Jackets set to zip up some history Columbus wins 16th straight, one shy of tying NHL record
The Columbus Blue Jackets were winding down another dominant victory on Tuesday night when the crowd at Nationwide Arena began to chant: “We want 16! We want 16!”
The Jackets delivered, with Cam Atkinson and William Karlsson scoring powerplay goals in a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
The victory extended Columbus’ winning streak to 16 games — one away from matching the NHL record.
Nick Foligno also scored for the Blue Jackets, who can tie the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins with a victory on Thursday at Washington.
“Everything feels good right now,” said Columbus coach John Tortorella.
“They deserve it. I’m proud of the team. I’m really happy with how they’ve handled these past three games, with all the talk of the streak.”
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 shots for the Blue Jackets, who started the new year on the right note after winning all 14 of their games in December.
Columbus hasn’t lost since Nov 26, thanks in part to the league’s best powerplay unit.
Oscar Klefbom scored for Edmonton,whichwaslimited throughout by Columbus’ hard-pressing defense. Cam Talbot had 32 saves for the Oilers.
“We didn’t come anywhere close to their pace or their
Everything feels good right now. They deserve it. I’m proud of the team. I’m really happy with how they’ve handled these past three games.”
John Tortorella, Columbus coach tenacity, their relentlessness,” Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said. “We weren’t anywhere near it.”
The Blue Jackets opened the scoring at 12:32 of the first period when Atkinson’s shot ricocheted in off the skate of Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera.
Atkinson padded his teamleading totals to 18 goals and 38 points, and Zach Werenski and Alexander Wennberg drew the assists.
“That was a nice bounce,” said Atkinson, who has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in his past 13 games.
Edmonton managed just four shots on goal in the opening frame.
Klefbomtiedit5:39intothe second period on a shot from the slot. Shortly afterwards, the Blue Jackets’ Brandon Dubinsky and the Oilers’ Patrick Maroon — who got an assist on Klefbom’s goal — went to the box for fighting after Maroon threw a high elbow.
“I think that got a lot of guys fired up,” Foligno said.
Karlsson, skating for Dubinsky during the fighting penalty, put Columbus ahead 2-1 on another powerplay 10:43 into the second when he ripped a shot from the middle of the left circle past Talbot.
Brandon Saad, who fed Karlsson with a perfect pass, got the assist, along with Seth Jones.
Foligno put Columbus up bytwo2:45intothethirdperiod with an unassisted goal after stepping in front of a pass as the Oilers were trying to get out of their zone.
Edmonton’s Milan Lucic said he understands how Columbus has been able to pile up the wins.
“You could see everything is falling in the right direction for them,” Lucic said.
“It’s easy to say they’re getting the bounces and all that type of stuff, but they’re working hard for those bounces and they’re making stuff happen.”
Ice chips: Bobrovsky was the NHL’s player of the month for December with a 12-0-0 record ... Saad has a point in six straight games and is 10-11-21 in his last 21 appearances ... Foligno has points in six straight games ... Columbus has scored at least three goals in 24 games this season ... Center Anton Lander and defenseman Eric Gryba were scratched for Edmonton, while left winger Markus Hannikainen, recalled from Cleveland of the AHL on Sunday, was a scratch for the Blue Jackets, along with defensemen Dalton Prout and Scott Harrington.