National Hockey League
Columbus 5, Detroit 3
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, November 15, 2021
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees: Dean Morton, Francois St. Laurent
Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Julien Fournier
Attendance: 15293

Zach Werenski scored with 79 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Columbus Blue Jackets the lead in a 5-3 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

After Yegor Chinakhov's first career NHL goal equalized for the Jackets at 15:42 of the final frame, the stage was set for Werenski's game-winner. The defenseman's slap shot from just inside the blue line found its way past traffic in front of the net for Werenski's third goal of the season.

Chinakhov had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, and Gustav Nyquist had two assists. Boone Jenner, Adam Boqvist and Alexandre Texier also scored for Columbus, with Texier contributing an empty-netter in the final three seconds of play.

Lucas Raymond scored at 13:31 of the third period to give Detroit a 3-2 lead. The 19-year-old also had an assist, giving Raymond 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in his first 17 NHL games.

Dylan Larkin also had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Michael Rasmussen scored Detroit's other goal.

At 14:45 of the first period, the Blue Jackets couldn't clear a loose puck in front of their net. Raymond got a stick on the puck and threaded a pass to an open Larkin on the left side, and Larkin converted for the opening score.

It was Larkin's seventh goal of the season, and his fourth goal in as many games.

Elvis Merzlikins looked generally sharp in stopping 24 of 27 shots, but the Columbus goalie was visibly dismayed after Rasmussen's goal in the second period. Rasmussen fired a seemingly innocuous shot from outside the circle that beat Merzlikins for the Wings forward's first goal of the season.

Trailing the Red Wings 2-0 despite a big advantage in shots, the Jackets' pressure eventually paid off with two quick goals later in the second period. Jenner scored his team-leading seventh goal at 13:07 of the second frame, and Boqvist followed up with the equalizer less than two minutes later.

Boqvist was back in the Columbus lineup after missing seven games due to injury. Acquired in an offseason trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, Boqvist's goal was his first in a Blue Jackets uniform.

Detroit goalie Thomas Greiss stopped 33 of 37 shots in the losing effort.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Detroit   Columbus
Dylan Larkin 2 Points Yegor Chinakhov 2
Dylan Larkin 1 Goals Yegor Chinakhov 1
Dylan Larkin 1 Assists Gustav Nyquist 2
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Thomas Greiss .892 Save Percentage Elvis Merzlikins .889
Thomas Greiss 33 Saves Elvis Merzlikins 24
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Detroit 27 3 0-1 3-3 8 28
Columbus 38 5 0-3 1-1 4 22
Upcoming Games
  • Columbus will play their next game on the road against Arizona. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .429 after a win and .833 after a loss.
  • Detroit will play their next game on the road against Dallas. The Red Wings have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .444 after a loss.