The Columbus Blue Jackets have turned their season around since hiring Rick Bowness as their head coach. Under his leadership, the team has achieved a record of 13-2-3, showing significant improvement in their performance.
On March 9, 2026, the Blue Jackets faced the Los Angeles Kings at Nationwide Arena, where they lost 5-4 in overtime. The game was tightly contested, with Kirill Marchenko scoring a power-play goal to tie the match at 4-4 with just 1:56 remaining in the third period.
Despite the late equalizer, the Blue Jackets could not secure the win, extending their point streak to six games with a record of 3-0-3 in their last three outings. Conor Garland notably scored twice for the Blue Jackets during the match.
Injury Update
However, the game was not without its challenges. Erik Gudbranson suffered an upper-body injury and had limited ice time of just five minutes. He will not travel with the team for their upcoming three-game road trip, which poses a challenge for the Blue Jackets as they continue their push for a playoff spot.
Gudbranson is currently in the final year of a four-year, $4 million AAV deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The full extent of his injury is still being evaluated, and details remain unconfirmed.
Looking Ahead
The Blue Jackets are currently two points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, with 19 games remaining in the season. They have a back-to-back game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 10, 2026, which will be crucial for their playoff aspirations.
Rick Bowness commented on the team’s performance, stating, “We’re scoring four goals, we should be winning games.” This sentiment reflects the frustration of the team as they strive to convert offensive opportunities into victories.
As the season progresses, the Blue Jackets will need to maintain their momentum and adapt to the loss of Gudbranson if they hope to secure a playoff position.