GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets got early production from their fourth line, then turned to that unit again in the third period for big minutes.
Boone Jenner and Josh Anderson each tallied a goal and an assist, and David Savard and fourth-line forward Lukas Sedlak also scored for Columbus in a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 29 shots as the Blue Jackets won their second straight after a five-game losing streak.
“They gave us a big lift in the third period, just as far as their forechecking and just hounding the puck,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said of the fourth line of Sedlak, Riley Nash and Markus Hannikainen, who had an assist. “Scored the first goal. I thought their third period was probably the best period they’ve played all year long.”
Jordan Oesterle had a goal and an assist and Connor Garland scored for Arizona, which has lost five in a row. The Coyotes played their first home game in almost three weeks, with two three-game road trips sandwiching the NHL All-Star weekend and a break in the schedule.
The Blue Jackets went on the attack early and cashed in at 3:02 of the first period. Sedlak put away a loose puck amid a scrum of players and sticks in front of the Arizona net for his third goal of the season.
“Every team needs four lines rolling, four lines contributing,” Sedlak said. “That’s how good teams win.”
Columbus almost had a goal at 14:07 when Nick Foligno’s attempt was cleared off the line by Arizona’s Christian Fischer. Three minutes later, the Blue Jackets made it 2-0.
Savard got the puck off a faceoff in the Coyotes’ zone and zipped a high wrist shot past the Coyotes’ Darcy Kuemper at 17:13.
Kuemper had 29 saves.
The Coyotes scored the first two goals of the second period, with Oesterle taking a pass from Nick Cousins and sending in a hard wrist shot at 4:20.
Garland, who has 11 goals in only 27 games, got a pass on the fly from Oesterle and broke into the clear, beating Bobrovsky stick side at 6:03 to tie it.
Columbus took the lead at 3-2 on the power play with Anderson tipping in teammate Seth Jones’ slap shot that went between the legs of a defender at 10:24. Jones has six assists in his last seven games, and Anderson has three goals in four games.
“That was the difference,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “Tomorrow’s another day and we have to try to figure out a way to get some wins here.”
The Coyotes’ Josh Archibald hit a goalpost with a shot midway through the third period.
Jenner sealed the Blue Jackets’ 30th win of the season with an unassisted goal at 13:52, his 10th.
NOTES: Kuemper made his 29th start of the season, a personal high for most in a season. … Kuemper and D Kevin Connauton returned to the lineup after missing the Coyotes’ last game with injuries. … D Kyle Capobianco, in only his second game of the season and first at home after being called up last week, left with 12:14 left in the third period after taking a hit against the boards from Foligno and suffering what appeared to be a knee injury. . Columbus has 13 wins on Thursdays this season and only one loss…. C Brandon Dubinsky missed his second straight game due to a hip injury.
UP NEXT
Columbus: at Vegas on Saturday.
Arizona: hosts Dallas on Saturday.
