Oilers unable to clinch 2nd seed in Pacific Division as Blue Jackets snap 5-game losing streak | CBC Sports

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Rookie Nick Blankenburg scored his first NHL goal and added an assist to help the Columbus Blue Jackets beat Edmonton 5-2 on Sunday afternoon, snapping a five-game losing streak and preventing the Oilers from getting the second place in the Pacific Division.

“It’s a dream come true, to score a goal at home against Edmonton to go up 3-2 with 10 minutes left,” Blankenburg said. “That’s very special to me.”

Eric Robinson and Jack Roslovic also scored, Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists, and Cole Sillinger added a goal and an assist for Columbus. Jakub Voracek had three assists and Gus Nyquist had two helpers for Columbus, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 33 shots in his 26th victory.

“Tonight, our guys fought really hard,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “They’re a really dangerous team. Elvis was outstanding. I’m really happy for the guys. They put a lot into the game.”

Evander Kane and Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton, and Mikko Koskinen stopped 26 shots.

SEE | Draisaitl scores 55 of the season in loss:

Leon Draisaitl scores his 55th goal of the year

Edmonton Oiler Leon Draisaitl scores his 55th goal of the season as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeat the Oilers 5-2 0:47

Kane started the scoring at 3:08 of the first period with a sniper shot from the right circle after a turnover in the neutral zone for his fifth goal in three games.

Robinson tied Columbus by burying a Voracek rebound with four minutes left in the period.

A power play at 5:30 of the second opened the door for Draisaitl’s 55th goal of the season, his 24th with a man lead. McDavid contributed his 75th assist, putting him second in the NHL behind Jonathan Huberdeau and tying his career high for the season.

Bjorkstrand scores the first NHL goal

Columbus tied it back to just 1:36 in the third when Bjorkstrand buried a rebound from Cole Sillinger for his first goal since March 29 and his first points in 12 games.

Blankenburg’s first career NHL goal, a shot from the blue line during a power play, put Columbus ahead 3-2, before Roslovic scored from the right circle with about three minutes left in the game to his fourth goal in three games, extending his scoring streak to four games.

Sillinger with an empty net with 47 seconds remaining made it 5-2.

“We talked before the game that this game would be a learning opportunity,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. “We learned a few things. We generated a lot of offensive opportunities. And on a personal level, we can be sharper. We can be sharper to convert them.”

“Their goalie played really well, that’s the kind of goal you’re going to see down the stretch and in the playoffs. You have to find a way to be personally strong.”

With 118 points, Connor McDavid competes with the Florida Panthers’ Jonathan Huberdeau (114 points) for his fourth Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading points producer.

Draisaitl is currently second in the Rocket Richard career with 55 goals on the season. He trails only Toronto’s Auston Matthews, who has 58 goals and is on pace to become the first 60-goal scorer in the last 10 years.




Reference-www.cbc.ca

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