(Columbus, 2026-01-23 17:59:00) — The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Dallas Stars 1-0, continuing their strong performance under new head coach Rick Bowness and extending a recent scoring slump for the Stars.
The Blue Jackets secured a narrow victory over the Stars, marking their fourth win in five games since a coaching change and highlighting offensive struggles for Dallas.
- The Blue Jackets are 4-1-0 since Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason as head coach on Jan. 12.
- Dallas has scored just one goal in each of its last four losses.
- Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle played in his 1,000th NHL game.
- Werenski scored his 18th career game-winning goal, surpassing David Vyborny for fifth-most in franchise history.
Werenski scored the game-winning goal for Columbus. Dallas forward Mavrik Bourque was stopped on a breakaway by Greaves at 5:16 of the third period to preserve the Blue Jackets’ lead, and Justin Hryckowian hit the crossbar at 18:51 from in tight, according to game reports.
Blue Jackets Thrive Under Bowness
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The Blue Jackets have shown marked improvement since Bowness took over as coach, posting a 4-1-0 record. “The fans got their money’s worth tonight, for sure,” Bowness said. “Actually, that’s how we want to play. And that’s fun, for me to be behind the bench watching that effort.”
Stars Struggle to Find the Net
The Stars are facing offensive challenges, having scored only one goal in each of their past four losses. Their only win during this stretch was a 6-2 victory against the Boston Bruins. “It’s frustrating,” Stars forward Wyatt Johnston said. “You’ve got to work hard to get your looks and then you also got to work even harder to finish them and continuing to get looks.” Dallas defenseman Thomas Harley added, “A lot of good things, just didn’t get the win. I thought we created some offense tonight. I thought we defended reasonably well but we just couldn’t get one over the line.”
Milestone Night for Coyle
Columbus forward Charlie Coyle celebrated a significant milestone, playing in his 1,000th NHL game. “It’s just nice to win. It’s a big two points, but these milestones and things to celebrate are all fun,” Coyle said. “It’s a part of it. It’s nice but when you win, it makes it that much better and you can enjoy it a little more. So that’s what I’m happy about. I know we’re all happy about that. That was a great game by us to get the job done. That was huge.”
What This Means for You
For hockey fans, this game highlights the potential impact of a coaching change and the importance of finishing scoring opportunities. The Blue Jackets’ turnaround under Bowness demonstrates how a shift in leadership can revitalize a team, while the Stars’ offensive struggles serve as a cautionary tale about the need for consistent scoring to achieve success in the NHL.
NOTES: Mason Marchment and Isac Lundestrom both returned to the Blue Jackets lineup after injuries. Marchment had one shot on goal in 18:23 of ice time after missing eight games with an upper-body injury, and Lundestrom recorded one assist in 7:27 of ice time following a 13-game absence due to a lower-body injury.
