Blue Jackets' Adam Fantilli: Tickles twine in Detroit
Rotowire
Fantilli scored his third goal of the season in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Red Wings.
The 19-year-old got plenty of experience scoring goals in Michigan during his one NCAA season for the Wolverines, and Fantilli added another in Little Caesers Arena with an amazing display of hand-eye coordination late in the first period -- a Kirill Marchenko snapshot went wide of the Wings' net, caromed off the end boards and came out the other side, and Fantilli coolly batted it out of mid-air and past Ville Husso. The 2023 third overall pick is up to eight points in his first 14 NHL games, and even with Patrik Laine (upper body) back in the lineup Saturday, Fantilli took a regular shift on the Blue Jackets' top power-play unit.
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Blue Jackets' Adam Fantilli: Nets first NHL goal
Rotowire
Fantilli scored his first NHL goal in Saturday's 5-4 overtime win over Minnesota.
He scored on a wrist shot over Filip Gustavsson's glove on the power play late in the third period. The goal gave Columbus a 4-3 lead. Fantilli is the second-youngest player in Blue Jackets history to score in his first career road game (Rostislav Klesla -- 18 years, 205 days; Oct. 12, 2000).
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Blue Jackets' Adam Fantilli: Two helpers in preseason debut
Rotowire
Fantilli collected two assists, one shorthanded, in a 4-3 overtime win over the Penguins in preseason action Sunday.
Beginning the split-squad game on a line with Patrik Laine and Alexandre Texier, Fantilli made an immediate impact in the Blue Jackets' lineup. His first helper came early in the first period after Texier slid home the rebound on a Fantilli shot, while his second highlighted both his skill and his compete level. The third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft pounced on a loose puck in the second frame with the Jackets down a man, drew a defender to him in the Penguins' zone and then dropped a backhand pass to a wide-open Carson Meyer in the slot for Columbus' third goal of the night. The fact that new head coach Pascal Vincent is already giving Fantilli a look on the penalty kill is very encouraging for his potential usage as a rookie, and the 18-year-old seems headed for a top-six role with a strong training camp.
