Columbus escapes with 5-4 OT win over Avalanche

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets have found their game of late and that has put pushed up the Metropolitan Division ladder and the wild card race in the Eastern Conference.

But they ne3eded an overtime goal from Seth Jones Thursday to escape the Colorado Avalanche who erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to force extra time.

Photo By: Brianna O’Mara

“At that point, we’re just looking for two points no matter how we get them,” Jones said.

Jones scored with just 59 seconds gone in the extra period.

Joonas Korpisalo made 23 saves to get the win as the Jackets improved to 35-28-5 and are clear of the Florida Panthers by two points.

“We responded really good again,” Korpisalo said. “The second period was really good for us. We just trust our game. We’ve got some really good scoring power right now.”

Thomas Vanek scored twice, his first two goals with the Blue Jackets, in the win.

Boone Jenner and Zach Werenski also scored for Columbus.

“Being down 2-0, the way we were playing, we didn’t deserve it. We kept on playing. Scoring our first goal before they got to three was very important,” Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said after the win.

Carl Soderberg scored two goals and Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie added single markers in the win.

“We came back strong and hoped for more,” Soderberg said.

The loss left the Avs outside looking in on the wild card race as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Washington Capitals Thursday, 3-1.

“Great start then it was very average,” Avs head coach Jared Bednar said. “For me, it was a big game, a couple of points on the line. We were a little slow, a little lackadaisical. We got outworked in some areas tonight.”

Photo By: Brianna O’Mara

[WATCH: All Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets highlights]

Semyon Varlamov made 39 saves in the loss.

“We’ll take a point. I don’t think we deserved a point tonight. [Semyon Varlamov] made some big saves down the stretch when we were pressing,” Bednar said after the game.

Photo By: Brianna O’Mara

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