Voronkov Shines as blue Jackets Defeat Blues in Preseason Opener
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columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov recorded a goal and two assists to lead his team to a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues in their preseason opener on Sunday. The Blue Jackets showcased a balanced attack and solid defensive play in a game featuring several players vying for roster spots.
After a scoreless first period where Columbus blocked 12 shots despite only registering three shots on goal to St. Louis’s six, the Blue Jackets broke through early in the second.Just 2:41 into the period, following the expiration of a Blues penalty, Voronkov fed Phil Gaunce for a 2-on-0 goal, putting Columbus ahead 1-0. Del Bel Belluz extended the lead to 2-0 at the 15:42 mark, capitalizing on a blocked shot in the slot. St. louis quickly responded with a goal from Nikita Alexandrov, tipping in a Justin carbonneau shot with 3:02 remaining in the second.
The third period saw both teams change goaltenders, with Michael Gardner entering for Columbus and Vadim Zherenko for St. Louis. Voronkov regained the Blue Jackets’ two-goal lead with a 2-on-1 counterattack goal at 17:31. Olivier added an empty-net goal with 23 seconds left to seal the 4-2 win.
Notable Performances
Jake Christiansen led all Blue Jackets players with 23:54 of ice time, an assist, eight shot attempts, and a plus-3 rating. Defensive partner Brendan Smith also finished with a plus-3 rating and engaged in a first-period fight with St. Louis’s Sam Bitten. Daemon Hunt paced the team with four blocked shots, while James Malatesta delivered a team-high eight hits.
Columbus finished the game with a slight edge in shots on goal, 22-21, and a 52-46 advantage in shot attempts.
Roster details
The Blue Jackets’ roster for the contest included 13 players with prior NHL experience, nine of whom have played for Columbus. A full roster can be found here.
Looking Ahead
The Blue Jackets will continue their preseason schedule Monday night, hosting the Buffalo Sabres at nationwide Arena at 7 p.m.
