It's getting repetitive seeing the Blue Jackets start strong, crumble in the second period and get their doors blown off as a result ― which happened again Oct. 20 at Nationwide Arena in an ugly 6-2 loss to Kirill Marchenko and the Toronto maple Leafs.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets react to Kirill Marchenko's return with Toronto
Marchenko, the Blue Jackets' latest malcontent, was booed every time he touched the puck or appeared on the video board during the first period of his first game back since the Maple Leafs (5-4-2) acquired him Sept. 28 as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.
Toronto blew the game open with four unanswered goals in the second, though, and the smattering of boos as players left the ice were intended for the Blue Jackets (3-5-0). It's the second time in a week that they've allowed four unanswered goals in a second period, also allowing that many in the middle frame of a 7-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Oct. 13 in Columbus.
This one couldn't have been more humiliating.
Marchenko, the guy who was supposed to be greeted rudely and sent home re-thinking his decision, instead left town reassured that he made the right decision to push for a trade. He scored the Maple Leafs' first goal, tying it 1-1 in the first after the Jackets took a quick 1-0 lead on Jake Christiansen's first goal, and then watched his new teammates proceed to rout his former teammates.
Adam Fantilli got a nice body check on Marchenko in the first, but that was one of few highlights for the Blue Jackets. Toronto's top two lines overpowered whichever lines they faced, as Auston Matthews (goal, assist), Easton Cowan (goal, two assists), William Nylander (goal, assist), Morgan Rielly (three assist) and former Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic (goal, two assists) all finished with multi-point efforts.
Christiansen and Charlie Coyle scored goals for the Blue Jackets, who got their first goal from Christiansen since Dec. 21, 2024, a span of 81 games. Jet Greaves started in the Jackets' net and allowed five goals on 21 shots before he was mercifully replaced by Cam Talbot with 7:57 left in the second period.
In the first period, Blue Jackets fans among an announced crowd of 15,073 let Marchenko have it with loud boos every time he touched the puck. He was also booed while a short welcome back message was posted on the video board and while seated on the bench during the same stoppage.
The arena's DJ also played CeeLo Green's "Forget You" while a replay of Fantilli's big hit on Marchenko played on the screen. It was a raucous time for Blue Jackets fans, but things quickly took a turn for the worse as the first period ended.
Following a clean face-off win with just 0.9 left on the clock, it appeared that Kent Johnson had given the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead just before the horn sounded to end the period. The cannon was even set off and the Jackets celebrated before replays showed the puck didn't cross the goal line before the clock expired.
The scored returned to 1-1 at the first intermission, the Maple Leafs blew the game open in the second period and the Blue Jackets are dealing with yet another terrible loss on home ice. They've lost their past two games and four of their past five with another three-day break before hosting the Vegas Golden Knights, who finished runner-up for the Stanley Cup last season, on Oct. 24.
DispatchBlue Jackets/Crew reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets collapse again in 6-2 loss to Toronto Maple Leafs