Adam Fantilli’s first-period finish against Jordan Binnington helps Blue Jackets edge Blues in St. Louis

What happened

The Columbus Blue Jackets held on for a 2-1 road win over the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on January 11, 2025, a game defined by tight defensive structure, blocked shots and timely scoring against Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington.

Columbus opened the scoring at 15:38 of the first period when Adam Fantilli converted from close range after receiving a pass into the slot, beating Binnington to give the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead. The goal came during a stretch in which Columbus generated chances off quick puck movement near the right faceoff circle and net-front positioning.

How the Blue Jackets built the lead

Columbus extended the advantage late in the second period on the power play. Cole Sillinger scored at 16:51, finishing a one-timer from in tight following a feed from behind the goal line. The goal pushed the margin to 2-0 and forced St. Louis to chase the game in the third period.

St. Louis avoided being shut out late, with Colton Parayko scoring with 10.5 seconds remaining. The Blues pushed with an extra attacker in the final minutes, but Columbus closed out the win.

Goaltending and defensive details

Goaltender Jet Greaves delivered 31 saves for Columbus, nearly recording a shutout before the late St. Louis goal. In front of him, the Blue Jackets blocked 23 shots, a key indicator of how the game tilted toward defensive commitment once Columbus had the lead.

Binnington stopped 28 shots for St. Louis. Despite the narrow final score, the Blues were held off the board at even strength until the final seconds, with Columbus limiting second-chance opportunities around the crease for most of the night.

Why it mattered

• The win extended Columbus’ winning streak to four games, marking a notable stretch of results for a team that had struggled away from home earlier in the season.

• Columbus improved to 20-17-6 with the victory; St. Louis fell to 20-20-4.

• The matchup also followed a higher-scoring meeting between the teams earlier in January, making the lower-event, defense-first game a sharp contrast in style and outcome.

With early offense and late-game composure, Columbus turned a one-goal first-period lead into two points, with Fantilli’s finish on Binnington standing as the decisive breakthrough.