In an electrifying game on December 29, 2025, the Columbus Blue Jackets triumphed over the New York Islanders with a score of 4-2, marking their second consecutive victory. This matchup showcased a thrilling third period where the Blue Jackets scored two crucial goals within just a minute, turning the tide in their favor.
Kirill Marchenko played a pivotal role, netting his second goal of the evening with only 3:19 left on the clock, shortly after Ivan Provorov had tied the game at 2-2. Cole Sillinger sealed the deal for Columbus by scoring into an empty net, while both Denton Mateychuk and Sean Monahan recorded two assists each, contributing significantly to the win. Goalie Jet Greaves was impressive, managing to stop 24 shots throughout the match.
On the other side, the Islanders had strong performances from Max Shabanov and Bo Horvat, who scored their goals, but they ultimately fell short. David Rittich, the Islanders' goaltender, made an impressive 31 saves but couldn't prevent the defeat as his team lost their first game of a two-stop road trip to close out the year.
The action began early when Marchenko capitalized on a breakaway to score at 8:09 of the first period. However, Shabanov equalized for New York with 2:44 remaining in the period, benefiting from a deflection that slipped past Greaves, leveling the score.
The second period erupted into chaos as Mat Barzal reacted aggressively to a tripping penalty against Mason Marchment, resulting in a major penalty and a game misconduct ejection for Barzal. Columbus couldn’t capitalize during a 3-on-4 power play situation that followed a tripping call on Adam Pelech against Miles Wood.
The Islanders took the lead when Horvat, returning from a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury, scored with a precise wrist shot at 6:36 of the second period.
Yet, Columbus rallied back, with Provorov finding the net to tie the game with 4:33 left in the third, paving the way for Marchenko’s decisive goal and Sillinger’s empty-net insurance score.
Looking ahead, the Islanders will be heading to Chicago for their next game on Tuesday, while the Blue Jackets are set to visit Ottawa on Monday.
