Flames clip Blue Jackets, 4-3, in OT Gaudreau return spoiled in loss

In Calgary, the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied twice on Monday night, once from a 2-0 deficit in the first period and once in the third period when Boone Jenner scored to knot the game, 3-3, and force extra time with the Flames. 

Calgary’s Dillon Dube  put the game to bed midway through the extra session for a 4-3 win to the Flames.

“It would’ve been better if we won it in 60 (minutes) there,” Dube said. “It was a huge effort.”

Calgary took a 2-0 lead on a first goal from Walker Duehr, and Nazem Kadri’s second period strike.

Johnny Gaudreau had two assists in his first return to Calgary since signing a contract with the Blue Jackets.

“It’ll probably be easier next time, but I’m sure I’ll still get booed,” said Gaudreau, who played his first eight NHL seasons with the Flames. “It’ll be a lot easier. The first time back is a lot of emotions. [I was] a little nervous before the game started, but I was excited to be back. It was a lot of fun playing here.”

Kirill Marchenko and Patrik Laine scored power play goals 49 seconds apart in the middle frame to get the game even, 2-2.

“‘Korpi,’ he kept us in the game; it could’ve been 5-0 after the first,” Laine said. “He gave us a chance to come back in the game, and I feel like we really started to battle after the first. Our power play got a couple goals to get us going. I feel we battled pretty hard tonight.”

Andrew Mangiapane  put the Flames back in front, 3-2, at 16:17 of the second.

“Another character win tonight,” Kadri said. “We find a way to hang in there and fight off some adversity. Had a lot of opportunities and for the most part played a pretty solid game. That’s always good to see. Around this time of year, everyone starts to understand how we need to play and what our identity is. It’s midseason for a reason. You kind of have to kind of fight the dog days of an 82-game schedule, but this is the time where you try to dial in the detail.”

The Blue Jackets dropped to 14-30-3.

“We’re a really young group and the guys fought hard tonight,” Gaudreau said. “I was really proud of them. Hopefully these are games your team kind of builds around to keep pushing and keep getting better every single day.”

Gaudreau  was awarded a penalty shot late in the third period, but missed.

Joonas Korpisalo made 45 saves in the Blue Jackets loss.

“‘Korpi,’ he kept us in the game; it could’ve been 5-0 after the first,” Laine said. “He gave us a chance to come back in the game, and I feel like we really started to battle after the first. Our power play got a couple goals to get us going. I feel we battled pretty hard tonight.”