The Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings 5-3 in Columbus’ first outdoor game, which started at 6:36 p.m. when the temperature at Ohio Stadium was 29.4 degrees.
The Jackets’ win allowed them to leapfrog Detroit into the Eastern Conference’s first wild card playoff spot.
Justin Danforth scored the game winner with 2:17 remaining. It was a hustle play that he capped by jumping on his own rebound and putting the puck past Cam Talbot.
Adam Fantilli would add an empty-netter less than a minute later.
Danforth’s heroics were necessary because Alex DeBrincat had two goals on the evening, the second of which had tied the game 3-3 with 3:24 to go. Red Wings forward Patrick Kane also hit the net in the third period.
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FAN GUIDE:Columbus Blue Jackets to play at Ohio Stadium on March 1. Here’s what you need to know
Blue Jackets forwards Dmitri Voronkov (off the power play) and Mathieu Olivier had rapid-fire goals late in the second period. Denton Mateychuk opened the scoring and gave the Jackets a 1-0 second-period advantage with his third goal of the season. However, the Red Wings would counter on a DeBrincat power play tally.
The Red Wings got 14 shots to the Jackets’ six in the scoreless first period, before the band 21 Pilots performed at the intermission. As lead singer Tyler Joseph said, “There are two places in the world tonight. There’s Columbus, Ohio…” He paused dramatically. “And there’s everywhere else!”
Detroit won a faceoff, then a shot came out really far for Alex DeBrincat to pounce on. He scored his second of the night to tie the game 3-3
The Columbus supporter named fan of the game from the throng of 94,751 was wearing a Boomer costume because not all heroes wear capes.
The Red Wings kept the puck in the Blue Jackets zone for a bit and eventually capitalized with Patrick Kane firing a shot from 43 feet away that found itself behind goalie Elvis Merzlikins.
The cannon did not fire after Dmitri Voronkov’s goal, however, it did fire after Mathieu Olivier’s goal 35 seconds later. The goals in quick succession drew loud cheers from the crowd of 90,000 plus.
There were also cheers for the Red Wings goal but not at any volume comparable to the cheers after any Blue Jackets goal.
Boone Jenner was interviewed by the in-stadium person after the second period, drawing large “Boo-ne” cheers from the crowd as well.
In a notable moment in the second period, Blue Jackets fans passed around a huge banner with Johnny Gaudreau’s name and number on it.
— Bethany Bruner
Sportsnet reports that former Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones has been traded by the Chicago Blackhawks to the Florida Panthers for Spencer Knight and a first-round draft pick.
Earlier today, former Blue Jacket Gus Nyquist was sent from the Nashville Predators to the Minnesota for a 2026 second-round draft pick.
Capping a series of events that started with Seider’s penalty and happened so quickly, the press box announcer shared them all at one time, Mathieu Olivier scored off the backhand. He got the puck from Justin Danforth.
A Bronx cheer went up from the crowd when the Blue Jackets’ famed cannon fired because it had misfired after Vorokov’s power play
Just 8 seconds after Mortiz Seider took a tripping penalty, Dmitri Voronkov put the Blue Jackets back out in front with a power play wrist shot.
The assists went to Kent Johnson and Zach Werenski.
Columbus’ Dante Fabbro took the first penalty of the game, an Interference call against Alex DeBrincat. DeBrincat would make the Blue Jackets pay for that with a sharp-angle shot from goalie Elvis Merzlikins’ left.
Patrick Kane and Mortiz Seider were credited with assists.
Columbus, though getting fewer pucks on the night than the Detroit, holds a 1-0 lead in the second period thanks to Denton Mateychuk’s wrist shot. His goal comes off assists from Boone Jenner and James van Riemsdyk.
During a stoppage in play with 4:25 left to go in the first period, Jane Gaudreau, the mother of Johnny Gaudreau, was shown on the stadium’s screens.
The crowd of more than 90,000 cheered her warmly and chants of “Johnny Hockey” echoed around the stadium.
—Bethany Bruner
As the game neared puck drop, the crowd became audibly excited for each team’s entrance to the ice. The Blue Jackets were led on to the ice by Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of Johnny Gaudreau, as well as the couple’s two children, Noa and Johnny Jr. Gaudreau’s mother, Jane, and Blue Jackets Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson.
