Nichushkin and Johnson Secure Shootout Win for Columbus
Valeri Nichushkin and Kent Johnson converted their shootout attempts Thursday night to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets past the Dallas Stars 2-1, securing the team’s third straight home victory.
The win brings Columbus to a perfect 5-0 record in games extending beyond regulation. Nichushkin beat Dallas goaltender Casey DeSmith on a backhand shot as the second shooter in the rotation. Johnson followed by sliding the puck between DeSmith’s legs, marking his second game-deciding shootout score of the current campaign.
Zach Werenski provided the regulation offense for Columbus with his first goal of the season, which came with just 3:14 remaining in the third period. Johnson picked up an assist on the play, extending his personal point streak to six games and claiming the team scoring lead with 14 points. In the Columbus net, Cam Talbot turned away 27 shots to capture his fourth straight victory alongside the 27th career shootout win of his career.
Dallas Striking Distance Halted
Mikko Rantanen scored the lone goal for Dallas, snapping a scoreless deadlock at the 6:27 mark of the third period following an Ivan Provorov turnover in front of the net. Wyatt Johnston earned the assist on the play, which temporarily halted a two-game winning streak for the Stars.
Dallas nearly broke the scoreless tie much earlier, coming within the final second of the second period. However, the puck failed to cross the goal line entirely before the clock expired. DeSmith finished the night with 29 saves for the visitors.
Upcoming Matchups
The Columbus Blue Jackets travel to face Buffalo on Friday to complete a back-to-back set. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars return home to host San Jose on Saturday.
