National Hockey League
Columbus 4, New Jersey 3
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 8, 2022
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees: Gord Dwyer, Kendrick Nicholson
Linesmen: Devin Berg, Andrew Smith
Attendance: 18680

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice Saturday night -- including the game-winner in the third period -- for the host Columbus Blue Jackets, who salvaged a split of a home-and-home by edging the New Jersey Devils, 4-3.

Cole Sillinger won a faceoff against the Devils' Jack Hughes deep in the New Jersey zone to set up Bjorkstrand's go-ahead goal, a sizzling slap shot that sailed beyond the glove of MacKenzie Blackwood at the 5:00 mark as the goalie was caught leaning in the other direction.

Bjorkstrand also scored the first goal for the Blue Jackets, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the fourth time in their last 15 games (4-10-1). Boone Jenner and Yegor Chinakhov also had goals for Columbus.

Goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 27 saves, including a point-blank stop of a Hughes backhand that preserved the lead with 2:55 left.

Nico Hischier, Jimmy Vesey and Marian Studenic scored for the Devils, who beat the Blue Jackets 3-1 on Thursday and are 4-2-0 since returning from the holiday break.

Blackwood recorded 30 saves.

Damon Severson was whistled for holding the stick just 42 seconds after faceoff to generate a successful power play for the Blue Jackets, who took the quick lead on Bjorkstrand's first goal at the 2:01 mark.

Columbus doubled the lead 2:02 later, when Jenner was credited with a goal after his pass into the crease ticked off the stick of Hughes and into the net.

The Devils tied the score by forcing a pair of turnovers deep in the Blue Jackets' zone and scoring twice in a span of 4:59 late in the period.

Vesey picked off Sean Kuraly's pass to begin the sequence that ended with Hischier's shot from the top of the slot sailing through a gaggle of players in front of Korpisalo with 5:19 left.

Vesey scored off a feed by Dawson Mercer - who intercepted Emil Bemstrom's pass from behind the Blue Jackets' net -- to tie the game with 19.6 seconds remaining.

The teams traded rebound goals in a span of 3:01 in the second.

The Blue Jackets went ahead again when Chinakhov put back his shot at the 9:31 mark before Studenic's rebound of his shot went through Korpisalo's legs for the goal with 6:28 left.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
New Jersey   Columbus
Jimmy Vesey 2 Points Oliver Bjorkstrand 2
Jimmy Vesey 1 Goals Oliver Bjorkstrand 2
Jimmy Vesey 1 Assists Adam Boqvist 2
N/A Power Play Goals Oliver Bjorkstrand 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Mackenzie Blackwood .882 Save Percentage Joonas Korpisalo .900
Mackenzie Blackwood 30 Saves Joonas Korpisalo 27
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
New Jersey 30 3 0-3 2-3 6 31
Columbus 34 4 1-3 3-3 6 36
Upcoming Games
  • Columbus will play their next game on the road against Montreal. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .400 after a win and .556 after a loss.
  • New Jersey will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay. The Devils have a W/L % of .357 after a win and .409 after a loss.