Gustav Nyquist was hooked on a breakaway in overtime Monday night, in Toronto.
The call was iffy, but the Columbus Blue Jackets took and Nyquist scored the game-winner on the ensuing penalty shot for a 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs.
“It feels great,” Nyquist said. “Obviously we had lost two overtime games in a row coming into this game so it’s nice to be on the winning side for once. … It was nice I was able to put that one in on the penalty shot.”
Columbus had a 2-0 lead befrore the Leafs came back with three goals to take a lead in the third period.
“I thought after we went up two it got kind of sloppy for us,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said of Columbus taking a 2-0 lead 5:52 into the first period on its first two shots. “They fought back and tied it up and took the lead there late in the second, and we just kept fighting and ended up tying it up and found a way to win, so that’s the most important thing. To find a way to win on the road after four games in six nights, it was really good for our group.”
The Jackets needed a power play goal from Alexander Wennberg to force extra time.
“Sometimes when you shoot the puck good things happen,” Werenski said, “and it came right back to me after Morgan Rielly blocked the first one, so I was able to throw one down to Wennberg because he was standing there all alone, and he was able to put it in.”
Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves for the win.
“We worked hard for each other tonight, and we talked about making sure we stayed on the right side of people tonight defensively, and I think we did that for the most part,
Nyquist said. “I also think Korpisalo made some big-league saves on some Grade A opportunities, so he certainly kept us in the game too.”
Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen scored for Toronto.
Riley Nash and Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored for the Blue Jackets.
“It was great to see guys step up,” Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson said. “We really needed everyone, and I’m really happy for Gustav and Joonas for how they made a big difference. The Maple Leafs are a very good team, so no matter how many goals you’re up against them, they can always come back. They have that many weapons over there.”
The Blue Jackets are 3-0-2 in their last five games.
“It’s a recipe for giving goals up when you take penalties and turn over pucks and play in your zone, you can’t win like that,” Jake Muzzin said. “We’re going to play better defensively. We have to, no matter who is in net, no matter which team we are playing.”
[WATCH:Â All Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs highlights]
Frederik Andersen made 34 saves in the loss.
“You come out with a slow start like that and give them two,” Muzzin said. “I mean Fred has been a rock for us all year and we’d like to come out with a better start (for him). We have to find a way to come out and put together a full 60 minutes of hard work and playing the right way. We do it in spurts, but we need to do it in a consistent effort throughout the whole 3–game.”
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