The Columbus Blue Jackets’ latest trip to the desert will be remembered for a night of wild momentum swings, a controversial injury, and a hard-charging Vegas Golden Knights squad that just refuses to quit. On Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena, the Blue Jackets surrendered a two-goal lead and ultimately fell 5-3 to the Golden Knights, marking their third consecutive loss and dropping their record back to an even 18-18-7. For Vegas, the win was another testament to their resilience, as they improved to 19-11-12 and solidified their grip atop the Pacific Division.
Things started brightly enough for Columbus, who struck twice in the opening period. Boone Jenner opened the scoring at 8:24, tipping in a shot from Zach Werenski. The goal was historic for Jenner, as it marked his 403rd career point—pushing him past Cam Atkinson into third place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list. But the celebration was short-lived and tinged with concern. The play resulted in Vegas goaltender Carter Hart suffering what appeared to be a serious left knee injury during a chaotic scramble in the crease. Hart, writhing in pain and without his stick, attempted to defend the net as officials allowed play to continue until Vegas gained control of the puck. The puck eventually found its way past him, and only then did trainers rush to his aid. Hart was helped off the ice, and Knights coach Bruce Cassidy later confirmed, “Hart would get a full evaluation Friday morning. We’ll know pretty quickly after that. The way he came off didn’t look good, but we’ll see.”
Replacing Hart was Akira Schmid, who faced a daunting situation right out of the gate. Just over two minutes after Jenner’s tally, Kent Johnson ended a 15-game goal drought, finishing off a slick passing sequence with Sean Monahan and Jenner to put Columbus up 2-0. For a moment, it looked like the Blue Jackets might finally reverse their recent run of blown leads. But as the saying goes, old habits die hard.
Vegas answered almost immediately. At 12:20 in the first, Reilly Smith cut the deficit in half by deflecting a Ben Hutton shot past Jet Greaves, the Columbus netminder. Smith, who has been heating up since his return to Vegas, wasn’t done. Early in the second period, with Vegas enjoying a delayed penalty advantage and Columbus caught mid-line change, Mitch Marner found Smith in the left circle. Smith fired home his second goal of the night, tying the game at 2-2. According to Smith, it was his first multigoal game since Game 3 of the second-round playoff series against Edmonton and the first time he’d scored in consecutive games since March of last year.
The momentum had clearly shifted, and Vegas pressed their advantage. At 13:07 of the second, Jack Eichel took a feed from Ivan Barbashev and rifled a shot past Greaves to give the Knights their first lead. Just five minutes later, Mark Stone—who has been on a career-best goal streak—extended the Vegas lead to 4-2 with a power-play snipe. Stone’s goal marked his sixth straight game finding the back of the net, a remarkable run for the Golden Knights’ captain.
Columbus, to their credit, didn’t fold. With just over five minutes left in regulation, Kirill Marchenko broke free behind the Vegas defense, collected a pass from Ivan Provorov, and beat Schmid to draw the Blue Jackets within one. It was Marchenko’s 16th goal of the season, tying him with Werenski for the team lead and giving Columbus a glimmer of hope. But as has been the case too often this season, the Blue Jackets couldn’t hold the line. Less than two minutes later, Keegan Kolesar and Brett Howden broke in on a 2-on-1, with Howden finishing the play for his ninth of the year and restoring Vegas’s two-goal cushion. That goal effectively sealed the deal, and the Blue Jackets never threatened again.
For Columbus, the night was filled with both frustration and a few silver linings. Goaltender Jet Greaves finished with 21 saves on 26 shots, while the team as a whole dominated the faceoff circle, winning 63% of draws—its third-highest mark of the season. Sean Monahan was particularly impressive at the dot, going 10-1. The game also featured season debuts for forward Mikael Pyyhtia and defenseman Egor Zamula. Pyyhtia nearly made an immediate impact in the third period, coming close to scoring with a chance in front, while Zamula logged over 11 minutes on the blue line alongside Dante Fabbro. Meanwhile, Zach Werenski extended his point streak to nine games, reinforcing his status as one of the team’s most consistent contributors.
On the other side, the Golden Knights continue to prove their mettle in the face of adversity. Thursday’s win marked the second consecutive game in which they’ve come from behind after trailing 2-0. “Our second and third (periods) have been really good the last two games,” Mitch Marner noted after the game. “We just have to try to bring that to the first. We don’t want to be the team that’s always down, but we know we can fight through adversity when we are.”
The injury to Carter Hart remains a major concern for Vegas, especially with backup Adin Hill still working his way back from a lower-body injury. Hill and defenseman Shea Theodore both participated in the morning skate in non-contact jerseys, offering some hope for reinforcements in the coming weeks. “I can’t tell you what their (return) date is,” Cassidy said. “But they’re getting closer.” For now, Schmid’s steady play in relief—19 saves on 21 shots faced—helped steady the ship and buy the Knights a little more time.
Statistically, the game was closer than the scoreline suggested. Columbus actually led Vegas in shot attempts (62-51) and matched them in scoring chances (29 apiece), but the Knights made the most of their high-danger opportunities and capitalized on a key power play. The Blue Jackets’ inability to close out games after building early leads continues to haunt them, a trend that has now resulted in three straight defeats. As one local columnist quipped, “If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, the Blue Jackets might need to be measured for a straitjacket.”
Up next for Columbus is a daunting matchup against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Saturday. The Avalanche have lost just four times in regulation all season, and the Blue Jackets will need to quickly regroup if they hope to avoid extending their skid. For Vegas, the focus shifts to maintaining their momentum and monitoring Hart’s recovery as they continue to battle for supremacy in the Pacific.
Thursday’s contest had it all—early fireworks, a gut-wrenching injury, and a furious rally from the home team. For the Blue Jackets, the search for consistency rolls on. For the Golden Knights, another comeback win only adds to their growing reputation as one of the NHL’s most relentless squads.