They let me feel the puck better and easier, and I appreciate them.”
When Merzlikins stopped Vancouver’s Pius Suter to end the shootout, he roared out of the net and glided on one skate, pumping his right fist into the air.
The Blue Jackets made a curious midseason decision late last month. To hear Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent explain it, they simply wanted to evaluate promising, but oft-injured Daniil Tarasov, allowing him to make five starts in a six-game span while Merzlikins was a healthy scratch.
Late last week, it came to a head, with Merzlikins explaining that, while he didn’t request a trade initially, he and the Blue Jackets reached a mutual decision to pursue a trade. On Sunday, though, he made it sound as if he did, in fact, ask for the trade.
Either way, it has the potential to get ugly. Blue Jackets fans have witnessed other similar partings through the year, and they often end acrimoniously.
Asked on Monday if he could continue to play with the specter of a trade looming, Merzlikins had an abrupt answer.
“Yes, because I’m really mad, and I’m pulling the monster out of me.”
Asked with whom he was angry, Merzlikins shot back: “Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it. It’s personal.”
Merzlikins, who hadn’t played since Dec. 29, improved to 8-8-6 on the season. He’s already won more games than he did all of last season.
“I worked as much as I could in practice,” Merzlikins said of his midseason break. “Being third in practice drills — we have three goalies, apparently, we don’t have a first, second and third — it wasn’t easy.
“It was really important to win this game for me. I’m happy I can build some momentum.”
If Tarasov had excelled, who knows how long Merzlikins’ timeout may have lasted? But the Blue Jackets gave up 12 goals in back-to-back losses to Winnipeg (5-0 last Tuesday) and Seattle (7-4 on Saturday), prompting Vincent to huddle with coaches and take another approach.
Vincent and Merzlikins spoke at length after Sunday’s practice. There was nothing to discuss before Monday’s game, Vincent said.
“I’m really happy for him,” Vincent said of Merzlikins. “I mean, he played well. He worked hard in practices, he played a good game. I’m really happy for him.
“He knew he was going into the net. He’s not a young guy. He knew what he had to do, so I didn’t have a conversation with him, per se, before the game.”
The Blue Jackets overcame a sleepy start to the game, but leveled the ice midway through the first period. They didn’t chase the play on the ice as much as they did the scoreboard, however.
Chinakhov had considerable jump early in the game, and his goal at 5:55 of the first period — only 27 seconds after the Canucks took a 1-0 lead — seemed to be the wake-up alarm the Blue Jackets needed.
He was part of a recently-constructed top line — Cole Sillinger at center, Chinakhov and Johnny Gaudreau on the wings — that Vincent leaned on throughout the day, matching them up against the Canucks top line of Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser.
Sillinger didn’t score, but he may have been the Blue Jackets’ top player. He had seven shots on goal, won 11 faceoffs and played a career-high 24:35. Chinakhov, who also had seven shots on goal, played 21:59, also a career-high.
“That line had 17 shots (on goal),” Vincent said. “Sillinger was outstanding tonight. I gave him a mission to play against (Vancouver’s) top line. That top line could be one of the best in the league right now, and they did an amazing job.
“Chinakhov’s game is improving. We see it before our eyes. Him and Sillinger, they’re just taking a step. When (Chinkahov) skates like this … and he can shoot the puck. They were very explosive out there and created a lot of chances against a very good line.”
Later, Vincent said: “I think that’s the best game I’ve seen (Sillinger) play at the NHL level.”
By the third period, against a road-weary Canucks club, Vincent double-shifted Sillinger’s line and a line centered by Dmitry Voronkov, with Marchenko and Jack Roslovic flanking him.
At 10:57 of the third period, Voronkov scored off a backhand flipper to the right of Vancouver goaltender Casey DeSmith to tie the score at 3.
This is a game the Blue Jackets may well have lost earlier this season. Their third-period collapses have been examined and diagnosed by many, but they seem to be handling tight games better of late. They traded blows with Vancouver in the third and mostly carried play in OT.
MARCHY MAKING MADNESS IN NATIONWIDE ARENA!
#86 calls the game in a shootout!! 😱@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/J7upgsG68c
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 15, 2024
Gaudreau, Chinakhov and Kent Johnson came up empty in the first three rounds of the shootout, but not to worry. Merzlikins stopped Vancouver’s Andrei Kuzmenko, Miller and Pettersson in the first three rounds, too.
In the fourth round, Marchenko approached DeSmith through the left side of the slot, borrowing a long-ago move from Alexandre Texier. With the puck gliding innocently ahead of him, guided by his stickblade, Marchenko shoved it forward as if stoking a fire.
The puck sailed through DeSmith’s pads. It was only the second shootout attempt of Marchenko’s career (he’s 2 for 2), and his first game-deciding goal.
“It usually works because the goalie’s not ready for it,” Marchenko said.
He watched how DeSmith played Gaudreau, Chinakhov and Johnson, and took note of how DeSmith didn’t buy any of the early puck-handling moves. He simply sat back and waited them out, making all three saves look relatively easy.
Marchenko used that patience against him.
“I said, yes, of course, it will work,” Marchenko said.
While DeSmith was waiting for Marchenko’s move, the puck was already skidding through his pads.
Matinees can be sleepy, especially in Nationwide, which doesn’t host many. This one had plenty of texture, though, plenty to delight a crowd of 17,622, about 500 short of a sellout.
“Elvis played well today,” Marchenko said. “Thank you for him. He made some big saves for us. It’s a win. Thank you, Elvis. Thank you everybody in this room, because we worked hard.”
(Photo: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
