Zach Werenski's knack for being clutch came into play once again Friday night at Delta Center, as the Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman scored the game-winning goal 1:01 into overtime, lifting his team to a 3-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. The Blue Jackets rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period, which also saw goals from Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson to eventually set up the dramatic OT. This come-from-behind win marks Columbus' third consecutive overtime victory and a nudge up in their season record to 26-19-7, according to NHL.com.
On Utah's end, the frustration continued to build as they suffered their fourth straight loss, moving their record to an even 21-21-9. Despite jumping to an early lead with goals from Nick Schmaltz and Alex Kerfoot, Utah couldn't manage to sufficiently hold off their opponents in the closing stages of the game. Keller, assisting on both of Utah's goals, was disappointed with the outcome. "It’s frustrating for sure," Keller told NHL.com, "We’ve just got to keep going; learn from it."
The overtime period was short but it was enough for Werenski to find his moment. After Cole Sillinger picked off Barrett Hayton and dished a pass to Werenski, the defenseman certainly did not hesitate to snap the puck past Karel Vejmelka's reach and into the Utah net, as reported by KUTV. The game-winner minted the Blue Jackets' first triumph in back-to-back affairs following seven previous unsuccessful attempts this season.
Injuries, as they often do, complicating things for the Utah squad, with head coach André Tourigny announcing that center Logan Cooley will be sidelined indefinitely, pending revaluation after the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. With Utah already missing Dylan Guenther's presence since early January, depth issues are starting to test the team. "Every team is the same. You cannot feel sorry for yourself," Tourigny emphasized, as obtained by NHL.com. And with Utah's penalty-killing unit boasting the league's best success rate since November, this isn't a team to easily write off.
Looking ahead, Utah eyes a chance to bounce back against the St. Louis Blues, a team they've bested in both of their encounters this season. Keller will be looking to add to his tally of five points from these prior games. The matchup is set for Sunday evening at Delta Center, as noted by NHL.com. In these sliding moments for Utah, a win could be just what the doctor ordered to turn around their fortunes as the season hurdles toward its critical points.
.jpg){kind=link}