Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins makes a pad save on a shot by St. Louis Blues’ Jake Neighbours (63) as Blues’ Torey Krug (47) watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in St. Louis.
AP Photo | Jeff Roberson
ST. LOUIS — Dmitri Voronkov’s third-period goal snapped a scoreless tie, and the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped the St. Louis Blues’ season-high five-game winning streak with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday night.
Voronkov buried a one-timer off a Zach Werenski feed on an odd-man rush at 4:11 of the third. Voronkov has three points in two career games against St. Louis.
Elvis Merzlikins made 21 saves to record his 10th career shutout and first since blanking Carolina on Jan. 13, 2022, ending a 94-game span between shutouts.
It was Columbus’ first shutout of the season and the first since Merzlikins blanked Carolina in 2022.
Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for the Blues, who lost both games against Columbus this season. It was the second time the Blue Jackets swept a season series from St. Louis and the first time since the 2014-2015 season.
Neither team found the back of the net in a first period that featured just 11 combined shots on goal. Boone Jenner hit the right post for Columbus’ best chance, while Merzlikins got his pad on an Oskar Sundqvist shorthanded chance for St. Louis late in the period.
The second period played out much like the first period, scoreless with just ten total shots on goal.
Jenner appeared to give the Blue Jackets the lead at 18:15, but the officials waved it off after a review showed the shot went off Binnington’s left arm and off the post.
The Blues almost capitalized on a weird bounce seconds before the Jenner shot in which the puck skidded free in front of the Columbus net, but Merzlikins recovered in time to poke the puck away from a charging Sammy Blais.
Columbus was without one of its top forwards Adam Fantilli (12 goals, 15 assists), who left Sunday’s game in Seattle after getting his leg cut by a skate.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Host Tampa Bay in their first game after the All-Star break on Feb. 10.
Blues: Visit Buffalo on Feb. 10.
