Stars Fall To Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets delivered an efficient and energetic performance on October 21, 2025, defeating the Dallas Stars 5-1 at the American Airlines Center. Columbus captain Boone Jenner led the way with a goal and an assist, helping his team secure its second straight win after a slow start to the season.
Early Momentum and Balanced Offense
The Blue Jackets set the tone early in the first period. Rookie Adam Fantilli opened the scoring at 4:33 with a wrist shot past Dallas defenseman Alexander Petrovic, capitalizing on early turnovers from the Stars. Later in the period, Jenner doubled the lead on a power play when a pass from Charlie Coyle deflected off his skate and into the net at 18:42.
Dallas briefly gained life in the second period when Tyler Seguin tipped in a Colin Blackwell shot at 11:58, cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, Columbus quickly extinguished the rally in the third period with three unanswered goals from defenseman Denton Mateychuk, Dmitri Voronkov, and Kent Johnson, who sealed the contest with an empty-netter.
Stellar Goaltending and Defensive Discipline
Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 22 shots, including several key saves in tight during the second period, to maintain his team’s control of the game. His solid positioning and rebound control frustrated Dallas scorers, who have now managed only five goals over their past three games following a 3-0 start to the season.
Head coach Pascal Vincent praised his team’s structure and special teams play, which included two power-play goals and an 80% penalty-kill rate on the night. “We were connected in all zones,” he said postgame. “Our execution was where it needed to be”.
Sloppy Stars Searching for Consistency
The Stars, now 3-3-0, were plagued by turnovers and missed assignments. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen admitted the team’s struggles were self-inflicted: “We were playing too much in our end. Our breakouts weren’t clean enough, and they made us pay”. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 24 saves but couldn’t bail out a defense that left too many shooting lanes open.
Head coach Glen Gulutzan, in his first season back behind the Dallas bench after a decade away, emphasized that lessons need to be learned quickly. “We can’t beat ourselves with mistakes like that,” he told reporters.
What’s Next
The Blue Jackets improve to 3-3-0 and head home to face the Washington Capitals on Friday night, aiming for their first win streak of the season beyond two games. The Stars, meanwhile, continue their three-game home stand Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, hoping to reverse their early stumble and regain the offensive rhythm that marked their strong start.
