Newark, N.J. — The Columbus Blue Jackets continued their surge Tuesday night, shutting out the New Jersey Devils 3–0 at Prudential Center for their sixth consecutive victory.
Elvis Merzļikins turned aside 23 shots to earn his first shutout of the season, anchoring a dominant third period in which Columbus broke open a tight game. Mathieu Olivier scored twice in the final frame, while Dante Fabbro added the eventual game-winner in his return from injury.
After two scoreless periods, Fabbro put the Blue Jackets on the board 5:24 into the third, wiring a wrist shot from the top of the left circle past Devils goaltender Jakob Markstrom. It marked Fabbro’s fourth goal of the season after missing the previous six games with a lower-body injury.
Olivier followed with a dazzling individual effort midway through the period. Set free on a breakaway by Cole Sillinger, he froze Markstrom with a move to the forehand before tucking the puck home on his backhand at 12:05 to make it 2–0. He later sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal with four minutes remaining, moments after Nico Hischier rang a shot off the post for New Jersey.
The Devils briefly thought they had an early lead in the opening period, but a goal by Danton Heinen was overturned following a coach’s challenge. Miles Wood, facing his former team, was ruled to have interfered with Markstrom by crowding the crease.
Markstrom finished with 22 saves in the loss. New Jersey was again without star center Jack Hughes, sidelined with a lower-body injury. While a return as early as Thursday is possible, the team remains uncertain.
Up Next:
The Blue Jackets return home to host Chicago on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break. The Devils remain in Newark to face the Islanders on Thursday, also their last contest before the break.
