On Wednesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena. Boone Jenner scored twice, and Zach Werenski added four assists.
According to hockey and football news reports, Werenski established a new team record most defender assists in a single game. Inside just 20 minutes and 10 seconds on the ice, he had a plus-5 rating.
For the Blue Jackets (5-11-4), who were 0-7-2 in their past nine games, tying their most extended slump ever, Kirill Marchenko and Cole Sillinger scored and assisted on another goal apiece, while Adam Boqvist added two assists.
With 33 saves, Elvis Merzlikins kept the game scoring.
For the Blackhawks, who had dropped five in a row, Connor Bedard scored their tenth goal.
After Petr Mrazek stopped 13 of 18 shots, Arvid Soderblom came in for the replacement and stopped six more.
At 2 minutes and fifty-seven seconds into the first period, Jenner put the ball between Mrazek's pads and the right post to make it 1-0. Jenner extended the advantage to three goals on a power play at 13:55, and Erik Gudbranson doubled the lead at 6:46. After a nine-game drought, the Blue Jackets finally scored on a power play.
With a quick strike to the top right corner, Bedard reduced the score to 3-1 at 15:41. Joining Patrik Laine (14 games), Steve Yzerman (15), Dale Hawerchuk (17), and Ted Kennedy (17) as the sixth player in NHL history to accomplish ten goals in 17 games or fewer while being 18 years old or younger is the first choice in the 2023 NHL Draft.