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Blue Jackets edge Oilers behind strong second period

Nov 30, 2013 - 5:05 AM Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - The Columbus Blue Jackets scored three straight goals in the second period en route to a 4-2 decision over the Edmonton Oilers at Nationwide Arena.

Artem Anisimov, Nick Foligno and Jack Skille all tallied in the middle session to help the Blue Jackets avenge a 7-0 defeat to the Oilers in Edmonton earlier this month. Ryan Johansen potted a goal in the first period while assisting on Foligno's power-play marker, with Sergei Bobrovsky recording 25 saves in the victory.

"I was pleased with the energy that we came out with and the energy we played with," said Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards.

Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle each scored late for Edmonton, which had won four of five coming in. Ilya Bryzgalov let up four goals on 23 shots before being removed in favor of Devan Dubnyk to begin the third period.

Johansen recorded the lone goal of an otherwise evenly played opening frame. Corralling a puck worked from the boards into the slot by Cam Atkinson, the centerman fired a wrister that beat Bryzgalov to the stick side 7:50 in.

Columbus then capitalized on a pair of power-play chances in the second period to break the game open.

The first came while skating 5-on-3. Stationed at the left side of the Edmonton net, Anisimov put home Matt Calvert's centering feed through the crease with 3:34 elapsed in the stanza.

Foligno knocked in his own rebound in front after receiving the puck from Boone Jenner just past the midway mark of the second for a 3-0 Columbus advantage.

We weren't ready to go out of the gate," said Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins. "We just seemed to be a second late all night."

Skille made it a four-goal game late in the period, rushing hard up the ice and sending a well-placed wrist shot that landed just inside the left corner of the net.

"My linemates made a good play on the wall," said Skille of the goal. "I got a fortunate bounce and when it came to my stick all I was thinking was [to] just get by that [defenseman] and make sure you have a quick release on the shot. It worked out."

Edmonton finally got on the board with 9:24 left to play, when Gagner sent a bad-angle shot from the left corner that found its way through. Just over five minutes later, Eberle pulled the Oilers within 4-2 by rocketing the puck past a screened Bobrovsky during an Edmonton power play.

Dubnyk was pulled with 2:25 to go and got off three shots on goal over that stretch, but Bobrovsky turned each one aside.

Game Notes

Edmonton was dealt its first regulation loss in its past seven meetings with Columbus, having gone 5-0-1 over the previous six matchups ... Forward Corey Tropp, claimed off waivers by the Blue Jackets on Thursday, notched an assist on Skille's goal in his Columbus debut ... Dubnyk stopped all five shots he faced in the third period ... Edmonton's Taylor Hall had a seven-game point streak halted ... The Blue Jackets finished 2-for-5 on the power play while holding the Oilers to a 1-for-7 showing with the man advantage.