Craig Merz

Columbus

Correspondent at NHL.com

https://t.co/owJHrQBDtD covering CBJ ... OSU hockey for Buckeye Sports Bulletin... AP and Field Level Media... Crew... C-Bus... Co-author CHILL FACTOR (2015, 2020)🏒⚽️🏈

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Articles

United States Men Face ‘Summer of Soccer’ — and a Reckoning | Deadspin.com

3 weeks ago | deadspin.com | Craig Merz

Top soccer leagues from around the world have completed their seasons. June is upon us, and the finals in the NBA and NHL are underway. That means the annual “Summer of Soccer” is almost here, as European clubs arrive on our soil for preseason matches at regular-season prices. It’s nearly time for domestic and international tournaments, MLS and NWSL meandering through the dog days, and the U.S. national teams taking stock.
Blue Jackets cruise past Islanders, get 6th straight victory to end season

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

It was the season finale for each team. Cole Sillinger and Zach Werenski each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (40-33-9), who scored five goals in the second period. Greaves won his fifth straight start. Columbus was eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention when the Montreal Canadiens clinched the second wild card from the Eastern Conference with a 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.
Blue Jackets 'worked through so much' during bid for Stanley Cup Playoffs

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

COLUMBUS -- For the first and only time this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets will take to the ice Thursday knowing they have no chance of qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Blue Jackets (39-33-9) were eliminated from contention Wednesday when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 to clinch the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Blue Jackets cruise past Capitals, keep playoff hopes alive

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

Adam Fantilli had two goals, and James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets (37-33-9), who won their third straight game. Sean Monahan and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist. Columbus trails the Montreal Canadiens by four points for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference and can be eliminated if Montreal defeats the Toronto Maple Leafs later Saturday. Hunter Shepard allowed seven goals on 26 shots for the Capitals (50-20-9) in his season debut.
Greaves stops 39, Blue Jackets rally past Sabres to avoid elimination

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

Jenner breaks tie early in 3rd for Columbus, which gains in East wild-card race Sabres at Blue Jackets | Recap April 11, 2025 COLUMBUS -- Jet Greaves made 39 saves for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who rallied for a 3-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.
Greaves stops 39, Blue Jackets rally past Sabres to avoid elimination

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

Columbus, which would have been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention with a regulation loss, pulled to within six points of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Each team has four games remaining. Boone Jenner scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, Zachary Aston-Reese also scored for the Blue Jackets (36-33-9), who have won two in a row.
Senators 'fired up' after qualifying for playoffs for 1st time since 2016-17

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

COLUMBUS -- Losing is never satisfactory, yet even though the Ottawa Senators fell 5-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, happy faces were abundant in the visiting locker room at Nationwide Arena. That’s because the Senators (42-30-6) clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs following the Detroit Red Wings' 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
Senators clinch playoff berth despite loss to Blue Jackets

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

Ottawa qualified with the Detroit Red Wings' 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The Senators are three points ahead of the Canadiens for the first wild card from the Eastern Conference. Thomas Chabot had a goal and an assist, Fabian Zetterlund scored, and Anton Forsberg made 30 saves for the Senators (42-30-6), who had won three in a row.
Makar scores 30th of season, Avalanche top Blue Jackets to clinch playoff berth

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

He became the ninth defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark and first since Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green had 31 in 2008-09. Nathan McKinnon, Charlie Coyle and Devon Toews each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche (47-26-4), who are 6-1-1 in their past eight games. Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves. Sean Monahan, Zachary Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets (34-31-9).
Marchenko gets hat trick, assist to help Blue Jackets ease past Predators

2 months ago | nhl.com | Craig Merz

Sean Monahan had two goals and two assists, Adam Fantilli scored twice and had an assist, Kent Johnson had three assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for the Blue Jackets (34-30-9), who have won three of four. Columbus remained two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with a game in hand.