Garland's 2 Goals Lift Blue Jackets Over Lightning

Columbus sweeps 3-game season series with 5-2 victory

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Conor Garland scored two goals for the second straight game as the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Tuesday night. The Blue Jackets also got goals from Ivan Provorov, Dante Fabbro, and Kirill Marchenko, while Elvis Merzlikins made 16 saves in goal. The Lightning's goals came from Gage Goncalves and J.J. Moser, with Andrei Vasilevskiy stopping 26 shots.

Why it matters

This win extends the Blue Jackets' strong recent run, as they have now gone 15-2-3 in their past 20 games. The Lightning, on the other hand, have struggled of late, going just 1-6-0 in their last seven contests. The season series sweep is also noteworthy, as the Blue Jackets have proven they can compete with one of the Eastern Conference's top teams.

The details

Garland, acquired by the Blue Jackets in a trade last week, broke a 24-game scoreless drought with two goals on Monday. He continued that hot streak with two more tallies on Tuesday, including the game-winner in the second period. The Blue Jackets also got contributions from Provorov, Fabbro, and Marchenko, while Werenski and Monahan each had two assists. For the Lightning, Goncalves and Moser scored the goals, but they were unable to overcome the Blue Jackets' offensive onslaught.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 11, 2026.
  • Garland's two-goal performance came one night after he scored twice in the Blue Jackets' overtime loss to the Kings.

The players

Conor Garland

A forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets who was recently acquired in a trade and has now scored four goals in his first two games with the team.

Elvis Merzlikins

The goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets who made 16 saves in the victory.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning who stopped 26 shots in the losing effort.

Gage Goncalves

A forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored one of their two goals in the game.

J.J. Moser

A defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored the other goal for his team.

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What they’re saying

“Conor has been a great addition for us. He's really stepped up and provided a scoring punch in these last two games.”

— Brad Larsen, Head Coach, Columbus Blue Jackets (therinklive.com)

“We just couldn't find a way to slow them down tonight. Hats off to Columbus, they played a great game and deserved the win.”

— Jon Cooper, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Lightning (therinklive.com)

What’s next

The Blue Jackets will look to continue their strong play as they continue their three-game road trip, while the Lightning will try to get back on track and end their recent skid.

The takeaway

Conor Garland's hot start with the Blue Jackets has been a major boost for the team, as they have now swept the season series against one of the Eastern Conference's top teams in the Lightning. Columbus' depth scoring and strong goaltending have been key factors in their recent surge up the standings.