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Foligno lifts Blue Jackets past Devils

Dec 11, 2013 - 3:44 AM Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Foligno's right skate was in the right place.

Foligno was credited with the game-winning goal when Ryan Johansen's pass went in off his skate with 91 seconds remaining, lifting the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Cam Atkinson had two goals and two assists and Curtis McElhinney made 30 saves for the Blue Jackets, who extended their home winning streak to four games.

Brandon Dubinsky also collected four points with a goal and three assists and Matt Calvert scored for Columbus.

Damien Brunner had two goals and Travis Zajac and Michael Ryder also scored for the Devils, who fell to 3-6-1 in their last 10. Martin Brodeur allowed five goals on just 23 shots.

"It's tough to get scored against late in a game like that with the points sitting there for us," said Brunner.

On the game-winner, Johansen sent the puck into the crease from the low left side and it hit off the outside of Foligno's skate to surprise Brodeur.

"I knew he was there," said Johansen. "It was a fortunate bounce."

Earlier, Calvert scored 18 seconds into the third period on a rebound off Dubinsky's shot to give the Blue Jackets a 4-3 lead that lasted until Brunner slapped a bouncing puck past McElhinney from in front of the crease with 6:01 remaining to tie the score for New Jersey.

McElhinney had given up just two goals on 58 shots in two-plus games since reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky went down with a strained groin -- one of several significant injuries that have plagued the Blue Jackets in the past month.

But he allowed two goals in the first 10:02 of this one, beaten far-side by a Zajac wrister from the right circle 32 seconds in, then from the slot by Ryder after Adam Henrique dropped a pass back for his teammate.

In between, Atkinson was credited with Columbus' first goal after the puck went off his leg as he backed into the crease after Dubinsky's shot.

"I don't think we had a great start. I don't think our legs were moving," said Dubinsky. "I think we were a little bit tired tonight and I think it showed. But we found a way to get a big win against a division rival.

"We definitely gritted it out."

Brunner's tip-in goal 68 seconds into the middle period staked the Devils to a 3-1 lead, but Dubinsky had a hand in two goals during a 49-second span to tie the game for Columbus.

First, Dubinsky won a faceoff in the New Jersey zone and circled back to the crease, where he jammed the puck in during a scramble. He was handling behind the net a short while later before finding Atkinson on the low left side near the crease for a goal that made it 3-3 just 5:08 into the period.

Game Notes

The Devils finish a three-game road trip in Pittsburgh on Friday ... The Blue Jackets will play the Rangers in New York on Thursday ... Patrik Elias had two assists for New Jersey.