Kent Johnson scored with 2:31 left in overtime, and the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets ended the Edmonton Oilers’ six-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.
Without a goal in his previous 15 contests, Johnson skated with the puck to find an opening, then drove it past Edmonton netminder Stuart Skinner (24 saves), who appeared to be screened by teammate Darnell Nurse, for the winner. Meanwhile, Joonas Korpisalo was strong in net while making 34 saves to help Columbus post just their fourth road win of the season.
Zach Hyman scored his 25th goal and Connor McDavid recorded his 49th assist in 49 games for the Oilers, who have still earned at least one point in nine of their last 10.
Down 2-1, the Blue Jackets were able to sustain some chances on Skinner in the third period. They were eventually rewarded when rookie Kirill Marchenko worked his way to push the puck in with 8:34 remaining in regulation for his 11th goal in 25 NHL contests.
While Edmonton pressured through the first half of the opening period, it was Columbus that got on the board first. The Blue Jackets’ Adam Boqvist sent a wrister from the point, and Boone Jenner was in front of Skinner to deflect the puck in with 7:35 remaining in the first period. Meanwhile, Korpisalo was particularly stout in stopping all 11 Edmonton chances in the period.
The Oilers, though, eventually leveled the contest with 9:43 remaining in the second period. After the Oilers won a puck battle on the neutral-zone boards, the came to Derek Ryan near the Columbus’ blue line. Ryan skated in and converted over the top of Korpisalo’s glove.
The Oilers grabbed their first lead of the night with 3:44 left in the second, and on the power play. Shortly after Korpisalo made a stellar sliding point-blank save on Leon Draisaitl, McDavid threw the puck on net where Hyman was in the perfect spot to redirect it home.
Columbus’ Gustav Nyquist played in his 700th NHL game on Wednesday, but exited following a first-period upper-body injury.
–Field Level Media
