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Blue Jackets rally to beat reeling Oilers

Jan 18, 2012 - 4:01 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Derek MacKenzie scored the game-winning goal early in the third period as the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied from a 2-0 deficit to down the Edmonton Oilers, 4-2, on Tuesday.

Ryan Johansen, Derick Brassard and Derek Dorsett also scored and Curtis Sanford made 21 saves for the Blue Jackets, who bounced back from a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

"It wasn't the start we were looking for," Blue Jackets interim head coach Todd Richards. "We kind of waded into the game and spotted them two goals. But we kept pushing and found a way to win."

Anton Lander and Ben Eager lit the lamp for the Oilers, who have lost 13 of their last 16 games. Devan Dubnyk gave up three goals on 24 shots in defeat.

Oilers star forward Taylor Hall was injured in pre-game warmups when he was cut on the forehead by the skate of teammate Corey Potter. He was taken to the dressing room and did not play in the game.

Trailing 2-0 after one period of play, Columbus cut the deficit to 2-1 just 2:37 into the second period when Antoine Vermette picked up the puck in the defensive zone and raced up the left wing. Vermette gained the blue line and fed a cutting Johansen, who ripped a quick wrist shot that beat Dubnyk low to the glove side.

Columbus tied the game on the power play with eight-tenths of a second remaining in the second period when Rick Nash fired a shot from the right circle that was stopped by Dubnyk, but he failed to control the rebound and Brassard was there to pop it home just before the horn sounded.

The Jackets took the lead for good just 32 seconds into the third period when Colton Gillies poked the puck past Potter on the left wing and drove to the net before sliding a perfect cross-ice pass to MacKenzie, who easily tapped it past an out of position Dubnyk to make it 3-2.

Dorsett added an empty-netter on the power play with 22 seconds left to account for the final margin.

Edmonton struck first at 7:01 of the first period when Lander picked up a loose puck just in front of the offensive blue line. Lander shifted to his backhand and drove to the net before going to the forehand from in close and slipping it past Sanford.

The Oilers again found the back of the net as a result of some good passing off the rush. Ales Hemsky picked up the puck on the left wing and cut to the middle. Hemsky then sent a pass to Jeff Petry, who chased down the puck in the right corner and sent a slick backhand pass to Eager, who stuffed it home from the slot to make it 2-0 at 8:50.

"It was a tough start to the third period," Oilers head coach Tom Renney said. "We just couldn't muster enough offense to get the win."

Game Notes

Brassard has recorded at least one point in four of his last five games...Tuesday marked the second meeting of the season between the teams. Edmonton topped the Blue Jackets, 6-3, on December 2 at Rexall Place...Sanford started his sixth straight game for the Blue Jackets...Columbus went a prefect 2-for-2 with the man advantage, while the Oilers failed to convert on three power play chances.