The Golden Knights will close a frustrating January on Thursday against one of the NHL’s biggest surprises this season.

The Knights will end their final homestand before the 4 Nations Face-Off break by facing the Columbus Blue Jackets at T-Mobile Arena. A win or a loss won’t change the fact that this was a month of missed chances.

The Knights are 6-6-2 in January after surging into 2025 with a 10-2 mark in December. They’ve been close in almost all of their losses — outside a 4-0 defeat to the New York Islanders on Jan. 9 — but have kept finding ways to drop points.

The team couldn’t hold onto a 3-1 lead in the second period Tuesday, for example, and lost 4-3 to the Dallas Stars in overtime.

It’s on the Knights (31-15-5) to finish strong against a dangerous opponent Thursday if they want to enter February with some momentum.

“This stretch has been tough for us from wins and losses,” right wing Keegan Kolesar said. “I don’t think our game’s in a detrimental spot. I think we’ve got too many lulls in our game and I think we’re still learning how to correct those over time. Those will benefit us in the long run.”

Surprise of the league

It won’t be easy for the Knights to walk out of their building with two points Thursday.

The Blue Jackets (24-19-7) are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. It’s been an incredible turnaround for Columbus, which is three wins away from matching last season’s total.

First-year coach Dean Evason has helped the team push through tragic circumstances. The Blue Jackets are playing in honor of right wing Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed in a bicycle accident along with his brother Matthew on Aug. 29.

“They’re right there fighting for a playoff spot. It’s not by accident,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We’re 50 games in. That’s the reality of what we’re facing.”

Werenski leading the way

Some of Columbus’ young players have leveled up under Evason, like 24-year-old right wing Kirill Marchenko. He leads the team with 20 goals.

Defenseman Zach Werenski remains the Blue Jackets’ best player, however. He is second among NHL blue liners with 16 goals and is only three points away from tying his career high of 57.

Werenski isn’t the fastest skater, but his skill makes him dangerous in the offensive zone.

“He doesn’t look as fast, but trust me, he has a little bit of Jack (Eichel) in him,” Cassidy said. “Once he’s moving, you’re not catching him. He’s got a real good nose for when to join the rush. His shot is elite. He can shoot the puck well.”

The Knights still should be in good position to flip the calendar to February on a high note. Columbus is just 7-14-4 on the road this season and is 2-4 all-time at T-Mobile Arena.

“We need to start stringing along some wins and make up some ground we lost,” Kolesar said. “Teams are starting to catch up to us. Getting on a roll here can get everyone going into the break feeling good.”

Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.