Joel Eriksson Ek’s tiebreaking goal with 8:10 left in regulation sparked the visiting Minnesota Wild to a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets and extended their winning streak to six games.
The Swedish forward also added an assist as he extended his points streak to six games. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy posted three-point nights as each delivered an empty-net goal and two assists. Ryan Hartman and Vladimir Tarasenko tallied goals and Yakov Trenin recorded his fifth two-assist game of his career.
Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves for the Wild.
Zach Werenski scored twice, giving him four in the Blue Jackets’ last two games and extended his points streak to four games. Charlie Coyle and Cole Sillinger recorded assists.
Jet Greaves stopped 23 shots, but he could not get his leg pad on Eriksson Ek’s shot that came during a scrum in front of the crease midway through the third period to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead.
Minnesota’s late outburst overshadowed a record performance by Werenski, who became the first Blue Jackets defenseman to score multiple goals in consecutive games.
Werenski’s first came with 4:40 remaining in the opening period. Miles Wood’s takeaway in the Wild’s attack zone led to a 3-on-2 opportunity, with Werenski as the trailer, and the blueliner scored his 12th of the season from the right circle after taking a crossing pass from Coyle.
Minnesota tied the game on Hartman’s redirection in the slot with 6:30 left in the second period. Hartman was stationed behind Greaves and received a perfect feed from Kaprizov for the power-play goal.
Tarasenko put Minnesota ahead moments later with his sixth of the season and third in his last two games. The journeyman forward finished a 3-on-2 with 3:45 left in the period that started with a neutral-zone turnover. Trenin and Danila Yurov set up their fellow Russian linemate.
That lead lasted just 1:24 as Werenski turned a center ice takeaway into an unassisted goal, beating Wallstedt again from the right circle. He now has 13 goals to rank second among all NHL defensemen this season.
Kaprizov got his 22nd of the season and Boldy added his 20th in the final two minutes to ensure Columbus lost for the sixth time in seven games.
–Field Level Media
