Only one match was featured on the NHL schedule Monday night.
With the frenzy of mid-level and lower trades going down Monday, there was little room for a game.
This one went to extra time before the Blue Jackets bested the Ottawa Senators, 4-3, in Columbus.
Emil Bemstrom picked up the game-winner to end the Jackets’ skid at eight games.
“I’ve been waiting for that all season,” Bemstrom said. “That’s the first time I’ve scored [in overtime], so I guess I’m happy. I want to play well. I have to do that to keep my confidence.”
Elvis Merzlikins got the start for the Blue Jackets, but left the game in the middle frame after a collision with the Sens’ Antho
Nick Foligno had two goals for the Blue Jackets – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
ny Duclair. He had allowed two goals to that point.
Joonas Korpisalo made 14 saves in relief to get the win, his first since late December.
“I didn’t plan on that,” Korpisalo said. “It’s sad to see something like that kind of stuff happen to Elvis. I didn’t see what really happened, but it’s not fun.”
Connor Brown struck for two goals for the Senators.
“This team has been outstanding all year. These guys work,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. “Tonight, we’re short bodies, important guys, guys who have played minutes. Our team continued to play hard right to the final buzzer.
“When your best players play hard, everyone else is going to follow.”
The Senators were a shadow of the team that iced over the weekend after a series of trades gutted the lineup.
Colin White also scored for Ottawa when staked the Sens to a 3-2 lead.
“It’s a pretty emotional day,” Brown said. “In the morning we were all wondering what our team would look like. All things considered, I thought we showed a lot of professionalism and came to play right out of the gate and played our game.”
Nick Foligno had two goals for the Blue Jackets.
“We just hung with it,” Foligno said. “I’m really proud of the guys for that. We found a way to gut it out, but we have to be better than that.”
Stefan Matteau tied the game up at 3-3 for Columbus.
“That was a huge goal, [helped us] climb back into the game,” Korpisalo said. “After that, I think we took off and controlled the OT as well, so I think that set up the rest of the game for us.”
[WATCH: All Senators vs. Blue Jackets highlights]
Marcus Hogberg made 41 saves in the loss.
Matthew Peca arrived late for the Sens after being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens.
“You don’t know a whole lot of the systems or anything like that, but the guys are pretty well coached, good coaches behind the bench,” Peca said. “All game guys were talking out there. I didn’t have an issue.”
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