Blue Jackets 4 - 3 Oilers
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Blue Jackets slip past fading Oilers in SO

Mar 19, 2015 - 6:05 AM Edmonton, AB (SportsNetwork.com) - Alexander Wennberg posted the deciding score in the third round of the shootout and sent Columbus to a 4-3 decision over Edmonton at Rexall Place.

David Savard, Ryan Johansen and Mark Letestu tallied for the Blue Jackets, winners in four of their last five. Curtis McElhinney recorded a career-best 44 saves in regulation and added a pair of saves in the game's final segment.

"It's always nice to get into a game and see some shots right away," said McElhinney.

Derek Roy, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov lit the lamp for the Oilers, losers in eight of their last nine. Ben Scrivens halted just 17-of-20 shots in the loss.

"He played well," said Nugent-Hopkins when asked about McElhinney's performance. "He was solid there tonight."

Both Johansen and Jordan Eberle tallied in the second round after both shooters failed to open the shootout. Wennberg began the final round by beating Scrivens on a high backhander before Roy's chance to prolong the contest was turned away by McElhinney.

Savard opened the scoring at 5:35 of the first period with a slick shot from the high slot and Johansen doubled the Columbus edge just before the four- minute mark of the second.

Roy's power-play strike at 11 minutes even provided the Oilers their first offensive salvo.

Nugent-Hopkins evened things with 1:28 elapsed in the third and Yakupov gave Edmonton its first lead of the night at 9:15 by pouncing on Oscar Klefbom's point shot that missed the net but bounced off the end boards into the right wing.

Letestu pulled the Jackets even just 54 seconds later when he let fly from the left point and scored his seventh of the season.

Game Notes

Columbus claimed a 5-4 shootout decision at home against Edmonton last Friday ... The Blue Jackets picked up their first win in Alberta's capital since a similar 4-3 result on Jan. 7, 2010 ... McElhinney's previous high for saves in one game was 42, accomplished twice previously.






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