Devils go cold, fall as Jackets get hot in 3rd

Artemi Panarin had five primary assists, setting up the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 5-3 victory over the host Devils on Friday night and a split of their homeand-home series.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Lukas Sedlak, Scott Harrington, Alexander Wennberg and Zach Werenski scored for Columbus. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves.

After losing to the Devils 4-1 in Columbus on Tuesday, the Blue Jackets gained a measure of revenge while also snapping a two-game skid.

The five assists for Panarin tied a Blue Jackets record set by Espen Knutsen against Calgary on March 24, 2001.

Brian Boyle, Marcus Johansson and Blake Coleman had the New Jersey goals. Cory Schneider stopped 23 shots.

Panarin set up Wennberg for a power-play goal 1:32 into the third period to snap a 3-all tie.

The Devils had a great opportunity to pull even but could not convert on a four-minute power play after Markus Hannikainen high-sticked Nico Hischier midway through the third.

“I think we got a little fragile,” Boyle said. “We gave up a goal and then strayed a bit from our game plan. We can learn something from this. You can’t be as fragile as that.”

Werenski gave the Blue Jackets a 5-3 lead at 15:02 with his ninth goal, which leads all NHL defensemen.

Panarin set up all three Columbus goals in the second period as the Blue Jackets erased a 2-0 deficit.

Unlike the first period, the Blue Jackets were the hungrier team in the second. Dubois got Columbus on the board at 2:29, snapping the puck past Schneider’s blocker.

Panarin picked off a clearing attempt by Devils defenseman Andy Greene and fed Sedlak for the equalizer at 5:44.

Harrington put Columbus up 3-2 at 14:13 with a shot from the left point following a cross-ice feed from Panarin.

Coleman pulled the Devils even at 3 with 19.9 seconds left in the period.

The Devils forechecked well to start the game and the pressure paid off with goals by Boyle and Johansson for a 2-0 lead.

Boyle, left wide open in the slot, got it started at 8:29. The goal was set up by a backhand pass from Jimmy Hayes, who was positioned behind the Blue Jackets net.

It was Boyle’s fourth goal in the last seven games.

Johansson got the second tally on a wraparound, tucking the puck inside the right post before Bobrovsky could slide across at 14:10.

Johansson had not scored since Oct. 19, having missed 13 games in between with a concussion. — AP