In Columbus, the Blue Jackets snapped a four-game losing skid in a 6-4 win over the road weary San Jose Sharks on Sunday evening.
Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves in the Jackets win.
San Jose ended its five-game roadie with two straight losses. They were 3-2-0 on the trip.
“We played pretty good on the road trip, but tonight it got away from us. It’s unacceptable,” San Jose head coach Bob Boughner said.
Adam Boqvist hit for a pair of goals for Columbus, including the ice breaker for a 1-0 lead.
In a span of 21 seconds from the end of the first period to the start of the middle frame, the Sharks replied with goals from Nick Bonino and Erik Karlsson, for a 2-1 lead.
“We started the third a little bit on our heels, tried to play it safe, and they scored two quick ones and we couldn’t find our footing from there,” Karlsson said.
Neither team seemed interested in stopping the other.
“We can score. It loosens everyone up,” Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen said. “It helps the whole bench. You take a breath and you’re not squeezing the sticks as hard.”
Sean Kuraly, Cole Sillinger,Jack Roslovic, and Boqvist scored for Columbus over the second and third periods.
“To see the effort in the third and be able to take over that game was very important,” Roslovic said. “We need to see how to play these energetic home games on the road.”
Brent Burns and Tomas Hertl got the Sharks within 5-4 in the third.
“It could have been a great trip. We still got six points, but I think we should have had eight,” Hertl said.
The Sharks dropped to 13-11-1. who lost the final two of a five-game road trip after winning the first three.
Alexandre Texier scored an empty-net goal to ice the win, 6-4.
“When we get these games at home, we have to capitalize on them,” Sillinger said. “We had real good legs in the third period and generated a lot of chances. Everything went our way.”
Adin Hill made 24 saves in the San Jose loss.
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