Blue Jackets secure a thrilling 1-0 shutout victory over the Stars. Hear from Bowness, Coyle, Greaves, and Werenski after a milestone night.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were back in action last night against the Dallas Stars. It was yet another great game under newly hired head coach Rick Bowness, with the Blue Jackets coming out on top 1-0.
Columbus played a well structured game against a highly-talented Stars team that is hungry to get back into the win column.
On a night that they celebrated a 1-0 shutout and Charlie Coyle's 1000th's game. Let's hear from some of their players.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Rick Bowness - Head Coach
- Bowness was very pleased with the team’s effort and compete level, saying “that’s how we want to play.”
- He praised the team’s composure and puck management, especially late in the game and during the 6-on-5 with the opposing goalie pulled.
- Instead of focusing on complex systems, Bowness emphasized core principles like pressuring the puck, staying above the opponent, and slowing the game down to control the tempo.
- He noted that the team worked specifically on 6-on-5 situations in practice the day before, both with and without the puck.
- Bowness highlighted Coyle’s leadership and consistency, calling him a “coach’s dream” who shows up every shift.
- He described Greaves’ performance in net as “outstanding,” adding that both goaltenders played well in a highly entertaining 1-0 game.
- Fantilli was used on the penalty kill primarily because of his success in the faceoff circle.
- Bowness noted that Fantilli “won every one of them,” which led to increased ice time later in the game, including at five-on-five.
Charlie Coyle
- Coyle acknowledged it was a “big night” for him personally, playing his 1,000th game, but emphasized that the win was the most important thing.
- He gave a lot of credit to Jet Greaves, saying the goalie “played out of his mind” and kept them in the game during high pressure moments.
- Coyle expressed appreciation for the coaching staff’s trust in him, especially in late game situations like the 6-on-5.
- He noted the team’s ability to stay calm and “weather the storm” when the opposing team pushed hard in the second and third periods.
- He highlighted the buy in from everyone, pointing to the number of blocked shots and the commitment to playing the right way defensively.
- Coyle spoke about the team starting to find its identity under the new coaching staff, focusing on being hard to play against and outworking opponents.
- He was impressed with Fantilli’s work on the penalty kill and his dominance in the faceoff circle, noting how rare it is for a young player to handle that responsibility so effectively.
Jet Greaves
- Greaves remained humble about his 28-save shutout, putting the focus on the win rather than the personal milestone.
- He credited his “quiet confidence” to the preparation he put in over the summer and throughout the season.
- Greaves said playing a heavy workload in the AHL for several years helped him feel physically and mentally ready for the pressure of the NHL.
- He emphasized taking things “one day at a time” and not getting too high or too low emotionally, which helped him stay patient against a skilled team like Dallas.
- He went out of his way to praise his teammates, specifically pointing to their commitment to the details.
- Greaves noted the team did a strong job clearing traffic and limiting second-chance opportunities.
- He acknowledged Dallas’ skill level but said sticking to the defensive principles laid out by Rick Bowness was the key to keeping them off the scoreboard.
- With Elvis Merzlikins out due to illness, Greaves said he felt comfortable stepping into the role and credited the coaching staff for giving him confidence.
- He mentioned that having players like Zach Werenski, who scored the game’s only goal, playing well in front of him makes his job easier and more predictable.
- Greaves added that the vibe in the locker room has been great since the coaching change and that everyone is pulling in the same direction.
Zach Werenski
- Werenski spoke warmly about Charlie Coyle, calling him a “special teammate” and one of the best he has played with, despite Coyle’s relatively short time with the team.
- He noted how rare those milestones are, adding that he has only been part of two 1,000-game celebrations in his career, first Jakub Voracek and now Coyle.
- Werenski said it was a lot of fun to celebrate in the locker room and emphasized how important it was for the team to get a win to make Coyle’s night even more special.
- His goal was his 19th of the season, the most among NHL defensemen, and the 18th game-winning goal of his career, moving him into fifth place in franchise history.
- Werenski felt this was the team’s best performance yet in terms of reading off each other and executing the defensive zone principles installed by Rick Bowness.
- He described the shutout as a major step in the right direction and said the group is getting more comfortable with the system each game.
- Like many of his teammates, Werenski credited Jet Greaves’ 28-save shutout as a key factor in the win.
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