A ceremonial puck drop by Ohio State University president Ted Carter was “won” by Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner.
The national anthem was performed by Ohio State University’s Athletic Band and a flyover accompanied the anthem, as well as fireworks.
— Bethany Bruner
The puck has dropped for the Blue Jackets-Red Wings game. It officially started at 6:36 p.m. The temperature was 29.4 degrees Fahrenheit with no precipitation.
With the Alabama-Tennessee game running long, the start of the Blue Jackets-Red Wings will air on ESPNews, rather than ESPN.
Ohio State mascot Brutus Buckeye is here at the 2025 Stadium series game, and so far, he has thrown snowballs, run around with a hockey stick and appeared to receive a surprise handshake from Michigan’s Kent Johnson.
The Blue Jackets have scratched Jack Johnson, Jordan Harris and Cole Sillinger. Johnson and Harris are healthy scratches while Sillinger has an unspecified upper-body injury.
The Red Wings have scratched William Lagesson, Michael Rasmussen and Sheldon Dries.
ESPN has a booth set up near the north end of the stadium where the broadcast team of Steve Levy, Mark Messier and PK Subban are doing live coverage. The Ohio State University Marching Band is also in the north portion of the stadium and will be providing music during breaks in the action.
— Bethany Bruner
TV Channel: ESPN
According to ESPN, Saturday’s broadcast will feature “state-of-the-art technology, including aerial coverage, Skycam, on-ice skatecam and virtual graphics.”
The studio crew of Steve Levy, Mark Messier and P.K. Subban will be on-site in Columbus along with reporters Marty Smith, Emily Kaplan and Kevin Weekes. Play-by-play will be handled by Sean McDonough. Saturday’s color analyst is Ray Ferraro.
Streaming options for the Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium include ESPN+ and Disney+. Of special note, one of the ESPN+ streams is the “NHL in ASL,” which will feature deaf commentators doing play-by-play and analysis in American Sign Language.
Radio: WBNS-FM (97.1)
“The Fan” will air Saturday’s game at Ohio Stadium with longtime radio voice Bob McElligott on the call. Special pregame coverage starts at noon.
The Blue Jackets are 47-54-15 all-time against the Red Wings.
Famously, no.
The Blue Jackets will be playing their first outdoor game. The Red Wings have played in two Winter Classics (2009, 2014), one Stadium Series (2016) and the Centennial Classic (2017).
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of early March 1
Odds: Blue Jackets (-1.5)
Over/Under: 6
Moneyline: Blue Jackets (-110) | Red Wings (-110)
Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger has been ruled out for today’s game. He has an unspecified upper-body injury.
According to NOAA, the forecast for 6 p.m., when the puck drops, is 28 degrees, a small chance of flurries and winds at 11 mph with gusts up to 21 mph.
Full schedule here. Results from 2025 below:
2024: Devils 6, Flyers 3 and Rangers 6, Islanders 5 (OT) at MetLife Stadium.
2023: Hurricanes 4, Capitals 1 at Carter-Finley Stadium.
2022: Lightning 3, Predators 2 at Nissan Stadium.
2021: Postponed (COVID-19 pandemic).
2020: Kings 3, Avalanche 1 at Falcon Stadium.
2019: Flyers 4, Penguins 3 (OT) at Lincoln Financial Field.
2018: Capitals 5, Leafs 2 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
2017: Penguins 4, Flyers 2 at Heinz Field.
2016: Detroit Red Wings 5, Avalanche 3 at Coors Field and Wild 6, Blackhawks 1 at TCF Bank Stadium.
2015: Kings 2, Sharks 1 at Levi’s Stadium.
2014: Rangers 7, Devils 3 and Rangers 2, Islanders 1 at Yankee Stadium | Ducks 3, Kings 0 at Dodger Stadium | Blackhawks 5, Penguins 1 at Soldier Field.
The outdoor games for next season have already been announced with hockey heading to the Sunshine State in 2026.
It gets started with the Panthers hosting the Rangers in the 2026 NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2, 2026 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, home of the Marlins.
On Feb. 1, 2026, the action travels 273 miles northwest with an Atlantic Division showdown when the Lightning take on the Bruins in the 2026 NHL Stadium Series game from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, home of the Buccaneers.
Albert Bainbridge IV contributed.
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