Blue Jackets Weekly Notebook: Domi Returns to Lineup

With all the roster turnover this offseason, it's hard to believe the Blue Jackets are sitting a point out of a playoff spot the week of American Thanksgiving. Columbus is 9-6-0 entering Monday's action, but with losses in three of the past five games, their standings position is precarious.

Here's what you need to know to catch up on this week's Blue Jackets Weekly Notebook.

Domi Returns to Lineup

Center Max Domi joined the team for the trip to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights after missing the last six games with COVID-19.

"I don't know anyone that has come in here and said it was tough to get up for this game," Domi said. "You go for warmups, and it feels like a nightclub. Can't beat that."

Little did Domi know how correct he was. Columbus jumped to an early lead as Gustav Nyquist scored 45 seconds into regulation for his third of the year, then Alexandre Texier scored shorthanded for his sixth of the season to take a 2-0 lead at the end of the first.

But Vegas would rally with a Keegan Kolesar goal in the second period; then the Golden Knights got a shorthanded goal of their own courtesy of Reilly Smith in the third. Mattias Janmark scored later in the third for the eventual game-winner.

Sadly, Columbus couldn't beat that.

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak, as the Blue Jackets beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 and the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 in the shootout earlier in the week.

"We're a team that has to get pucks in and get on the forecheck and create chances that way," Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said. "Obviously if there's plays there we can make 'em, but it seems like tonight we were just forcing too many plays, not really playing our game and feeding into what they like to do and they made us pay for it."

Domi went without a point and was a -1 with one shot on goal.

Werenski picked up an assist on each of the goals, clearing the 200-point career mark (69 goals, 132 assists). He's already scored more goals than any other defenseman in Blue Jackets history and needs 22 more points to tie Seth Jones for the most points among all Columbus defensemen.

The Week Ahead

Despite the Thanksgiving holiday, the Blue Jackets have a massive week ahead with four games on the schedule. Columbus plays at Buffalo (7-8-2) on Monday. Buffalo lost at the buzzer Sunday night, conceding a goal with 0.4 seconds remaining in the third to fall 5-4. The Sabres have lost two in a row and are 2-7-1 in their last ten games.

Then on Wednesday and Friday, the Blue Jackets host the Winnipeg Jets (9-4-4*) and Vancouver Canucks (6-11-2), respectively, then back on the road Saturday to start a four-game road trip, starting against the St. Louis Blues (9-6-2*).

While there are no easy games in the NHL, this is a week where Columbus should be able to pick up some points in the standings.

* = all records official as of writing.