In Columbus, Elvis Merzlikins made 31 saves to help the Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win over the visiting Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
Trailing 2-3 in the third period, the Blue Jackets got a goal from Alexandre Texier to tie it and force extra times.
Columbus’ Gustav Nyquist was credited with the deciding goal in the skills competition.
Columbus improved to 15-13-1.
Nashville’s Michael McCarron,, and Columbus’ Boone Jenner traded first period goals to send the game to the middle frame tied, 1-1.
“We did a lot of really good things,” Nashville head coach John Hynes said. “I commend our guys’ effort, the intensity in a back to back. I really liked our team, loved their competitiveness, liked the way we played.
“When you talk about identity, you watch tonight’s game, by probably every statistical measure we certainly deserved to win. We didn’t find a way to do it.”
Nashville dropped to 19-11-2.
“It felt good to get some game action after a couple of weeks,” Jenner said. “You want to get into it early, making some plays. The first two periods weren’t as sharp as we wanted to be, we didn’t do what we need to be successful. We pushed in the third and got the goal by [Alexandre] Texier, then the extra point.”
Patrik Laine gave the Jackets a 2-1 lead with just 24 seconds gone in the middle frame.
“That was probably one of the only games my dad’s never seen me play, so it was definitely emotional before the game,” Laine said. “I tried to make him proud. I know he always wished for me to work hard every time I go out there. That was kind of my mentality tonight. It was nice to be back.”
Nashville replied with goals from Nick Cousins and Ryan Johansen just 35 seconds apart, for a 3-2 lead.
“It was a hard-fought game. We played pretty decent, but we didn’t find a way to get two points,” Nashville’s Mikael Granlund said. “The game is there. The boys are going hard, playing for each other. That’s the sign of a good team. We just have to keep doing that.”
David Rittich made 26 saves in the Preds loss.
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