Nichushkin, Johnson score in shootout to lift Blue Jackets past Stars 2-1
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Valeri Nichushkin and Kent Johnson scored in the shootout, and the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 Thursday night for their third straight home win.
Columbus improved to 5-0 in games that have gone beyond regulation.
Nichushkin scored on a backhand shot as Columbus’ second shooter, and Johnson went scored between the legs of Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith for his second game-deciding shootout score of the season.
Zach Werenski scored in regulation, and Johnson’s assist extended his point streak to six games, giving him the team lead with 14 points. Cam Talbot stopped 27 shots for his fourth straight win and his 27th career shootout victory.
Mikko Rantanen scored and DeSmith stopped 29 shots for Dallas, which had its two-game winning streak halted.
Dallas appeared to break a scoreless deadlock in the final second of the second period, but the puck failed to completely cross the goal line before time expired.
Rantanen finally broke through at 6:27 of the third, scoring his ninth goal of the season after an Ivan Provorov turnover in front of the Columbus net. Wyatt Johnston assisted on the goal.
Werenski scored his first goal of the season with 3:14 left in the period to tie the score and extend his point streak to five games.
Stars: Host San Jose on Saturday.
Blue Jackets: At Buffalo on Friday to complete a back-to-back.
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