Blue Jackets fall 2-1 in overtime at Panthers after third-period rally forces extra time

Florida edges Columbus in overtime as tight-checking game turns on special teams and late finish

The Columbus Blue Jackets lost 2-1 in overtime to the Florida Panthers on March 12, 2026, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, after a scoreless first period and a one-goal lead that held into the third.

Florida’s goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 of 31 shots and was a central figure in a game defined by limited chances and heavy defending. Columbus generated 31 shots on goal but produced a single goal, while Florida finished with 21 shots and two goals, including the overtime winner. Attendance was listed at 18,686.

How the scoring unfolded

After 20 minutes without a goal, Columbus opened scoring in the second period to take a 1-0 lead into the third. Florida tied the game in the third period, sending it to overtime, where the Panthers scored the deciding goal to secure a 2-1 win.

• Columbus: 1 goal on 31 shots
• Florida: 2 goals on 21 shots
• Final: Florida 2, Columbus 1 (OT)

Special teams and possession indicators

Both clubs recorded two power-play goals in the game statistics, a notable entry given the low final score and an indication that opportunities with the man advantage played an outsized role in the final outcome.

Columbus held an edge at the faceoff dot, winning 58.5% of draws. That advantage helped the Blue Jackets control certain sequences and sustain pressure, particularly as they attempted to protect the lead and later push for a second goal. Florida, meanwhile, recorded 23 hits to Columbus’ 13, reflecting the Panthers’ more physical approach over the course of the night.

Goaltending performance

Bobrovsky’s 30-save performance limited Columbus to one goal despite a clear shot-volume advantage. On the Columbus end, Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 of 21 shots in regulation and overtime.

The numbers highlighted a close contest: Columbus owned the shot count and faceoffs, Florida owned the final margin and the overtime finish.

Context within the series

The overtime loss came in the same month the teams met in Columbus on March 5, 2026, when the Blue Jackets earned a 4-2 win and successfully challenged a late Florida goal for goaltender interference before sealing the game with an empty-netter. Taken together, the two March meetings reflected the narrow margins between the clubs: one decided by a third-period sequence and review, the other by overtime after Florida’s late equalizer.