Gustav Nyquist’s score with 7:22 remaining during Columbus’ three-goal third period broke a tie game and sent the Blue Jackets to a 5-3 win over visiting San Jose on Saturday night.
Nyquist, who also had an assist, forced a San Jose turnover in the neutral zone, then the puck found teammate Kent Johnson (two assists). It got back to Nyquist, whose drive beat Sharks netminder Kaapo Kahkonen (24 saves) to break a 3-3 tie and give the Blue Jackets their first lead.
It would hold up for Columbus, which snapped a three-game skid with just its fourth win in 19 contests.
Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine also had a goal with an assist apiece, Boone Jenner scored, and Sean Kuraly added an empty-netter as the Blue Jackets overcame a 2-0 hole and 3-2 third-period deficit.
Nico Sturm recorded a goal with an assist, while Timo Meier and Nick Bonino each scored for San Jose, which has lost four of five.
The Sharks dominated the opening period, outshooting the Blue Jackets 15-2. Yet, their only goal of the frame came with 9:11 remaining, when a surging Meier slid the puck by Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo (22 saves), back after missing four games due to personal reasons.
Columbus recorded the first five shots on goal of the second period, but San Jose struck on its first shot of the frame. After Bonino’s deflection of Sturm’s shot didn’t go in, he pulled off a wraparound for a 2-0 Sharks lead just 5:39 into the second.
The Blue Jackets eventually scored while ending their seven-game power-play goal drought with 8:41 remaining in the second, when Gaudreau converted his first with the man-advantage as a Blue Jacket.
Then 1:12 later, Columbus tied it on Jenner’s quick strike.
The Sharks took the lead 1:33 into the third when Sturm was the last player to get on the puck amid some net-front pressure. However, a little more than a minute later, Laine successfully one-timed a slot drive via Jack Roslovic’s no-look pass from behind the San Jose net.
–Field Level Media