Columbus Blue Jackets Dallas Stars shootout win Zach Werenski tying goal, Digi Mart USA News (Columbus): Zach Werenski scored the tying goal with 3:14 remaining in the third period, and the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied for a 2-1 shootout victory against the Dallas Stars at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.
“We stuck with it for 60 minutes,” Werenski said. “It’s a really good hockey team over there.
We just kept coming and playing our game, it’s 1-0 but I liked our bounce back.”
Werenski tied it 1-1 with his first goal of the season, scoring on a backhand over Casey DeSmith’s left pad after skating in from the left face-off circle. “It’s been a while for me since I’ve scored, so happy that one went in,” Werenski said.
“I’ve had chances. Feel like I’ve been playing a lot better lately.”
Werenski added that it had been eating at him that he was not producing and not burying his chances. Valeri Nichushkin and Kent Johnson scored in the shootout for Columbus, while Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the Blue Jackets (7-7-0), who have won two straight.
Mikko Rantanen scored for Dallas, and DeSmith made 29 saves for the Stars (9-5-2), who are 2-2-1 in their past five games. “I’m just trying to do my best and the team’s been doing a good job defending for the most part,” DeSmith said.
Talbot kept the game scoreless in the second period with key saves. He first made an acrobatic save on an Esa Lindell wrist shot at 9:16, turning and snaring the shot at the right post.
Talbot then stopped Jason Robertson on a breakaway with a left-pad save at 16:45.
Dallas appeared to open the scoring in the final seconds of the second period, but video review confirmed the puck did not cross the goal line before time ran out.
Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said the teams had played twice in the past week. “So, it was a good hockey game, tight-checking and it was back to our identity.” The Stars broke through when Rantanen scored for the third straight game, giving Dallas a 1-0 lead at 6:27 of the third period.
Rantanen, who was playing his 100th game with Dallas, said the team had been turning pucks over but that its forecheck and defensive activity created chances. Johnson said he was happy to see Werenski end his goalless streak.
Notes: Werenski has seven points (one goal, six assists) in a five-game point streak. Johnson extended his point streak to six games (three goals, six assists).
Johnston has six points in a four-game streak. Rantanen has five points in a four-game streak, and his 114 points (36 goals, 78 assists) are the third-most through a player’s first 100 games with the franchise.
Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen did not play after sustaining an upper-body injury, and Gulutzan said he may be available Saturday against the San Jose Sharks. Forward Sam Steel was unavailable for personal reasons.
