Merzlikins saved 35 of 38 shots in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Wild.
The Blue Jackets are allowing 35.4 shots per game, which is the weakest rate in the NHL, and Merzlikins is used to the heavy pressure since he's faced at least 30 shots in a tad more than 70 percent of his appearances this season. In this latest contest, the Latvian netminder was overshadowed by living legend Marc-Andre Fleury, who made his debut for the Wild, but the former has still managed a 22-15-5 record in spite of ho-hum ratios, including a 3.39 GAA and .903 save percentage.