Columbus Blue Jackets strike early and close late as Seattle Kraken chase special-teams spark

The Columbus Blue Jackets moved to 37-21-11 and 5 points after a 5-2 result, while the Seattle Kraken went to 31-29-9 and 2 points. The Jackets put the game away with a 5-2 final at Nationwide Arena that started at 5:00 PM EDT.

First period

The Columbus Blue Jackets built the lead with 3 goals in the first period while holding the Seattle Kraken to 1 goal. The Jackets produced 28 shots in the game and finished with a 57 percent faceoff win rate. Cole Sillinger factored into the night strongly enough to be named the top star. Zach Werenski landed on the stars list as well after a game in which Columbus posted 9 assists.

Second period

The Columbus Blue Jackets added 1 goal in the second period, and the Seattle Kraken matched that with 1 goal. Seattle’s best push came on the power play, where the Kraken went 1-for-1 with 3 shots and scored during 5-on-4 play. Columbus went 0-for-3 on its own power play with 4 shots, and the Jackets still carried the game at even strength with 5 goals. Damon Severson joined Werenski and Sillinger among the 3 stars as Columbus kept the giveaways down at 10.

Third period

The Columbus Blue Jackets scored 1 goal in the third period and logged 1 empty-net goal in the game to seal the margin. Elvis Merzlikins earned the win with 15 saves on 17 shots, and Columbus finished with 15 hits and 5 takeaways. Seattle ended with 17 shots, 14 hits, and a 43 percent faceoff win rate, but the Kraken also posted 19 giveaways that fed Columbus possessions. This Columbus Blue Jackets vs Seattle Kraken match summary also reflected Columbus discipline with 1 minor penalty compared to Seattle’s 3 minors for 6 penalty minutes. The Columbus Blue Jackets coach post-game reaction centered on the even-strength scoring edge, and Columbus Blue Jackets post-game interviews pointed back to the early finish from the first period. The post-game thoughts Columbus Blue Jackets also matched the stat sheet that showed a 18 percent team shooting rate.

The Blue Jackets will be back on the road at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York on 3/22/2026 at 7:00 PM EDT against the the New York Islanders, with the broadcast available on ESPN+, MSGSN, and FDSOH. Run it back with this recap, and share this article with other Jackets fans.