Marchenko scores in OT, Blue Jackets recover to defeat Kings

COLUMBUS -- Kirill Marchenko scored at 3:45 of overtime when the Columbus Blue Jackets recovered to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.

Marchenko skated down the left wing before cutting across to slip the puck past Darcy Kuemper, who saved a penalty shot by Zach Werenski at 2:10 of overtime after a slashing penalty by Trevor Moore on a breakaway.

“That goal looked like Bobby Orr -- a Russian Bobby Orr,” Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins said of Marchenko, who became the first player in Blue Jackets history to begin their career with 20 or more goals in three straight seasons.

Marchenko’s goal came after Quinton Byfield scored at 18:55 of the third period to tie it 2-2 with Kuemper pulled for the extra attacker.

“We don't frustrate a lot,” Marchenko said. “We trust each other and we know we can win this game.”

Werenski scored to extend his home point streak to 19 games, and Dante Fabbro also scored for the Blue Jackets (24-19-7), who had lost three of four. Merzlikins made 31 saves.

Columbus has won five straight home games.

“We have one goal in mind right now and that's to get into playoffs,” Fabbro said. “We're all pulling the same rope, focusing on the present, and treating every game like it means everything.”

Phillip Danault scored, and Kevin Fiala had two assists for the Kings (26-14-6), who have lost five of seven. Kuemper made 21 saves.

“A game we should have won,” Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller said. “I thought we deserved to win, but we've had games like that. We've pulled the rabbit out of the hat before. Satisfied. We had a really good 6-on-5. Got one point. This is not what we wanted, but we'll take it and move on.”

Werenski gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 9:24 of the first period with a wrist shot to the upper-right corner from the left circle.

His 19-game home point streak tied John Van Boxmeer (1981-82) for the fifth-longest run by a defenseman in NHL history. Werenski has 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) during the streak.

Danault tied it 1-1 at 12:55. He won the draw to Fiala then scored on the rebound of Fiala’s shot.

“It could have went our way for sure,” Danault said. “I thought we had the best out of the game. But they have a good team too, have some good goal-scorers as well.”

Fabbro put Columbus back ahead 2-1 at 2:51 of the third period with a shot from the right point to end a 24-game goal drought.

Alex Laferriere appeared to tie it at 5:43, but the goal was disallowed after Columbus successfully challenged that Danault was offside.

Hiller rued other missed scoring opportunities.

“Sometimes they go in for you, sometimes they don’t,” he said. “Some of our best looks, I thought we missed the net.”

But the Kings persevered and Byfield’s score was the latest tying goal by the Kings since Drew Doughty’s at 18:57 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 28, 2023.

“I think we did a good way to play our way back into the game,” Byfield said. “I think there's a lot of positives to take out of that game.”

Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason credited Merzlikins for being a steadying influence.

“Elvis makes some spectacular saves, highlight reel saves, but the ones that are fantastic are the ones that he catches when we're stuck in our zone and smothers pucks and…he just holds them,” Evason said. “There's not a lot of chaos after it. And he's done a real good job of doing that, but he's also done a really good job of, personally for him, staying calm when things get a little hectic as well.”

NOTES: Blue Jackets forward Luca Del Bel Belluz had an assist to give him four points (one goal, three assists) during a three-game point streak. … The Blue Jackets announced before the game that center Sean Monahan is expected to be out an additional six to eight weeks due to a wrist injury sustained at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan 7. He has 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 41 games. … Kings forward Adrian Kempe had his four-game goal streak end (four goals).