Denton Mateychuk and Luca Del Bel Belluz, both recent AHL call-ups, notched a goal and an assist, leading the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.
Zach Werenski contributed a goal and an assist, extending his impressive home point streak to 16 games, as Columbus secured its third straight victory.
Sean Kuraly, Kent Johnson, and Kirill Marchenko also found the net for the Blue Jackets. James van Riemsdyk added two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 29 saves. Mateychuk’s goal marked the first of his NHL career.
Eeli Tolvanen scored both goals for Seattle, but they are now losing four consecutive games. Philipp Grubauer made 14 saves before being replaced late in the second period by Joey Daccord, who stopped all four shots he faced in his return from an upper-body injury sustained on Dec. 22.
Takeaways
Kraken: Seattle started strong, controlling shots and puck possession through the first period. However, they faltered in the second, struggling to recover and extending their road trip with a disappointing loss.
Blue Jackets: Columbus overcame a slow first period with dominant play in the second, buoyed by key contributions from their AHL call-ups. The Blue Jackets’ depth proved critical as they earned their 14th home victory of the season.
Key Moment
Tied after the first period, the Blue Jackets exploded for four unanswered goals in the second, turning the game decisively in their favor. The offensive surge also led to Seattle pulling Grubauer from the net.
Key Stat
Del Bel Belluz has scored in both NHL appearances, with his first career goal coming on April 16 against Carolina.
Up Next
Both teams hit the road on Saturday, with the Kraken facing the Buffalo Sabres and the Blue Jackets visiting the St. Louis Blues.
