Blue Jackets shut out Devils 3-0 in Newark, extending season-high win streak to six games
Third-period surge delivers Columbus a 3-0 road win
The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their season-high winning streak to six games on Tuesday, Feb. 3, defeating the New Jersey Devils 3-0 at Prudential Center in Newark. After two scoreless periods, Columbus broke through with three goals in the third, turning a tight defensive contest into a decisive result.
Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 24 shots to earn his first shutout of the season. Columbus received two goals from Mathieu Olivier and one from defenseman Dante Fabbro, with all scoring coming after the second intermission. New Jersey goaltender Jacob Markstrom finished with 23 saves.
How the game turned in the final 20 minutes
Columbus opened the scoring at 5:24 of the third period when Fabbro fired a shot through traffic from the right side, beating Markstrom to make it 1-0. Fabbro had returned to the lineup after missing six games with a lower-body injury.
Olivier doubled the lead at 12:05, converting a breakaway with a backhand finish after being sent in behind the defense. Columbus added a third goal at 16:00 when Olivier was credited with a goal during an empty-net sequence after he was slashed by Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton while attempting a shot.
- Final score: Blue Jackets 3, Devils 0
- Scoring by period: 0-0-3 (Columbus); 0-0-0 (New Jersey)
- Shots faced by Merzlikins: 24
Special teams and a disallowed first-period goal
Columbus’ penalty kill was perfect, going 3-for-3. The opening period included a potential early lead for the Blue Jackets that did not stand: a goal was waved off following a successful coach’s challenge for goaltender interference.
Streak context: Columbus’ post-change surge, New Jersey’s offensive shortfall
The win improved Columbus to 28-20-7. The Blue Jackets have gone 9-1-0 since Rick Bowness took over as head coach on Jan. 12, a stretch that has included a marked reduction in goals against and a rise in close-game results.
New Jersey fell to 28-26-2 and has lost four of its last five. The Devils played without Jack Hughes for a second consecutive game due to a lower-body injury sustained on Jan. 29. Hughes had been working toward a potential return later in the week, but was not cleared to play Tuesday.
Columbus’ third-period scoring run snapped a 0-0 game and held up behind a complete defensive effort, led by Merzlikins’ shutout.
For Columbus, the result reinforced a trend: disciplined structure through 40 minutes, followed by a finishing push. For New Jersey, it underscored a recurring issue in recent losses—extended possession without converting it into goals, particularly once the game reached its most decisive moments.